Has anyone been able to set up their retiree medical with Via Benefits? I had a phone appointment with a representative on Thursday, but they never answered my call. So frustrating!! I used the website to sign up for a plan , but there is no way to figure out the reimbursement process. Have any of you retirees had any luck ?
10 replies (most recent on top)
Did you know dental is no longer available as a family plan? Individual plans for each person you want covered! Thank you again, Ford, for this lack of transparency.
very disappointed the Company will no longer be using Wageworks for reimbursement expenses. Have been happy with them. Moving to VIA benefits and have not been impressed by them. Just making it more difficult for us!
Supposed to sign up by 12/15 but won’t allow online signup. No appointments available before 12/16. This whole thing is a ridiculous clusterf***.
According to the Ford Retiree Benefits website, Via Benefits Reimbursement Guild will be mail out after January 1st.
https://www.fordretireebenefits.com/
A fellow retiree and I are taking chances with Molina plans offered through VIA. I am pretty healthy, knock on wood. My friend has a chronic condition and discovered U of M accepts Molina. I will have to switch PCP's but the out of pocket costs look better than BCBS or HAP.
Hoping for the best, will comment later on results. DYODD
No reimbursement process or webpages will be active on the portal until 1/1/22 at the earliest. You will have to wait until then for that.
As others have mentioned, you can shop anywhere for your benefits and I went directly to the websites for better pricing.
I had better luck getting a representative first thing in the AM. You will still wait but not as long. Do not I repeat do not let them call you back based on your “position” in the line to talk with a representative. The person who calls can’t help and will forward you to a representative who can help and you now get a “new” place in line just like you picked up a phone and called fresh.
Like other businesses, Via Benefits is short on help and things are taking longer than expected.
If you are unhappy with their service, leave a complaint at the BBB. They will call you back and make things right in less than 24 hours to clear the complaint and keep their BBB rating high.
Get creative about how and where you can get health insurance. I did. I was able to get BCBS PPO With a $500 deductible for a little over $3000 per person per year. ( I’m not going to tell you how because I don’t want everyone to do the same thing and potentially ruin this for others already exploiting this route. Here is a hint. This route does require “work” but you get to chose the “work” that interests you. )
@1fkt+1e8QT1al. Subsidy is a government credit that lowers the premiums for people of lower income. The $500 that you and your spouse get , and the $283 for dependents, is the Health Reimbursement funds that Ford pays towards your premiums. You can only use one or the other...The subsidy or Ford's money. So, if the Subsidy is higher than the Ford $$, then you go with the subsidy.
By subsidy do you mean the $500 that my spouse and I each get and the $283 that our dependents get every month? And what is the Ford reimbursement you're talking about? Sounds like from what you posted that I should be shopping on the marketplace instead of Via benefits. This is so frustrating.
Thank you for the process help @zgh+1e8QT1al.
I have tried for several weeks to get through with questions and most times it is 2-3 hour on hold and hit or miss help. I still have multiple issues with sign-up and it is difficult to get a rep when you need one. I found dental and vision appear to be cheaper and better coverages and name brands by just shopping online. I don't think you need Marketplace to get dental or vision. When I talked to Via they are a 'storefront' for Marketplace and it all processes through there anyway they just don't show all the options on Marketplace just the ones with best "value" . Not convinced.
We were better off picking a plan on the marketplace or an off marketplace plan such as HAP or BCBS off marketplace because the prices are better and there are more choices, that is if you are NOT eligible for the health care subsidy. If you are taking the subsidy instead of Ford’s health reimbursement then you need to sign up on the marketplace or through via benefits. Marketplace had many more options. If you are taking the Ford reimbursement you need to go onto the via benefits site and select that you want the healthcare reimbursement. There’s a spot where it asks you. However last Friday the site wasn’t set up to put in your personal information where you want your reimbursement sent. You Have to set up your reimbursement account through via benefits even if you don’t purchase your insurance through them. Once you purchase insurance , you need to pay the first month premium, and wait for the insurance company to send your Welcome letter. Then you submit the front page of your welcome letter which should have your premium price on it , or include the page with the premium price if it isn’t on the first page, to via benefits and that will start the reimbursement process. You can have your money reimbursed to your checking account. We talked to someone yesterday at the Ford number for retiree insurance and she said the deadline for signing up was extended to Dec 31st. Double check that online though.