During open enrollment last year, HR announced that the company would discontinue our previous mental health plan (Chevron Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder, MHSUD). This change meant that employees and their dependents who were receiving behavioral health benefits via MHSUD would be forced to obtain mental health coverage via one of the medical providers that we selected (Kaiser, Anthem, Cigna).
The HR email alerting us about this change very casually claimed that “the kinds of behavioral health services covered will generally remain the same” and that “costs may change.” Well, that was quite THE understatement!
I find it truly unconscionable that our ELT, who obviously had to have been presented detailed cost impact scenarios showing the devastating impact to employees, willingly chose to implement this significant reduction to our mental health benefits. And they did so knowing full well that people would be struggling even more as a result of the layoffs and reorg.
Since not everyone might have a need for these benefits (consider yourself fortunate), allow me to paint you a picture of the shocking financial impact that our family is facing.
We have the Anthem PPO. I originally called them to find out the per-session fee for this year. They initially stated $0 copay or coinsurance. That did not seem possible, as we used to pay $13 per session last year through the MHSUD plan. I called back, and Anthem stated that our cost would be 40% of the billed rate.
Assuming a weekly session, below is a cost comparison of old vs. new coverage:
— MHSUD cost = $13 x 52 = $676 per year
— Anthem cost =
— $1,000 deductible (we had not spent anything towards the deductible); this covers 100% of our out-of-network therapist’s fee for ~7 sessions at roughly $152 per session
— for the remaining 45 sessions this year, we expect to pay 40% of the therapist’s $152 fee; therefore a total of about $2,750
— that makes our total out of pocket expense for mental health benefits this year ~$3,750
— that is an increase of ~$3,074 (over 455%!!!) vs. the $676 under the old MHSUD plan
My question to MW and whoever else was involved in this decision is how can you possibly justify so callously reducing your employees’ mental health benefits and so drastically increasing their financial burden? Have you NO shame or compassion or, at a minimum, any interest in keeping your workforce mentally healthy?
We’re not talking about frilly perks here. This is MEDICALLY NECESSARY care. Mental health benefits are CRUCIAL in some cases to keep people from inflicting self-harm and possible su----e.
I am beyond disappointed in this company and its senior-most leaders. Somewhere along the way, greed took hold, and for the sake of shaving a few million off CVX expenses, you abdicated your responsibility towards the human beings you employ and their families.
To think that anything will change because of this post is utterly pointless, I know. I feel better at least having documented this egregious display of callousness from MW and the entire ELT. It might be good for all of us to remember that mental disease does not discriminate. Someday it might be you or one of your family members to suffer a mental health crisis. Ask yourself: are you proud of MW’s behavior? Do you feel his and the ELT’s decision about our mental health benefits is justified?