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General Questions

The Healthy Tigers Wellness Program provides an opportunity for employees to "earn" an insurance premium discount by completing a voluntary health and wellness screening. This screening will include evaluation of several health risk factors including:

  • Blood pressure

  • Cholesterol

  • Glucose (or blood sugar)

  • Height, weight, and BMI

The goals of the Healthy Tigers Wellness Initiative are that AU employees:

  • will have an increased interest in health and wellness

  • will have an increased health-related quality of life

  • will have increased energy and productivity

  • will establish a "medical home" with a physician

  • will address health risks as early as possible in order to prevent disease progression and possible health complications

  • will engage in wellness activities

  • will commit to risk factor reduction through lifestyle changes and self-management of overall health risks

Studies have shown that fostering a work environment that encourages health and wellness can lead to:

  • improved employee health

  • increased productivity

  • decreased absenteeism

  • stabilization of healthcare and pharmacy costs

  • stabilization of health insurance premium costs (for employees' out-of-pocket costs and the employers' fringe benefit costs)

Auburn University is a self-insured employer, so these potential benefits are significant.

Qualification Questions

There is no set deadline for qualifying for the Healthy Tigers program. An employee and his/her covered spouse, or covered sponsored adult dependent, who are screened during any given month will qualify for the discount for the remainder of the calendar year and for the following calendar year.

Once the screening process is complete, the premium discount will go into effect within 60 days after the screening.

You can check your eligibility status through AU Access (Banner) as follows:

  1. Log in to AU Access from the Auburn homepage.

  2. Click the "Employee Services" tab.

  3. Click the "Self Service Banner" tab.

  4. Click "Benefits and Deductions".

  5. Click "Employee Benefit Summary".

  6. Click the "Healthy Tigers" tab. Make sure you are viewing the correct benefit year.

If you have met all requirements to receive the discount, you will see all date fields complete based on your insurance plan.

Screening Questions

Only one screening is required per calendar year. This date does not have to be the same day per year; the screening can occur any time during the calendar year.

If your spouse, or sponsored adult dependent, is covered by your AU BCBS policy, he/she may also be screened once each calendar year.

If more than one screening (not counting the required follow-up) is performed in a calendar year, you will be responsible for paying out of pocket for the office visit, lab work, and/or screening charges.

The AU BCBS insurance plan only allows one wellness visit with your physician in a calendar year. If screening is performed by your physician and you visit a physician for an additional wellness visit or if you are screened twice by the AUPCC, you will incur costs for the second visit.

It is important to note that certain lab tests associated with the Healthy Tigers Program performed by your doctor are only covered by the AU BCBS insurance plan one time in a five-year period. Lab costs associated with this program may be billable to you if conducted by your physician.

  • For those employees with "Family" coverage or "Employee plus Spouse (or Sponsored Adult Dependent)" coverage, both the subscriber (employee) and the covered spouse, or covered sponsored adult dependent, must be screened in order to qualify for the $50 a month/$600 a year Healthy Tiger discount.

  • If your spouse, or sponsored adult dependent does not have a screening, the employee will receive $25 a month/$300 a year Healthy Tiger discount.

No, the tests are not pass/fail. The only way not to qualify for the discount is to not be screened or fail to complete the referral process if an alarm value is identified.

No. Auburn University Medical Clinic (also known as the Student Clinic) is a contracted service operated by East Alabama Medical Center.

The Healthy Tigers screenings are being coordinated through the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center (AUPCC). The AUPCC is working very closely with the AUMC medical group to facilitate follow up care for employees with abnormal values. The AUMC will be a referral source for employees who do not have an established relationship with a physician in the area and need assistance with coordinating follow up care.

Eligibility and Employment Type Questions

This benefit is being offered to any employee who subscribes to the Auburn University Employee Health Plan with BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama (AU BCBS).

  • To qualify for the premium discount, both the subscriber and any covered spouse, or sponsored adult dependent, must be screened if the subscriber has "Family" coverage or "Employee plus Spouse (or Sponsored Adult Dependent)" coverage under the AU BCBS plan to receive $50 a month/$600 a year Healthy Tiger discount.

  • If your spouse, or sponsored adult dependent does not have a screening, the employee will receive $25 a month/$300 a year Healthy Tiger discount.

No. The purpose of the Healthy Tigers is to increase awareness of health risks, the need for behavioral change, and treatment as needed. The goal is to decrease the employee's health risks. Therefore, the employee does not have to reach specific goals in order to be eligible for the premium discount.

Nine month employees are paid 10 times per year.

Based on the number of pay periods for nine month employees, the discount provided will be either $60 per pay period (employee and covered spouse or sponsored adult dependent screened) for a total of $600 or $30 per pay period (for the employee screened) for a total of $300 which is the same as for 12 month employees.

The total discount for each calendar year will depend on the activation date for the Healthy Tigers Wellness Initiative program.

Employees who are not eligible for or elect not to subscribe to Auburn University's BCBS health insurance plan will not be eligible for the Healthy Tigers Wellness program. They will not be eligible for free health screenings, a waived co-pay for follow up physician care, or the $25 health insurance premium discount.

However, Auburn University is committed to encouraging a health and wellness culture on campus and providing access to health and wellness resources to the Auburn University family. Therefore, employees in these categories can schedule a health and wellness screening at the AUPCC for a fee of $30 (which reflects an employee discount for the testing). A pharmacist will provide individualized counseling on the results.

Appointment Questions

  • Go to the Healthy Tigers web site and click "Schedule Appointment Online".

  • Click "Register Now" below the location and date in which you would like to register to be screened.

  • Complete the required information. Be sure to click the "ENTER" button in order to continue.

  • You will receive an email and you MUST follow the confirmation instructions to complete your registration. Please confirm your registration as soon as receiving the email. If you do not confirm the appointment, it will not save the appointment.

  • Separate appointments must be made for each person, (i.e., your spouse, or sponsored adult dependent). Be sure to return to the Healthy Tigers main page and click "Schedule Appointment Online" prior to scheduling a separate appointment for your spouse (or sponsored adult dependent).

The AUPCC reserves up to 20 minutes per employee to provide all testing, interpretation of results, and appropriate counseling. If coordination of follow up care with a physician is needed, then this might add up to 15 additional minutes to the time required for the appointment.

No, fasting is not required.

Maybe. All supervisors are encouraged to provide support for the AU Healthy Tigers Initiative and facilitate employee participation. However, due to the varying responsibilities of AU employees, this may not be possible in every situation.

Supervisors are encouraged to be as accommodating as possible for screenings offered by the AUPCC (without disrupting or adversely impacting job responsibilities). If the employee chooses to go to a physician for testing, the employee will be required to take sick leave for these appointments as outlined by University Human Resources' policies and procedures.

Physician Questions

If the screening results are above established thresholds, then the employee will be required to follow up with a physician before the discount will be activated (exception BMI alarm value self-management plan OR Dietician through the AUPCC) The screening thresholds are:

  • A systolic blood pressure (top number) equal to or greater than 160 mmHg

  • A diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) equal to or greater than 100 mmHg

  • A total cholesterol level equal to or greater than 250 mg/dL

  • A blood glucose equal to or greater than 200 mg/dL

AUPCC Clinician OR self-management plan

  • BMI equal to or greater than 35.

The physician co-pay for the first follow up visit will be waived. The employee will receive a Healthy Tigers referral form to take to the physician and the physician's office will be instructed to waive the physician co-pay for this initial follow up visit (a $30 value).

After the employee completes the follow up appointment, the physician may fax the completed referral form to the Healthy Tigers office or the employee may mail, fax, hand deliver, or email it back to the Healthy Tigers office himself/herself. The fax number and address are noted on the referral form.

That is perfectly fine; you simply need to print the Healthcare Provider Screening Form from the Healthy Tigers website and take it with you to your physician's office. If you choose to have your screening performed by your physician, you are not required to have an additional screening performed at the AUPCC.

Please note: Lab, office visit and other screening costs associated with some of the Healthy Tigers screening procedures, if conducted by your physician, may be billable to you unless they are deemed to be medically necessary. The AU BCBS insurance plan only allows one wellness visit from your physician in a calendar year. If screening is performed by your physician and you visit a physician for an additional wellness visit, you will incur costs for the second visit.

See your BCBS Summary of Benefits for more information and consult with your doctor or his/her office staff to determine how this might affect you and if you may be responsible to pay for the full amount of the testing.

Yes. The employee and, if applicable, his/her spouse (or sponsored adult dependent) who is covered by the AU BCBS plan must either participate in the health screening program or get a physician to complete the Healthcare Provider Screening Form.

For screenings completed by the AUPCC, if the laboratory results are higher than the threshold values described above, then the employee will still receive a waived co-pay for a physician office visit for further follow up in order to facilitate improved disease control.

No. The employee is free to schedule an appointment with his/her own physician for follow up. If the employee does not have a physician, the Healthy Tigers office may be able to assist you in locating a physician.

Last updated: 09/16/2024