Pearson Benefits

There are no plan design changes to the medical plans offered for 2021. As a reminder, there are four national plans, all administered by Anthem, Cigna and Aetna.*

Here is an overview of the plan choices. Click here to view plan summaries for each.

National Plans

*Aetna provides a narrower network than Anthem and Cigna, but comes with lower per-paycheck contributions and out-of-pocket costs. It is only available in certain states.

** A Note About the $1,850 Deductible Plan If you enroll in the $1,850 Deductible Plan and cover dependents, the full family deductible must be met before the Plan pays benefits for any family member. Any covered family member can contribute to the family deductible. Please call Mercer Marketplace at 855-237-6421 to better understand this option.

There are no plan design changes to the medical, dental and vision plans for 2021.

Since there are no plan design changes for Pearson’s plans for 2021, we thought this would be a great time to give you and your family members an opportunity to learn about other benefits that Pearson offers. During Open Enrollment you’ll have the opportunity to learn a bit more about the following programs:

Health Advocate – Health Advocate (HA) provides you assistance in navigating the complicated world of healthcare. In addition to all the benefits of this program, the service is free for all benefit-eligible employees and eligible family members. Health Advocate can help with:

• Resolving claims issues, untangling medical bills and coordinating benefits
• Scheduling appointments with providers including hard-to-reach specialists
• Transferring medical records and the details of transferring x-ray and lab results and so much more!

LifeCare – Whether you’re managing a major life event or dealing with daily tasks, you have access to LifeCare’s complimentary suite of services that are designed to make your life easier. Especially during these unprecedented times, LifeCare can help with whatever you’re facing. Through LifeMart, LifeCare’s discount purchase program, you have access to discounts from brands you know and love, all in one convenient location. LifeMart is your way to save. Simply register to be automatically entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card.¹

Gympass Wellness – Gympass is a subscription-based solution with 1:1 personal trainers with video calls, live streamed workouts and thousands of on-demand classes, including HIIT, boxing, yoga, pilates and more, conducted by the best instructors in the industry and available anytime you want. In addition, Gympass allows employees (and up to 5 family members) access to fitness facilities within their membership tier in any Gympass city or country. There are seven membership plans starting as low as $9.99/month.

ConsumerMedical (CM) – CM is your Medical Ally and is designed to help all benefit-eligible employees and their household members get current, comprehensive, objective and personalized information (including treatment options) and support about any medical diagnosis or health topic.

Empower Retirement – Take control of your finances and get help striking a balance between living for today and planning for tomorrow. During Open Enrollment season Empower is offering two essential group education sessions designed to empower you to pursue the future you imagine. Register for one or both of these virtual sessions.

Connect with Your Future, Tuesday, October 13 @ 1:30 pm Eastern time

• Get to know Empower Retirement
• Learn a little about your Pearson 401(k) Plan
• Access real help from real people
• Discover easy and intuitive online access
• Explore resources and education on demand

Financial Fitness, Tuesday, October 20 @ 5 pm Eastern time

• Financial Fitness
• Learn a little about your Pearson 401(k) Plan
• Define financial fitness
• Understand the four steps to financial fitness
• See how your retirement savings affects your financial fitness
• Use your retirement account tools to help you get fit

Schedule of Vendor Presentations:

*Each Empower session requires a WebEx Event Password and a includes a separate call in number. This information will be provided in your registration confirmation email.

¹The Pearson Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) is sponsored by LifeCare, Inc., (“LifeCare”), 2 Armstrong Road, Shelton, CT 06484. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. The Sweepstakes starts 10/05/2020 at 12:00:00 a.m. EST and ends 10/23/2020 at 11:59:59 p.m. EST. The Sweepstakes is only open to active employees of Pearson, who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, and are 18 years of age or older as of the date of entry. Prize: One (1) $50 Amazon gift card will be awarded to four (4) entrants. Odds of winning depend upon number of eligible entries received. Click here for the official terms and conditions.

Open Enrollment is October 12–23

(the system closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern).

Step 1 – Have Your Information Ready:

• Have the social security number and birth date easily accessible for any dependent(s) you will be adding to your coverage.
• Know what plan(s) you want to enroll in. This is also a good time to review your list of beneficiaries to make sure they are up to date.

Step 2 – Visit Mercer Marketplace

• Select “Explore 2021 Benefits.”
• If it is the first time you are using the Marketplace, you will need to register as a new user. To register, you will need the last 4 digits of your social security number, your last name, your date of birth and your home zip code. Follow the steps to set up your account.

Do I Have to Enroll?

You should log in and confirm you have the coverage you need and want for 2021. If you don’t make any updates, you will be automatically enrolled in your current coverage with the exception of Commuter/Parking, Flexible Spending, and Health Savings Account elections.

If you are participating in any of these accounts in 2020 and want to continue in 2021, you must make an election for 2021, even if you want to continue the same amount per paycheck for next year. Please note: Your 2020 balances in the HSA and Commuter/ Parking accounts will carry over into 2021, but your FSA funds do not carry over.

What if I am currently enrolled, but don’t want coverage in 2021?

If you are currently enrolled in Pearson benefits but do not want coverage in 2021, you must go into the system and “waive” coverage. Not taking this action means you will see deductions for coverage for all of 2021.

Will I get a new ID card for 2021?

If you are staying with your current medical or dental plan in 2021, you will not receive a new ID card.

As if we don’t already have enough to deal with, the flu season is on our doorstep. Many people will recover after a brief period of time but, for others, influenza and its complications can be very serious. People at a higher risk of developing flu complications are adults over age 65, nursing home residents, and people with weakened immune systems and/or chronic illnesses.

Even if you are not in a high-risk category, don’t let the flu bug bite you. Get your vaccine at no cost to you at a CVS/Caremark participating pharmacy (not all locations offer the shots, so call ahead). For more information about the flu shot and other vaccines available at no cost, click here.

Bones support you and allow you to move. They protect your brain, heart and other important organs from injury. Bones also store nutrients like calcium, which help keep our bones strong, and then release them into the body when you need them for other uses. If you don’t keep your bones healthy, they can become weak and even break. Broken bones and fractures can be painful, and could cause long-lasting health problems.

Joints are places where two bones in your body meet, such as your elbow or knee. Joints also have cartilage, which acts as a spongy shock absorber on the ends of the bones to prevent them from rubbing against each other. More importantly, your joints help you move and stay active

There are many things you can do to keep your bones and joints healthy, including:

• Eating a balanced diet while increasing your calcium and vitamin D intake. Dairy products, vegetables, eggs and salmon are great additions to your diet.
• Exercising to increase circulation in your joints and maintaining a healthy weight. Extra weight can add pressure to your joints, often causing pain and swelling.
• Using ice packs or a bag of frozen vegetables to relieve sore joints.
• Telling your health care provider if your pain is improving or worsening. He or she may have better treatment options that can help.

For more information on keeping your bones and joints healthy, click or download these easy-to-read publications from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS):

• Bone Health for Life: Health Information Basics for You and Your Family
• Exercise for Your Bone Health
• Knee Problems
• Living With Arthritis: Health Information Basics for You and Your Family
• Shoulder Problems
• What People With Lactose Intolerance Need To Know About Osteoporosis

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that is the result of an abnormal reaction which causes a rapid buildup of skin cells. This forms scaly patches on the skin’s surface which can burn or itch, and are most often covered with white or silver scales. The most common sites for the patches to appear are in joint areas like the elbows or knees.

According to current studies, more than 8 million Americans have psoriasis, and studies show that between 10 and 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis. The most common symptoms of psoriasis include:

• Red, raised, inflamed patches of skin
• Whitish-silver scales or plaques on the red patches
• Dry skin that may crack and bleed
• Itching and burning sensations around patches
• Thick, pitted nails
• Painful, swollen joints

Not every person will experience all of these symptoms. Most people with psoriasis go through cycles of symptoms. The condition may cause severe symptoms for a few days or weeks, and then the symptoms may clear up and be almost unnoticeable. Then, in a few weeks or, if made worse by a common psoriasis trigger, the condition may flare up again.

While there is no cure for psoriasis, there is help to manage the condition. Treatments including creams and ointments (topical therapy), light therapy (phototherapy), and oral or injected medications aim to remove scales and stop skin cells from growing so quickly. The treatment(s) you use depend(s) on how severe your psoriasis is, and how responsive it has been to previous treatment.

In several previous issues of For Your Benefit, we have focused a great deal of attention on breast and lung cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of women each year. While still very rare, a man’s breast cells and tissue can develop cancer also. The good news is that we have seen a gradual reduction in female breast cancer incidence rates among women aged 50 and older. Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, in part due to better screening and early detection, increased awareness, and continually improving treatment options.

Lung Cancer awareness in November

Earlier this year we talked about World No Tobacco Day sponsored by the World Health Organization. While children were the focus of this year’s World No Tobacco Day, there are still millions of adults using tobacco-related products in the United States. Despite great progress in reducing smoking levels, cigarette smoking remains the number one risk factor for lung cancer and is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. In this country, tobacco kills more than 480,000 people annually – more than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, homicides and suicides combined.

We want to remind you that your Pearson Benefits can help in both preventive and supportive ways when dealing with breast or lung illnesses, for example:

• When you participate in a Pearson medical plan, annual mammograms are covered at 100%
  with no cost to you
• Your annual physical is also covered at 100%. This is so important because very often the
  exam and conversation with your doctor can help to uncover issues before they become
  bigger problems.
• Our partners at ConsumerMedical can help you navigate the often-complicated world of
  healthcare. For example, they can provide:
• Information to help you better understand any medical, diagnosis
  condition and treatment options.
• Support from a team of nurses, doctors and other
  healthcare professionals.
• Second opinions and referrals to doctors.
• Recommendations for the best local, in-network
  doctors and hospitals for your needs.

Source: National Breast Cancer, Center for Disease Control