FOR YOUR BENEFIT

FALL 2013

Welcome to the first online edition of For Your Benefit!

You’ll notice that this Open Enrollment season is a bit different – in addition to a printed issue of For Your Benefit and your typical Open Enrollment information, we’ve launched the digital version you’re reading now. For Your Benefit online will deliver more timely information that’s always accessible, with easy to search back issues and articles.

Three things I want to call your attention to:

  • Open Enrollment will run from November 4 through November 15. Please be sure to read the By the Numbers and News of Note sections to find out more important information concerning your 2014 enrollment.
  • Employee contribution increases in 2014. As in the past, Pearson continues to contribute approximately 80% of health care costs and employees contribute the other 20%, in aggregate. Next year’s contributions are the result of a fairly significant increase in our claims experience. Some of these claims are completely unavoidable and many others might be tied back to lifestyle choices or lack of good preventive measures. For me, last year’s experience serves as a wake-up call to make sure we all take the best possible care we can of ourselves and our loved ones. With so much change going on around us, it is more important than ever to make sure we are in good health so that we can respond to the everyday stress that is a part of each and every one of our lives.
  • A large component of the Affordable Care Act will take effect on January 1, 2014. The bottom line – if you are eligible for Pearson benefits, the changes probably have no direct impact on you. However, as I’ve said before, the landscape is changing and it will require each of us to understand our options and make the best informed decision for ourselves and our eligible dependents. More to come as this topic continues to unfold.

We’re excited to launch this new way of providing timely, meaningful information to you and would love to hear your feedback at [email protected].


Bob Arthur
Vice President, Benefits