As the end of the calendar year nears, faculty and staff members will soon be reevaluating and reflecting on their current health care plans.

Representatives from Human Resources wrapped up a series of meetings last week that informed university faculty and staff members of the new system of health care benefits for the 2012 calendar year. ACU employees will be submitting their insurance choice for next year during this week’s benefits enrollment period.

Rachel Lee, benefits and compensation specialist, is among the team to present the health care costs for 2011, the first year under the new health care reform plan.

“This year hasn’t necessarily been good or bad, but it has been a learning year,” Lee said. “We are pioneering a new plan to get our employees used to the changes that are about to come with health care reform.”

Over 70 faculty and staff members attended the 12th and final meeting last week in which Lee and Wendy Jones, director of human resources, discussed the changes in health care benefits that took effect Jan. 1, 2011.

“The plan we are on right now is what health care reform is going to look like in two years,” Lee said. “When students have real jobs and are out in the real world, their health insurance may look exactly like this.”

Employees will see a slight increase in their premiums because the insurance provider has increased its rates, Lee said. However, she said faculty and staff members present at the meeting were not concerned with the changes.

“It has gotten so much smoother this last quarter,” Lee said. “Employees now know how it works so 2012 is going to be even better.”

Dr. Matthew Dodd, assistant professor with the Duncum Center for Conflict Resolution, said he favors the new employee health care plan.

“The complexity of the insurance plan is difficult to grasp sometimes, but human resources representatives are very open and upfront about answering our questions,” Dodd said.

As a recent kidney transplant recipient, Dodd said it is extremely important for him to have health insurance and understand the coverage it provides. He said the plan has been beneficial considering his medical status.

“I’m very pleased,” Dodd said. “In some ways, we don’t have as many choices under the new BlueCross BlueShield plan, but that makes it easier on us.”

Faculty and staff members who missed the benefits enrollment meetings can view the 2012 Benefits Guide at www.acu.edu/hr. Human resources representatives are available during the annual benefits enrollment period through Friday, from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. at the Nichols House at 1926 Campus Court.