One of the greatest strides we can take as an employer towards overall health and wellness is to promote and assist with tobacco product cessation. More than 40,000 scientific studies have linked smoking and the usage of other types of tobacco products with adverse health effects. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and produces substantial health-related economic costs to society.
All employees covered under a Vincennes University health care plan must certify annually whether you and/or your spouse (if covered under VU’s plan) use tobacco products or are tobacco-free by completing the online Tobacco Affidavit under the Employee tab of the MyVU web portal. Tobacco includes any form of tobacco products that are smoked (e.g. cigarettes, cigars, pipes), applied to the gums (dipping and chewing tobacco), and/or inhaled as snuff. Tobacco users on the Vincennes University health care plan will pay a $35 biweekly surcharge.
Plan members that currently use tobacco products will be given the opportunity to receive tobacco cessation assistance. The VU group health plan will cover 100 percent of the cost of tobacco cessation prescription drugs. Coverage is limited to a 180-day supply per covered individual per year. Covered prescription drugs include Chantix, Zyban (bupropion), and Nicotrol.
If you are not tobacco free, we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to begin living a tobacco free lifestyle, and save on future group medical insurance premiums. To enroll, please contact Chris Gardner in Human Resources.
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