July 2026

Quick Recap:
       The July Staff Senate Meeting focused on leadership updates, committee reports, and a presentation on health benefits changes. Leadership reported that Korbin Hamner will become the new Staff Senate president starting September 1, and discussed the university's financial situation requiring careful spending through the end of fiscal year 25-26. The meeting featured a detailed presentation from Alexandra Garcia of Human Resources about open enrollment changes, including a 9% increase in UT Select Medical Plan premiums and the introduction of a preventative care incentive program requiring annual wellness visits to avoid a $50 monthly surcharge. The discussion included extensive Q&A about healthcare costs, particularly regarding freestanding emergency rooms like Hospitality ER and billing discrepancies with in-network providers. Additional topics covered included parking permit changes across all UT Tyler campuses, upcoming campus construction, and cybersecurity warnings about potential phishing attempts impersonating IT staff.

Next steps:
- Alexandra Garcia:
  - Send out an additional email with detailed information about the new plan updates, including a flyer and list of providers, by the end of July.
  - Address the issue of billing discrepancies at in-network facilities with the appropriate parties.

- Ashleigh:
  - Follow up with nominated individuals to confirm acceptance or decline of their nomination by the end of this week.
  - Send out the Qualtrics form for voting on Staff Senate seats next week.

- David:
  - Be cautious of cybersecurity threats and report any suspicious activity to IT.
  - Look out for announcements regarding new accessibility trainings for the fall semester.

- Jackie:
  - Announce the May STAR Award recipient on August 5th.
  - Encourage nominations for the June, July, and August STAR Awards.

- Jeannie:
  - Verify links in emails before sending them out.
  - Continue making updates to the Staff Senate website.

- Staff:
  - Send out an email with the updated Zoom link to everyone in the email box.
  - Consider adding a perpetual link to the Staff Senate page for future meetings.

- Tyler:
  - Share the link to the Nourish benefit in the chat.

Summary:
- Leadership Updates and Campus Improvements:
       The meeting began with technical difficulties as many participants were unable to access the Zoom link shared in emails, though the calendar link worked for some attendees. The leadership provided updates on several key topics, including the announcement that Korbin Hamner will become the new Staff Senate president starting September 1st, and instructions to curtail non-essential spending due to financial constraints for the remainder of fiscal year 25-26. The discussion covered upcoming campus improvements including dining facility renovations with a new food service vendor, parking permit standardization across all UT campuses, and ongoing construction affecting parking areas where summer camps are currently operating.

- UT Tyler Benefits and Awards Update:
       Tyler presented information about the Nourish benefit available to UT Tyler employees, which provides access to registered dietitians through remote appointments and insurance verification. Ashley updated the group on Staff Senate nominations, noting that emails have been sent to nominated candidates with acceptance deadlines by the end of the week. Jackie announced that the May STAR Award recipient will be postponed to August 5th at the request of the winning department, and requested nominations for June, July, and August awards due to low summer nominations.

- Health Benefits Enrollment Updates:
       Alexandra Garcia from the Human Resources office presented updates on open enrollment and health benefits. She announced a 9% rate increase for the UT Select Medical Plan and introduced new benefits including Hello Heart, a tool for managing heart risk, and a preventative care incentive program requiring members to have a preventative visit between February 2026 and February 2027, with visits fully covered at 100%. The team clarified that the premium increase is largely due to high usage of Hospitality ER, which bills at a significantly higher rate than urgent care or PCP visits.

- ER Billing Practices Discussion:
       The discussion focused on emergency room billing differences between Hospitality ER and UT Health/Christus facilities. David explained that while Hospitality ER charges a straightforward $500 copay, UT Health/Christus facilities often bill thousands of dollars in additional charges for specialists and consultations, creating confusion and unexpected costs for patients. Staff clarified that while Christus providers are in-network, out-of-network specialists and radiologists can result in additional charges not covered by the $500 deductible, and advised employees to report such billing issues to HR for reprocessing through UT System. The conversation concluded with agreement that hospitals should take more responsibility for correct billing practices rather than placing the burden on patients to identify and report billing errors.

- Health Insurance Updates Meeting:
       The meeting focused on health insurance updates and questions about preventative care requirements. Staff explained that while out-of-pocket maximums are increasing 15%, premiums will also rise due to higher claims, and clarified that freestanding ERs like Hospitality Health ER should be avoided for non-emergency care due to higher costs. They confirmed that preventative wellness visits must be completed by February 28, 2027, with a $50 monthly penalty for those who don't comply, and explained that employees can verify if they've had a qualifying visit by contacting their insurance provider or using MyChart. The meeting also covered cybersecurity concerns about potential IT impersonation attempts and upcoming accessibility training initiatives.