Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions which represents their employees recently announced they reached a tentative national agreement. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has withdrawn their notices of a potential strike and there should be no disruption in services King County employees receive from Kaiser Permanente providers and facilities. For more information, please call Kaiser Permanente Washington at 800-297-6877, or contact the King County Benefits team at 206-684-1556 or email KC Benefits.

Take the time to review your benefit choices before Open Enrollment, Nov. 1-15. The following benefit changes become effective for all employee benefit groups on Jan. 1, 2024: KingCare PPO and KingCare Select (Regence BlueShield) medical plans: The PrudentRx program will be offered by CVS to members who take specialty drugs. If you enroll in PrudentRx, you will pay $0 for eligible specialty medications. If you do not enroll, you will pay 30% coinsurance for specialty medications. PrudentRx representatives will contact all eligible employees to enroll. The CVS Cost Saver program will… Read More

Open Enrollment is just around the corner, from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15. Make sure your home mailing address is correct in PeopleSoft by Oct. 6. Open Enrollment and benefit changes information will be mailed to your home later this month. Here’s a few reminders to help you plan ahead: Benefit Access Fees: If you choose the KingCare PPO medical plan and you cover a spouse or state-registered domestic partner, a monthly Benefit Access Fee is automatically applied each year. If you qualify for an exemption, you must indicate this each year during… Read More

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions recently issued notice of a possible strike from Oct. 4––6. This does not include Kaiser employees in the Pacific Northwest region.   At this time, the negotiations involve only a fraction of Kaiser Permanente workers and facilities in Washington—primarily in the southwest edge of the state. Other areas impacted are Colorado, Mid-Atlantic States, Northern California, Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Southern California.  Kaiser Permanente and Coalition leaders will continue negotiating with hopes to reach an agreement before any work stoppage occurs. Kaiser has plans in place to ensure continued access to needed health care… Read More

King County offers multiple programs and resources to support the health and well-being of employees. Whether it’s tools to help your physical, mental, emotional, or financial health, there’s a program or benefit that’s right for you. Watch this video to learn more and visit the Balanced You blog and website and the Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations (BPROS) website for more informational.

Getting a flu shot will help to protect you, your loved ones, and your work colleagues from getting sick with the flu this season. King County is hosting onsite flu clinics where employees can get vaccinated.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone six months and older get a flu shot every year, ideally by the end of October.   Onsite flu clinics start Sept. 18. Learn more about onsite flu clinics and how to register here. In addition to onsite flu clinics at county worksites, employees can also get vaccinated at… Read More

It’s important to review and update your personal information in PeopleSoft to ensure: You will receive important Open Enrollment and other employee benefits information mailed to you at the address you provide. Your emergency contact can be notified if something happens to you at work. You can be notified of safety directives, building closures, etc. You can receive information at the email address you prefer. Watch the Updating Personal Details in PeopleSoft video or follow these steps: Sign in to PeopleSoft from any device at https://ess.kingcounty.gov. Go to the Personal Details Make sure all items are… Read More

Crossposted from KC Balanced You King County is committed to supporting employees with mental health conditions in the workplace. For many people, employment is an essential part of our identity, well-being and mental and physical health. Employment provides a sense of purpose and allows us to build connections with others. Fostering a culture that promotes self-care and focuses on mental health as an important part of overall health and well-being is critical to building inclusion and providing support to employees in the workforce. A key part of this focus is to provide… Read More

Regence BlueShield and EvergreenHealth reached a contract agreement on Aug. 31, 2023. Services provided by Evergreen Health Providers and facilities will continue to be considered in-network by Regence. The provider network contract was immediately effective. If you are enrolled in the Regence KingCare Select Eastside Health Network or the Regence KingCare PPO medical plan and you see an Evergreen Health provider, there will be no disruption to your coverage or benefits.  If you have questions, please call Regence BlueShield at 800-376-7926 or contact the King County Benefits team at 206-684-1556 or email KC… Read More