DIAM: Q&As on Recent NAHR Updates

In late July, we announced NAHR Updates, including a Special Benefits Enrollment period, G&O Commitments, and more. Below are some of the most frequently questions we received during the meeting that we’d like to address.

Below are links to recordings of the DIAM All Associate Meetings, held July 27 and 28, when NAHR Updates were shared. These recordings include the Q&A sessions during each meeting.

• DIAM All Associate Meeting 1 – July 27, 2020: https://youtu.be/JZNoMmKbMlQ  (Starts around the time mark of 6 minutes 45 seconds)
• DIAM All Associate Meeting 2 – July 28, 2020: https://youtu.be/24wiCQvSYBE  (Starts around the time mark of 55 seconds)

QUESTION: I heard about coupons, but unfamiliar with these on medications. Can you share how you receive coupons?

ANSWER: You can receive them in two different ways. One is, some doctors give you coupons for some expensive medications where it reduces the amount that you pay towards that prescription. The other way is, you may see some commercials on drugs where it says “if this medication is not affordable to you, please contact us and you may only pay $5 or $25 of this medication.” Then you call in or go to the manufacturer’s website and they send you a coupon of which you pay only that amount that is on the coupon.

It may be similar to what our copays are now or it may be a reduced amount. The change point is the total value of that coupon, before it was going towards associates’ deductibles, and now since the associates themselves are not paying that amount, it will no longer go to deductibles.

The other thing with coupons is, sometimes pharmacies may have coupons or there are things like the “Good RX” that can be checked if they have a lower amount. Or, Target may offer $4 generics. And, you can check on those at your particular pharmacy.

The pharmacy coupons have never gone towards deductibles because they are going directly to that pharmacy, not part of insurance.

QUESTION: Clarification on healthy horizons preferred premium: For those currently enrolled in preferred plan for FY19, and by default FY20, do we need to take any action to continue to participate in this preferred premium?

ANSWER: If you qualified for preferred premiums for medical benefits for calendar year 2020, you don’t need to do anything, unless you were hired 10/1/19 or after.

If you have not qualified for preferred premiums in 2020 or you were hired 10/1/19 or after, you need to have a physical exam at a DENSO Family Health Center or your doctor’s office and complete an online health assessment with Healthy Horizons. The deadline to complete both is November 30, 2020.

If you have had a physical since September 2019, you can have your physician’s office complete the Physician Physical Form based on that exam.

You can also refer to this Q&A in your Benefits Home Mailer with the Open Enrollment Form.

QUESTION: Why/how the bonus is set to 3~ 4% max? What factors are considered? Can it change if the economy declines further?

ANSWER: For the salaried associates, it is set at 3% to break even due to the recognition that a break- even point in the past would be 0, but the company wants to be able to recognize and reward associates. If we are below break-even it could be below the 3%. If we are above break-even, the company will re-evaluate it to be above the 3%. If we get back to normal profit then it will be a normal bonus situation.

The 4% for the hourly associates, it was considered how much of their wages has been lost since January, the amount of the average hourly pay, the commitment to maintain livelihood of all of our associates, and how much was needed to be able to do that.

QUESTION: I’d like to know how promotions at the end of this year are impacted by all of this? I know merit is on hold, so can we assume promotions are as well?

ANSWER: There is not an official hold. We will continue to promote by need. But, there has been too much promotion in the past. You might see a bit of a shift in terms of really considering do we need those higher positions, and of course, I am commenting on Management promotions.

For individual contributor promotions, we haven’t officially declared to be on hold yet so I would continue to proceed with performance development. If we put them on hold, we will let you know officially later.