Loyola believes in the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to achieve the
benefits of a better quality of life. Loyola offers its employees the opportunity to participate in a
Smoking Cessation Program in order to qualify for a health insurance premium (“discount”). The
discount received can be as high as $360.00 per plan year.
The Smoking Cessation Program is being offered in accordance with the interim rules of the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) nondiscrimination provisions.
The intent of the program is to provide an alternative standard for those employees who are
unable to receive the “non-smoker discount” due to a medical condition.
Program Description
An employee who currently smokes and wishes to receive the discount must attend an approved
offsite program. The approved facility Loyola has selected is the Sentara Tobacco Cessation
Program. Participation at another facility must be approved in advance from the Human
Resources Department.
The Sentara program is a 4 week program and is free of charge. The employee will be eligible
for the insurance discount the week they begin the program and will continue to receive the
discount for the rest of the plan year as long as the program is completed. The insurance
discount will discontinue if the program is not completed.
Should the employee obtain approval to join another cessation program with costs associated,
the employee will be reimbursed for the program fee after completion up to a maximum of
$150.00 per calendar year. The employee will not be reimbursed for the program fee if he/she
withdraws from the program prior to completion, resigns employment, or is terminated from
employment before receiving the Certificate of Completion.
Procedure
The employee must contact the Human Resources Department for approval prior to beginning
the program. The procedure is as follows:
- The employee obtains approval to enroll in the Smoking Cessation Program.
- The employee enrolls in the Smoking Cessation Program.
- The employee pays the initial program fees, if applicable.
- Employee completes the program and receives a Certificate of Completion.
- The employee sends the Human Resources Department a copy of the Certificate of Completion.
- The employee submits the Smoking Cessation Reimbursement Request Form to the
Human Resources Department along with the Certificate of Completion and the
original receipt for the cost of the program, if applicable.
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