Wellness Programs & Surcharges
Be Proactive with Your Wellness & Avoid SurchargesWellness at Michaels
Good health improves virtually every aspect of our personal and professional lives, and that’s good for you and for Michaels. Our wellness programs focus on more than just your physical health: they challenge you to be mentally, emotionally, and financially healthy, too. Whether your goal is to lose weight, be more proactive with your health, eat healthier, or save more, we’ve got you covered.
Benefits Plan Year: The plan year for Michaels benefits coverage begins on July 1 and ends on June 30, regardless of when you are hired.
Important Note
If you think you might not be able to meet a wellness or tobacco-use standard, resulting in a surcharge being added to your annual medical premium, you may qualify through other means. For further assistance, please call 1-855-432-MIKE (6453) and we will work with you – and if you wish, with your doctor – to find a reasonable alternative.
Wellness Exam Surcharge
Team Members and their spouse/domestic partner enrolled in a Michaels full-time medical plan are subject to an annual preventative wellness requirement, with the potential to waive wellness surcharges and lower annual premium costs.
Completing an annual physical exam during the current plan year will satisfy the wellness requirement and waive the surcharge for the next plan year.
Surcharge Rate
If you and your spouse/domestic partner do not satisfy the wellness requirement, you will pay a surcharge of $30 per person, per paycheck, totaling $780 per person for the 2024-2025 plan year.
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How to Have Your Wellness Surcharge Waived
To satisfy the wellness requirement, you (and if applicable, your spouse or domestic partner) must:*
First, complete a physical exam between July 1 and June 30 in one of two ways:
- Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician (PCP).
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) members can use the Catapult Health VirtualCheckup® Home Kit – the cost is 100% covered by Michaels! For more details, refer to the section below.
Then, submit your proof of exam documentation to insurance to waive your surcharge for the following plan year.
*If you were hired July 1 or later in the current plan year, please refer to the next section for information about one-time exceptions for new hires.
Example: You complete your annual physical exam on Aug. 2, 2024 and submit proof of your exam to insurance on Jan. 12, 2025, satisfying the wellness requirement. As a result, your surcharge is waived for the next plan year that goes from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, lowering your annual premium cost for that plan year.
| 2024-2025 Plan Year | 2025-2026 Plan Year | |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 | July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 | |
| Aug. 2, 2024 | Jan. 12, 2025 | Surcharge Waived (No wellness surcharge on next year's premium) |
| Annual Physical Exam | Submit Proof of Exam to Insurance | |
Exceptions for New Hires
There are exceptions to the wellness requirement for Team Members who begin their employment with Michaels after the current benefits plan year has already begun.
For new hires, benefits are effective the first day of the month following the Team Member’s date of hire.
For a Benefit Effective Date of March 2, 2024 or Later
- You are exempt from the wellness requirement for the current plan year (through June 30) and for the upcoming plan year (from July 1 through June 30), and this surcharge will automatically be waived.
- The above also applies to your spouse or domestic partner, if enrolled as your dependent.
Example: If your hire date was Feb. 15, 2024, your benefits will be effective on April 1, 2024, and you (and if applicable, your spouse or domestic partner) will not be required to satisfy the wellness requirement.
No-Cost VirtualCheckup® for BCBSTX Members
If you are enrolled in a BCBSTX medical plan, Michaels provides a convenient annual checkup at no cost to you using the Catapult Health VirtualCheckup® Home Kit. Getting a FREE preventive health checkup has never been easier, and a Catapult virtual exam counts toward your wellness requirement!
All covered employees and their spouse or domestic partner can register for a Home Kit. The cost of your VirtualCheckup® is covered 100% by Michaels.
Once you complete your Home Kit, you will review your results with a board-certified Nurse Practitioner via a virtual consultation and develop a personal action plan.
Additional Information
Next Steps for BCBSTX Members
Your wellness exam claim will automatically be processed by BCBSTX after your appointment. Once processed, your exam completion status will be reflected in the Well onTarget section of the BlueAccess for Members portal. In the portal, you can also access other historical data about your participation in the available wellness programs.
If you have any questions regarding wellness completion within the BCBSTX portal, please contact BCBSTX customer service at 1-877-269-1180.
Refer to the job aid below for instructions on how to log in to the BlueAccess for Members portal to confirm the status of your wellness requirement.
Job Aid: How to Confirm the Status of Your Wellness Requirement – Desktop | Mobile App
Next Steps for Kaiser Members
Once you have scheduled your wellness exam with your primary care physician (PCP), log in to the US Wellness portal to download/print the Physician Form and take it to your appointment.
After your appointment, upload the completed Physician Form to the US Wellness portal by June 30. You can upload the form using your desktop, tablet, or mobile device. Receipt of your form will be confirmed within two (2) business days to the email address provided at the time of upload.
Refer to the job aid below for instructions on how to download/print your Physician Form and upload your completed document in the US Wellness portal to complete your wellness requirement.
Job Aid: How to Download/Print the Physician Form & Complete Your Wellness Requirement
For assistance with this process, email US Wellness at support@uswellness.com or call 888-926-6099 ext. 900.
Tobacco Surcharge
Team Members and their spouse/domestic partner enrolled in a Michaels full-time medical plan are encouraged to be tobacco-free to waive tobacco surcharges and lower annual premium costs.
If you are considered tobacco-free, your tobacco surcharge will be waived for the current plan year.
Surcharge Rate
If you and your spouse/domestic partner are not considered tobacco-free, you will pay a surcharge of $30 per person, per paycheck, totaling $780 per person for the 2024-2025 plan year.
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How to Have Your Tobacco Surcharge Waived
You will select your tobacco-free or tobacco-use status when you enroll in your benefits each year, and you can only update your status during the enrollment period.
To be considered tobacco-free, you can’t use tobacco products for at least six (6) months. Tobacco use includes the use of e-cigarettes and non-nicotine vaporizers.
Tobacco Cessation Program
A Tobacco Cessation Program is available for Team Members who are enrolled in a BCBSTX medical plan. Choose an option below to access additional information about the program.
- Log in to your BCBSTX account.
- Visit the Well onTarget website and either register for an account or log in using your BCBSTX credentials.