If you are a tobacco user and want to earn your State Health Plan wellness monthly premium credit for 2023, you don’t need to wait until Open Enrollment.
From July 1 to Nov. 30, 2022, tobacco users can attend a tobacco cessation counseling session at a CVS MinuteClinic or a Primary Care Provider’s (PCP) office (either in person or virtually, if available) for FREE to earn a wellness credit that will reduce the monthly premium for employee-only coverage under the State Health Plan. If you completed a session last year and have continued to use tobacco products, you must complete another session in order to earn your wellness credit for 2023.
This action is ONLY for tobacco users who want to reduce their monthly premium in 2023. If you are NOT a tobacco user, you will simply need to attest to that online during Open Enrollment to reduce your monthly premium. Tobacco attestation must be completed each year.
Make a plan to complete your tobacco counseling session
See below for important information about each of your options for completing your visit.
CVS MinuteClinic
- No appointment is necessary. But keep in mind that CVS MinuteClinics are not located in all 100 counties of North Carolina nor open 24/7. Check now to see if there is a location and time that will work for you.
- Validation of the completion of your session should be automatic via your claims submission but be sure to save the summary of your visit just in case you are asked to provide documentation. NEW! You also can upload your documentation to the eBenefits system as soon as you complete your visit.
- NEW! In late January, you will be notified if your wellness credit was not able to be validated via claims data. At that time, you will need to provide documentation to prove you earned the credit.
PCP
- Contact your PCP first to make sure tobacco cessation services are offered. If your PCP does not offer these services, you can see any provider who provides cessation services.
- Schedule an in-person or virtual appointment. We recommend doing so now to ensure you can get your appointment completed by the deadline.
- NOTE: If you combine the tobacco cessation visit with another service, there may be a copay.
- Validation of the completion of your session should be automatic via your claims submission but be sure to save the summary of your visit just in case you are asked to provide documentation. NEW! You also can upload your documentation to the eBenefits system as soon as you complete your visit.
- NEW! In late January, you will be notified if your wellness credit was not able to be validated via claims data. At that time, you will need to provide documentation to prove you earned the credit.
Be sure to complete your tobacco cessation counseling session via a CVS MinuteClinic or your PCP by Nov. 30, 2022. If you don’t complete your session or do not provide documentation if your session is not validated by claims data, your wellness credit will be removed, and the applicable tobacco surcharge will be deducted from your paycheck.