Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive a wellness health insurance premium discount in 2024, must complete a physical with their Primary Care Physician (PCP) between Dec. 1, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2023. The monthly savings in premiums for 2024 will be approximately $34.00.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is an important way to receive health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

If you have not yet scheduled your annual physical with your PCP, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

If you are already looking to 2025, physicals completed between December 1, 2023, and November 30, 2024, will cover that plan year.

You can read more about the discount program and download the form for 2024 (or 2025) on this new webpage: Wellness Premium Discount.

Please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

This year’s Benefits and Wellness Fair will be held Friday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main.  Please mark your calendars.

We will have benefits and wellness partners and vendors on hand to answer questions. There will be snacks, freebies, and the chance to win prizes. We hear Griff may make an appearance, too.  Most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University.

The Fair is an important annual event to help prepare you to make benefit elections during the month of November, which will take effect on January 1, 2024.

To entice attendees to meet with our guests, we’ll hand out bingo cards that will be stamped by the visitors you meet. If you secure a blackout (stamping all of the vendor spots), we’ll enter your name in a drawing for prizes.

The entire month of November is open enrollment month.  Throughout the month you can enroll in benefits for 2024.  In next week’s OnCampus, you’ll learn more about information sessions that will be held on November 10 (one live and one virtual).  Please check OnCampus all month and review HR communications for additional benefits-related information and events throughout the month of November.

— Maureen De Armond and Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

The wellbeing of Drake employees is very important to us. So in addition to the existing programming, we are rolling out a new DU Well Newsletter.  Each edition will highlight upcoming wellness events, discuss relevant wellbeing topics and health observances, test your trivia knowledge (for prizes), and hopefully challenge you to try something new.

Please take a few minutes to check out the first edition of this new resource, and feel free to contact us at drakehr@drake.edu, using the subject line, DU Well Newsletter, with ideas for future editions.

You can explore other ways Drake supports employee wellness on our new DU Well webpage. We have some great employee perks that will also make it easier for you to focus on your wellness.

If you haven’t yet explored the new Drake HR internal website, you should. It is your go-to site for the latest information about your employment and the support services we provide. In addition to the pages linked above, you can also access information about employee benefits, check out upcoming BUILD learning & development classes, and much more. Spend a few minutes exploring and let us know what you think. If you have suggestions for additional enhancements, we’d love to hear them.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Are you at risk for a stroke? Common risk factors include age, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inactivity, poor diet, and family history.

Health Gauge will be offering vascular screenings tomorrow–Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Olmsted Center Parents Hall North. This includes stroke/carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and peripheral artery disease screenings. You may also add an optional osteoporosis screening and EKG. These painless and non-invasive screenings are open to all Drake employees, spouses/partners, and retirees. The cost is $125 for the three vascular screenings payable at the time of your appointment. The optional add-ons are $35 each. You may pay with cash, check, credit or debit card, or FSA dollars. Call Health Gauge at 515-244-3080 to schedule an appointment. 

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and every 3.5 minutes, someone dies of a stroke. Common risk factors include age, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inactivity, poor diet, and family history.

Health Gauge will be offering vascular screenings on Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. through noon in the Olmsted Center Parents Hall North. This includes stroke/carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and peripheral artery disease screenings. You may also add an optional osteoporosis screening and EKG. These painless and non-invasive screenings are open to all Drake employees, spouses/partners, and retirees. The cost is $125 for the three vascular screenings payable at the time of your appointment. The optional add-ons are $35 each. You may pay with cash, check, credit or debit card, or FSA dollars. Appointments are necessary. Call Health Gauge at 515-244-3080 to get scheduled.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Important Reminder: Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive a wellness health insurance premium discount in 2024, need to complete a physical with their Primary Care Physician (PCP) between Dec. 1, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2023, and submit a Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form by Nov. 30, 2023.  This is an annual requirement and the only option to receive the discount in 2024.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

If you have not scheduled your annual physical yet with your PCP, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.  You do not need to wait a year and a day between physicals.  Our Wellmark plan allows for one physical per calendar year.

Please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Human Resources is excited to officially roll out the new intuitive, easy-to-use and track Employee Status Form (ESF) e-form supported by ProcessMaker.

During the past several months, Human Resources has worked with Tyler Spoon, assistant director, enterprise applications in ITS, to convert this commonly used Word doc form into a digital process that automatically routes information to the appropriate approver.  We also appreciate the time, patience, and insights of staff within Drake University Head Start and the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences as they agreed to be our testing population in the soft launch of this form.  ESFs are a form that is primarily used by Budget Office Managers and other authorized employees to change an employee’s status. (Learn more about ESFs on our ESF webpage)

Are you interested?  We would love to provide the campus community an opportunity to learn more about the new e-form—and begin using it.  We have scheduled two opportunities (a virtual and an in-person) for you to see—and begin using—this form, both occurring during the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 28.  If Thursday doesn’t work for you, no problem. We can also schedule ad hoc times on the registration form below.  We know that once you see it, you will love it.

Thank you in advance for your interest in this enhanced form.  Please let us know which session you would like to attend by completing the registration.

— Debra Wiley and Teresa Downs, Human Resources

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and every 3.5 minutes, someone dies of a stroke. Common risk factors include age, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inactivity, poor diet, and family history.

Health Gauge will be offering vascular screenings on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. through 2 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, Parents Hall North. This includes stroke/carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and peripheral artery disease screenings. You may also add an optional osteoporosis screening and EKG. These painless and non-invasive screenings are open to all Drake employees, spouses/partners, and retirees. The cost is $125 for the three vascular screenings payable at the time of your appointment. The optional add-ons are $35 each. You may pay with cash, check, credit or debit card, or FSA dollars.

Appointments are necessary. Call Health Gauge at 515-244-3080 to get scheduled.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is partnering with Hy-Vee Pharmacy to offer flu vaccinations on campus in Harvey Ingham, Room 107 (Johansen Lab), for Drake faculty, staff, and students.

The flu vaccinations are available through a scheduled appointment (strongly preferred), or on a walk-up basis. Walk-up vaccinations will require additional time on the day of vaccination for completion of paperwork and processing. Signing up at least two days in advance is highly encouraged. 

Sign up for a flu vaccination appointment.

Appointments will be offered the following dates/times.

• Wednesday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m.–4 p.m.

All clinics will use the same sign up link.

Important: 

• Prescription insurance is required for this flu vaccination clinic. (We are unable to accept cash/credit card payments for services at this clinic). Most insurance plans cover the cost of a flu vaccination.
• You will need the information from your prescription insurance card to complete the sign-up process.  
• You must complete this online consent form at least two days prior to your scheduled flu vaccination appointment.
• COVID vaccines will not be available at this clinic, only flu vaccinations.
• The Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake is also providing flu vaccinations this fall (and other primary care, urgent care, mental health services, etc.).

—Linda Feiden, Human Resouces

The new Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake is opening Sept. 11. The clinic will be open to the general community as well as Drake students, faculty, and staff. 

For faculty and staff that choose to use their services, this is an urgent care and family medicine clinic: 

• With no co-pays for walk-in visits, primary, and specialist visits 
• A lower out-of-pocket maximum 

• Lower deductibles for emergency room visits, as well as for both outpatient and inpatient care 
• All in network 
• Right across the street! 

You can review the pricing in greater detail on page seven of Drake’s new digital benefits guide. 

— Maureen DeArmond, Human Resources