Got a bill you weren’t expecting?
Don’t pay it yet. Visit our Open Access billing support page or call member services and we’ll help you sort it out.
Bills and what you owe
Don’t pay it right away. Wait for the Explanation of Benefits from the plan, then compare the two. If the provider is asking for more than the statement says you owe, call member services at 866-247-1443 before you pay anything. We’ll look into it for you.
Under the previous plan, a PPO network set the prices in advance. The Open Access plan works differently, so some providers may bill for more than the plan pays. That’s what these bills usually are. It doesn’t mean you owe the amount, and it doesn’t mean something went wrong with your coverage.
No. If you receive a bill from the provider’s office and notice the amount is more than what is reflected on the Explanation of Benefits, then you would reach out to EBMS at 866-247-1443
No. You call one number, the member services number on your ID card. If your situation needs the price protection team, we connect you. You’re not managing two companies and you’re not doing the negotiating.
An Explanation of Benefits is the summary we send after a claim is processed. It shows what the provider charged, what the plan paid, and what you owe. It isn’t a bill. Keep it, because it’s how you check whether a bill is correct.
Call member services right away, even if the notice looks urgent. The sooner we know, the sooner we can step in.
Yes. Please send the bill to [email protected].
Your Open Access plan
PEHT moved to an Open Access plan. You’re no longer limited to a network of doctors and hospitals. You can see the providers you choose, and the plan pays for that care based on a set reference price.
No. Open Access means there’s no network list restricting who you can see. If you have a doctor you trust, keep seeing them.
Yes. You can see any provider, and choosing one that has a direct contract with the plan generally means lower cost to you and less chance of an unexpected bill. Our direct contracts page lists them.
Price protection reviews what providers charge and makes sure the plan pays a fair amount for your care. It works in the background through ELAP, the plan’s price protection partner. You don’t contact them directly.
Your covered benefits, deductibles, and copays come from the plan your district/association selected, and those details are in your plan documents. What changed is how the plan pays providers.
Yes. You can request another ID card by logging into your miBenefits portal at EBMS.com
Finding care
Start with Find a Provider, which is located within your miBenefits portal at EBMS.com. You can search and filter to see who’s available near you.
Our direct contracts page lists them, along with a downloadable PDF you can keep. Please visit pehtak.com.
Call member services. Don’t assume you need to find someone else. We contact provider offices directly and work through it with them, and we advocate on your behalf. Give us the details and we’ll take it from there.
Let member services know what you found. Provider information updates on a set schedule, so a correction may take a little time to appear on the site.
Tell us who you’d like to see, and we’ll look into starting a conversation with their office. Please contact PEHT at 907-274-7526 with the provider’s name and contact information.
No, however, the specialist may require a referral.
Your coverage travels with you. Because the plan isn’t built around a regional network, care outside Alaska works the same way as care at home.
Go to the nearest emergency room, Providence in Anchorage. Get care first. Call member services afterward if you have questions about the bill.
Costs and deductibles
The deductible and out-of-pocket maximum run on a Calendar Year, January 1 – December 31. If you changed to a higher deductible mid-year, you will need to meet the new deductible amount before any cost sharing begins.
That depends on your plan’s deductible, copays, and out-of-pocket maximum. You’ll find those amounts in your plan documents or by logging in to your miBenefits portal at EBMS.com.
You can access this information in the Provider search tool in your miBenefits portal at EBMS.com.
Your benefits and plan documents
Go to Benefits and choose your district. You’ll see the plans your district offers, with benefit summaries, plan documents, and forms in one place.
PEHT offers eight medical plans, three dental plans, and one orthodontia plan. Each district/association selects which plan(s) they would like to offer, so you’ll only see the ones that apply to you.
Your plan name is on your ID card and in your benefits portal. If you’re not sure, call member services and we’ll tell you.
Yes. All the plans available to your district are listed so you can compare them.
Yes.
Programs and services
Yes, get the care you need without leaving home. With Teladoc, you can connect with a board-certified doctor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by phone or video.
Prioritize your well-being with confidential resources designed to help you thrive—both at work and at home. Through SupportLinc, you have 24/7/365 access to a variety of services at no cost.
Show your PEHT ID card at the pharmacy so the prescription can be processed through Rightway.
Log in to your portal at VSP.com to access your benefits and to locate VSP providers.
If you have been recommended for an elective surgery, Transcarent is a great option. For more information, please visit the Program & Services page.
Yes, if all criteria are met and if the services cannot be done locally in Alaska. Please reach out to PEHT directly for more information. 907-274-7526
Enrollment and changes
During open enrollment each spring. Enrollment happens in the miBenefits portal, not on this site.
Only after a qualifying life event, such as marriage, divorce, a birth, or a change in your spouse’s coverage. Submission of paperwork is required within 31 days of the qualifying event.
Once you submit your enrollment form, you will receive an informational packet in the mail within 5-7 business days. Read through the information, visit your plan documents on this website, or you may contact PEHT at 907-274-7526 or EBMS at 866-247-1443.
About PEHT
The Public Education Health Trust has provided health benefits to Alaska’s public education employees for 30 years. We’re a trust, not an insurance company. Coverage and benefits are determined by and for the people the plan serves.
No. You need to be a public education employee. Your district/association’s participation determines your eligibility, not union membership.
EBMS has handled PEHT’s claims and member services for 25 years and is part of Imagine360. ELAP is the price protection partner that reviews provider charges. You don’t need to keep track of who does what. One number reaches all of it.
Our Board of Trustees. You can find their names, roles, and contact information on the Trustees page.
Getting help
Member services, at the number on your ID card, 866-247-1443. EBMS can help with bills, claims, finding a provider, and understanding your benefits.
Yes, at [email protected].
News and Updates on this site. That’s where notices, program spotlights, and plan news are posted.
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