Our work community is an integral part of the connective tissue of our social lives.  Just ask yourself where during the course of the week you spend the majority of your waking hours? And nothing can feel as isolating or disorienting as being diagnosed with and managing through a critical illness.  Whether your own or that of a loved one.  So it’s important to know that in addition to the support you would expect to receive from co-workers and your human resources team we have an intricate variety of resources to help a terrible circumstance be a little easier to cope with.

First everyone can use a little extra emotional support in these times.  So we recommend you take full advantage of the Resources for Living program where you have access to 10 free face to face or unlimited telephonic counseling sessions as well as a myriad of curated literature.  Feel like you would benefit from a longer term therapeutic relationship?  Use our Aetna health plan’s behavioral health benefits to access care in or out of network.*

To help make sure you are getting the right treatment from the best doctors for a given condition use Grand Rounds – whether to find high quality Doctor’s in-network in your area, to obtain aid in being fast tracked into seeing a physician, or to obtain a second opinion on ongoing treatment if you are in our medical plan you have free access to this incredible resource.

Do you have questions related to treatment plans, prescription drug interactions, or other health related concerns but are in a circumstance where it’s not so easy for you to get in to see a doctor in person?  Use 98point6– our virtual office visit service through your Aetna Health Plan.  If you are a member of One Medical – you can also use their telemedicine service via their mobile app.  And for urgent questions after hours you can try the Aetna 24-Hour Nurse Line at 1-800-556-1555.

Is balancing work and illness becoming too difficult for you?  Our Short Term Disability plan provides salary and benefits continuation for up to 6 months.  Short Term Disability begins after four consecutive sick days.  To apply – contact the Benefit Center at 800-220-1716 and our vendor MetLife will take it from there.  There may also be federal or state programs that are available to you. Met Life can help you understand how each may be beneficial for you to take advantage of.

Finally – if your medical bills are starting to get to you – you don’t have to address them alone.  At News Corp you have access to Health Advocate who can help you to understand if you are being billed correctly, can help negotiate any out of network bills where you end up with a large amount of patient responsibility, and can help you appeal claims for any services which may be denied.

All in all – it’s important to know that you are not alone.  In fact there is a veritable army of professionals out there to help.  And we hope by taking out some of the noise you might be able to focus more on what really matters. Getting better.

*Our Aetna Basic Choice plan has in-network benefits only.