Medical/Dental Open Enrollment
for Faculty, Staff & Librarians
October 29 - November 30
NEW FOR 2008
The following
changes will take effect on January 1, 2008:
- A new medical plan will be available—Aetna Public Employees plan.
It will feature cost sharing similar to the managed care plans as well
as a larger provider network similar to Uniform Medical Plan.
- Mental Health benefits will be improved.
- Lifetime maximum plan payment limits, currently at $2 million, have been removed.
- Uniform Dental Plan's orthodontia annual and lifetime maximums will increase.
- Both Community Health Plan (CHP) and Regence Blue Shield
will be discontinued.
- Regence BlueShield Columbia Dental Plan coverage will be discontinued.
Enrollees may choose Williamette Dental plan.
For more details, see Public
Employees Benefits Board changes.
Benefits Fairs
The annual Benefits Fairs give UW employees the opportunity to explore their
healthcare and insurance options. This is especially useful to employees
who are thinking of changing their medical or dental coverage for the
2008 plan year. The Fairs will be held on October 30, 31, and November
1, 2007. See Benefits
Fairs for more details, or print this Benefits
Fair flyer.
UNDERSTAND
Benefits-eligible UW employees can make changes to their
medical and dental plan choices during the annual open enrollment
period, October 29 through
November 30. Changes, which will become effective January 1, 2008,
may include:
- Eligible employees can reinstate previously waived medical coverage for themselves or their dependents.
- Eligible dependents not previously enrolled can be added without proof of previous coverage.
- Section 125 medical premium deduction election can be changed at this time.
Retirees should check out changes to their plans and rates.
Also note that often rate changes to the employee-paid Long Term Disability and/or Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment are also announced during the medical/dental open enrollment.
Watch for UW Benefits Fairs to learn more about insurance plan options.
When Changing Plans is Necessary
Medical and dental plan benefits and premiums change yearly. Your life circumstances may change, too. Open enrollment is a good time to reevaluate your existing plans and decide whether to make a change. Any time your dependents or circumstances change, you are responsible for making appropriate changes to your benefits enrollment.
You must make changes during the open enrollment period if you want to:
- Choose a different medical and/or dental plan;
- Note that an exception exists if you move during the year and your plan is not available in your new area
- Remove dependent(s) from your coverage;
- Note that dependent child eligibility can change based birthdate within the year
- Reinstate medical coverage for dependents who were waived in the past;
- A change of circumstances such as loss of employer-paid coverage for a spouse or same-sex partner may trigger a mid-year opportunity to enroll
- Add dependent(s) (spouse, Qualified Domestic Partner (QDP), children not previously covered on your plan.
- See exception in previous bullet
Note: Under Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB) rules, employees are required to notify the UW of changes in dependent eligibility. Failure to do so may result in loss of premiums and additional benefits rights such as COBRA for dependents.
ACT
How to Make Changes
- Review your current enrollment (in one of two ways):
- UW Employee Self-Service (ESS)
Log in to ESS with
your UW NetID. You can view your current benefits
package here, including medical, dental life, long
term disability, and retirement. You can also update
your home and campus address information.
- PEBB Online Inquiry and Enrollment
The Public Employees' Benefits Board (PEBB) via the Health Care Authority (HCA) offers E-Coverage to make online open enrollment medical/dental plan changes. E-Coverage is inquiry-only until the first day of open enrollment. UW employees can use this site during Open Enrollment to make changes to a plan or provider.
- Explore your healthcare and insurance options at one of three
UW
Benefits Fairs held on October 30, 31 or November
1, 2007.
- Review Open Enrollment Materials
You should receive print and online notices about open enrollment.
- Make Necessary Changes to Your Coverage
Using E-Coverage online enrollment has many advantages:
- when you make changes to your coverage during open enrollment, the system provides instant confirmation (during other times of the year, this link is available to verify your coverage only);
- you may print your work to keep documentation for your records;
- PEBB will mail confirmation of your enrollment within two to three weeks; and
- you can access plan enrollment information at any time.
To add your spouse or Qualified Domestic Partner (QDP) to your
plan, complete and turn in both the Medical/Dental
Enrollment form and the Declaration
of Marriage/Qualified Domestic Partnership form. QDPs must
also complete the Declaration of Tax Status portion of the Declaration
form to ensure the correct additional taxes due, if applicable,
are deducted from your pay.
EXPLORE
Medical Flexible Spending Accounts
Participation in a Flexible Spending Account allows you to save money on health care expenses by having pre-tax deductions from your pay deposited in a reimbursement account. You can then use this account to get reimbursement of qualified, out-of-pocket medical expenses.
The Flexible Spending Account open enrollment runs concurrent with the medical/dental open enrollement for the next tax year. Whether you are a current or new participant, you must re-enroll each year if you wish to participate.
