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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:

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:

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:

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

  1. Review your current enrollment (in one of two ways):
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
  2. Explore your healthcare and insurance options at one of three UW Benefits Fairs held on October 30, 31 or November 1, 2007.
  3. Review Open Enrollment Materials You should receive print and online notices about open enrollment.
  4. 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.

Medical & Dental
Insurance Topics