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As a UW retiree eligible for Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB) insurance, you can change your medical and dental plan insurance enrollment during the annual open enrollment period, which runs from November 1 through November 30, 2011. Changes made during this period will become effective January 1, 2012.
Medical and dental plan benefits and premiums change yearly. Open enrollment is a good time to evaluate your health insurance plans and decide whether to make a change. If your current plan is being discontinued, you must identify and enroll in your preferred alternate plan. If you do not select a new medical plan by November 30, you and your dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in a similar plan starting January 1, 2012.
Some life circumstances may be considered a "qualifying life event," which may trigger a Special Open Enrollment opportunity allowing you to make insurance plan changes outside of the fall open enrollment.
If you are satisfied with your current plan and it will be offered next year, you do not need to do anything and your plan election will remain the same. However, if any of the following circumstances apply to you, then you must change your plan enrollment.
Important Note: Per WAC 182-12-262, you are required to notify the UW of changes in dependent eligibility within 60 days of the date in which your dependent is no longer eligible.
At its July 22 meeting, the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEB Board) approved health plan designs for 2012, including three new plan choices that will allow most PEBB members to lower their health plan premiums in 2012.
The following is a summary of benefit changes that will take effect on January 1, 2012.
Retirees not enrolled in Medicare will see new plan choices in 2012: the consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) linked to a health savings account (HSA). Group Health, Kaiser Permanente, and the Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) will all offer this new plan design, with some benefit, premium, and cost-sharing differences.
The CDHPs offer a low monthly premium, balanced with a higher deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. The higher out-of-pocket maximum increases the amount of coinsurance and copay charges members must pay before the CDHP pays 100% for covered benefits. However, members can use funds in their HSA to pay for many out-of-pocket costs (including deductibles), or allow HSA savings to grow for future medical expenses. The employer-paid premium includes a contribution of $700 per subscriber, or $1,400 per subscriber and one or more dependents annually (prorated monthly) to a subscriber’s health savings account. Members may also choose to make tax-free contributions to their own health savings account.
For Non-Medicare Retirees: The PEB Board voted to decrease the proposed Group Health Classic and Value copays for MRI/CT/PET scans from $100 to $30 (Classic) and $40 (Value) affecting non-Medicare plan premiums for 2012.
Retirees should have received a personalized letter in late October explaining PEBB plan options and premiums for 2012.
For Medicare Retirees: Final premiums will be in PEBB's open enrollment newsletter (scheduled to mail in mid-October). The state’s contribution toward Medicare retirees’ monthly premiums will decrease in 2012, as shown below:
2011: Lesser of $182.89 or 50% of the plan’s monthly premium
2012: Lesser of $150.00 or 50% of the plan’s monthly premium
See retiree monthly insurance premiums for 2012.
The Health Care Authority will no longer offer SecureHorizons (a Medicare Advantage plan) to serve Medicare retirees in 2012.
Also, Group Health will only offer one Medicare Advantage plan in 2012, instead of the current Group Health Classic and Group Health Value Medicare Advantage plans.
Retirees enrolled in the PEBB Program’s retiree term life insurance will see an increase in their monthly premium next year, from $2.19 per month in 2011 to $6.57 per month in 2012. This is the first cost increase in retiree term life insurance since 1999. The coverage will remain the same.
The PEBB provides the following materials to help you make choices:
Review open enrollment notices sent to you by the Health Care Authority (see "PEBB Materials" above). Review your current enrollment in one of two ways:
Beginning November 1, 2011, UW employees can use the E-Coverage site to change insurance plans or providers. E-Coverage has the following advantages:
To add or reinstate a dependent who is not currently enrolled on your insurance plan, you must submit a completed 2012 Employee Enrollment/Change form by November 30, 2011 at midnight. Valid dependent verification documentation must be included with the form for the requested change to be processed.
While you cannot add a dependent online, you may use one of these online options to review your current coverage:
Retiree Insurance Topics
It's Easy!
To verify your medical/dental insurance coverage and/or make plan changes during open enrollment, go to E-Coverage.
