Benefit Choice enrollment period ends June 2
Copayments, deductibles and other health care costs will rise for U. of I. employees beginning July 1, although health insurance premiums will remain the same, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services has announced. The deductible for prescriptions and the dental plan, and copays for the vision plan also have increased.
“The FY15 insurance premiums did not change for full-time employees,” said Brenda Butts, the associate director of University Payroll and Benefits Services on the Urbana campus. “However, all copayments, plan deductibles and co-insurance payments have increased. Employees should pay special attention to the out-of-pocket maximums increases in the Open Access Plan and the elimination of the out-of-pocket maximums in Tier III.”
Changes to health care and other benefits – including medical care and dependent care assistance (flexible spending) plans – can be made during the Benefit Choice period, which runs through June 2, and must be made through NESSIE, the U. of I.’s human resources employee website. All changes will be effective July 1. “Remember, members that wish to stay with the same health insurance do not need to complete the form,” Butts said. “Although if you want to enroll or re-enroll in flexible spending plans, you must sign up each year.”
A flier with detailed information on changes and deadlines was mailed to the home address of all benefits-eligible employees. It includes a list of changes in copays and other expenses for the health, dental, vision and prescription plans.
Benefit Choice information also is available online, including detailed information about the benefit changes; online enrollment information (do not use the forms on the CMS website); flexible spending forms, instructions and reference guides. The Benefit Choice Options booklet also is available online.
If you’re searching for good news, the contact lens replacement benefit is now every 12 months rather than 24 months. There also is a new weight-loss benefit, which offers a rebate toward the cost of “an approved weight-loss program” with a maximum refund of $200 once every three years.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING PLANS
Re-enrollment in flexible spending plans (Dependent Care Assistance Plan and Medical Care Assistance Plan) is not automatic; you must enroll each year through NESSIE. There also are changes to the Medical Care Assistance Plan for FY2015 with the elimination of the grace period for carryover balances. A balance up to $500 will be carried over to the next year’s plan if the member re-enrolls. At this time, an FSA plan administrator has not been selected for FY2015.
DEPENDENT ELIGIBILITY AUDIT
CMS has scheduled a dependent eligibility verification audit for fall 2014. If an employee is found to be covering an ineligible dependent, the employee may be subject to a financial penalty, including but not limited to repayment of all premiums to the state of Illinois on behalf of the employee as well as expenses incurred by the university.
BENEFIT INFORMATION SESSIONS
To learn more about this year’s Benefit Choice options, employees should attend the Benefit Choice information sessions. No registration is required.
- May 6, 2-4 p.m. Ikenberry Commons, Student Dining and Residential Programs building, Room 2025A, B and C
- May 14, 10 a.m.-noon, Beckman Institute auditorium (Room 1025)
- May 20, 2-4 p.m. Room 180 Bevier Hall
RESOURCES
- NESSIE
- Central Management Services
- University Payroll and Benefits
Henry Administration Building, Room 177, 506 S. Wright
Walk-in hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Call center hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
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