Annual Benefits Enrollment period is October 5-30, 2015
September 9, 2015
What is the Annual Benefits Enrollment Period?
The Annual Benefits Enrollment period, October 5-30, is the only opportunity to make changes to your benefits unless you have an eligible family status or employment change during the year.
Do I Need to Take Action if I am not Making any Benefit Changes?
If you participate in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program, you must enroll every year if you wish to continue your participation. Please review the changes under the State Group Health insurance section below. Depending on your current enrollments, there are additional changes which may affect you.
Will I Have Plan Changes Even if I don’t Participate in the Annual Benefits Enrollment?
Yes. If you are currently a State Group Health Insurance plan participant, you will experience changes to your State Group Health Insurance plan due to new plan provisions effective January 1, 2016. These important new provisions are detailed below.
Annual Benefits Enrollment Plan Participants, Highlights and Plan Changes for 2016
Below are plans that are participating in the Annual Benefits Enrollment, changes you can make and highlights of major plan changes for 2016. All changes take effect on January 1, 2016.
State Group Health Insurance
You may enroll, change plans, add or remove dependents, cancel Uniform Dental, cancel coverage, waive or Opt Out. Please note below that health insurance plan names have changed.
It’s Your Choice (IYC) Health Plan (formerly HMO -Coinsurance Uniform Benefit Plans)
If you do not want your Uniform Dental to continue, then with eBenefits, you must choose a State Group Health Insurance plan without the Delta Dental Wisconsin option. If you do not enroll via eBenefits, you must complete a paper health insurance application.
It’s Your Choice (IYC) Access Health Plan - (formerly the Standard Plan)
It’s Your Choice (IYC) High Deductible Health Plan and Health Savings Account (formerly High Deductible Health Plan)
If you do not want your Uniform Dental to continue, then with eBenefits, you must choose a State Group Health Insurance plan without the Delta Dental Wisconsin option. If you do not enroll via eBenefits, you must complete a paper health insurance application.
Pharmacy Benefits
$2,000 Opt- Out Incentive
University employees enrolled in State Group Health insurance in 2015 can opt out of 2016 State Group Health Insurance and receive a $2,000 incentive. Craftworkers and Graduate Assistants are not eligible for the incentive.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA -Health Care, Dependent Care and Limited Purpose FSA)
To participate, you must enroll every year. UW Temporary Employees (formerly LTEs, Fellows, Scholars, Graduate Interns/Trainees or Post-Doctoral Fellows/Trainees are not eligible to participate. You will enroll online directly with TASC, the plan vendor, at http://partners.tasconline.com/ETFEmployee.
Dental Wisconsin
You may enroll, change plans (between PPO and Select), add or remove dependents, or cancel coverage.
VSP Vision
You may enroll, add or remove dependents, or cancel coverage.
Individual and Family Life Insurance
If currently insured, you may increase coverage. You may remove dependents, decrease or cancel coverage at any time.
Epic Benefits+
If currently insured, you may cancel the vision portion of the plan, remove dependents or cancel coverage. You cannot enroll or add any coverage or dependents.
Other Considerations
When considering your premium deductions for 2016, you should be aware that if you have Income Continuation Insurance (ICI), the premium will be increasing by 20%. The Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) deduction is decreasing from 6.8% to 6.6% for the majority of employees.
For More Information and Questions
More information about plan changes for 2016, or changes you can make during the Annual Benefits Enrollment period, will be posted to http://benefits.wisc.edu/2016. Check regularly for updates.
Source: UW Service Center
Categories: Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE)