Faculty, staff and retirees may change their benefits for 2018 during Open Enrollment, which runs through Nov. 3.
Eligible individuals may change their health plan, choose a different dental plan option, or change their enrollment in the vision plan or legal services plan. Faculty and staff may also enroll in a Flexible Spending Account.
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Now is the time for faculty and staff to review their dependent coverage in anticipation of life events coming up in the next year.
For example, a young child who may go to the dentist for the first time in 2018 would need to be added to the employee’s dental plan during Open Enrollment. Employees planning to retire in 2018 should update their dependents during this year’s Open Enrollment.
Benefit changes for 2018 include the elimination of the Health Alliance Plan health plan and an increase in the health care Flexible Spending Account annual limit to $2,600.
No action is required to keep current benefits — with two exceptions:
• Those enrolled in the HAP health plan will need to select a different health plan or they will be automatically enrolled in the BCBMS Community Blue PPO plan effective Jan. 1.
• Because IRS rules do not allow Flexible Spending Account enrollments to continue across calendar years, eligible faculty and staff will need to re-enroll to participate in an FSA for 2018.
Faculty and staff may make benefits changes through Wolverine Access. Retirees may use Wolverine Access or complete and return the form included in their Open Enrollment books.
The deadline to submit benefits changes is 5 p.m. Nov. 3. Changes and new rates take effect Jan. 1.
