Annual Benefits Enrollment for 2014 Is Nov. 1 Through Nov. 15

Employee benefits enrollment for 2014 begins Friday, Nov. 1, and runs through Friday, Nov. 15. This is the only time during the year when employees can make changes to their benefits without a “qualifying event” (also known as a change in status). Elections made during this enrollment period are effective Jan. 1, 2014.

If you plan to participate in the Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and/or the Health Savings Account in 2014, you must complete Online Enrollment to confirm your 2014 election(s). All other benefits require re-enrollment only if you wish to change your current enrollment selections.

Please note that we have made certain changes to family member eligibility, which you should review before deciding whether you will make any changes to your current enrollment selections. These changes are described below under “2014 Benefits Updates.” Additionally, if your family members currently are covered under any of our benefits plans, you should confirm their continued eligibility under each of the plans before deciding whether to complete annual enrollment. It is your responsibility to remove ineligible family members from coverage, and failure to do so could result in adverse consequences to you.

Employees must complete the online annual enrollment process to:

newly elect, change or drop medical, dental and/or vision coverage;
add or drop family members from your coverage;
continue or add a Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account election; or
continue or elect a Health Savings Account (HSA) for the first time if enrolling in the $2,500/$5000 Deductible Plan-HDHP. You will also be required to complete an enrollment form, which is available during online enrollment and on the HR website.

Employees must complete the manual enrollment process to:

enroll in or cancel the MetLaw legal benefit;
change the taxable status of the Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefit;
add or change your Voluntary Life Insurance/AD&D coverage amount; or
purchase additional leave time under the Hourly Employees Purchased Leave Time Program (HEPLT).

Annual enrollment materials will be distributed this week and will provide information on benefit updates for 2014 as well as include instructions on completing the annual enrollment process. A number of benefits information sessions will be offered to employees on both campuses, as described below under “Benefits Information Sessions.”

2014 Benefits Updates

Unless otherwise noted, the changes below are effective as of Jan. 1, 2014. You should take these changes into account when you enroll or consider benefits elections for 2014.

Spouse Coverage

A spouse who is legally married in any state or country is considered a spouse for purposes of the university’s benefits programs. Same-sex spouses are treated the same as opposite-sex spouses.

Medical Plan

Total medical costs are expected to increase 3 percent over 2013, and both the university and employee portions of budgeted premiums will increase 3 percent in the aggregate. Employee premium increases will range from 1.5 percent to 7.1 percent based on the plan option elected. This increase range is due to the actuarial pricing of the plans – that is, the price of each plan accurately reflects the relative risk and benefits associated with the plan. University contributions are expected to cover 71 percent of 2014 budgeted medical costs.

The $500/$1,000 Deductible + Copay and $1,250/$2,500 Deductible plans will have a prescription out-of-pocket maximum. Currently there is no out-of-pocket limit on these expenses.

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Coverage will be added for the diagnosis, evaluation, multidisciplinary assessment and medically necessary care of children under age 18 with autism spectrum disorders.

Dental Plan

Coverage levels will expand from two to four levels, consistent with the coverage levels offered under the university’s medical plans. New coverage levels offered under the dental plan will be Employee + Spouse and Employee + Child(ren).

The university has increased its dental premium subsidy from 19 percent in 2013 to 25 percent in 2014, and each coverage level will be priced based on its actuarial value.

Health Savings Account

For enrollees in the $2,500/$5,000 Deductible Plan – HDHP, the annual maximum contribution will increase to $3,300 for Employee Only coverage and to $6,550 for Employee + Spouse, Employee + Child(ren) and Family coverage.

Voluntary Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)

Coverage will be extended to children up until age 26, regardless of financial dependency on you, residency with you, student status, marital status, employment, access to employment-based medical insurance or any combination of these factors.

Debit Card Available for Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Effective Sept. 1, 2013, a debit card now is available if you participate in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. This replaces the automatic cross-over from the medical and dental carriers to the flexible spending account vendor (whereby carriers directly submitted invoices to the vendor).

Benefits Information Sessions

A number of annual enrollment information sessions have been scheduled to help you learn about your benefits options and answer questions about them. You may sign up to attend these meetings through The Leadership Academy at https://hrcrm.stthomas.edu/public_site/.

Annual Enrollment Benefits Information Sessions