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University of Wisconsin 2012 Benefit Plan Changes. What You Need to Know. Agenda. What Changes Can I Make? What Are the 2012 Changes? Health Insurance Epic Benefits+ Dental Wisconsin Individual & Family Life Insurance UW Employees Inc. Life Insurance ERA VSP Anthem Dental Blue
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University of Wisconsin 2012 Benefit Plan Changes What You Need to Know
Agenda • What Changes Can I Make? • What Are the 2012 Changes? • Health Insurance • Epic Benefits+ • Dental Wisconsin • Individual & Family Life Insurance • UW Employees Inc. Life Insurance • ERA • VSP • Anthem Dental Blue • TSA & WDC – 403B Plans • Benefit End Date & Cobra • Resources
What Changes Can I Make? You may take the following actions during the Annual Benefit Enrollment & Change Period October 3 - 28, 2011 • Special Enrollment - Enroll for health insurance if not enrolled • Increase your Individual and Family Life Insurance coverage level (if enrolled as of October 1st) • Change health insurance plans • Change from single to family health insurance or add additional family members to family health insurance • Add or remove eligible children age 19-25 or a domestic partner to or from plans • Enroll in plans that have an open or special enrollment • Add or remove the vision insurance offered under EPIC Benefits+ • If already enrolled in Anthem DentalBlue or Dental Wisconsin, change coverage level or plan • If already enrolled in VSP or Benefits+, change coverage level • Special Enrollment - Enroll in UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance • Enroll in the Employee Reimbursement Account (ERA) program. You must re-enroll each year. On-Line ONLY. • Cancel coverage under any plan for 2012 – must submit application on or before December 1, 2011.DEADLINE – 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 28, 2011 ALL applications MUST be received by HR office
2012 Changes State Group Health Insurance IMPORTANT If an employee does not enroll in health insurance during the initial enrollment period, the employee may no longer enroll at any time under the Standard Plan with a 180-day waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Employees may only enroll during the It’s Your Choice enrollment period or if there is a qualifying event.Exception: At retirement, employees who want to preserve sick leave credits may enroll in the Standard Plan effective the last month of employment.
2012 Changes State Group Health Insurance IMPORTANT - Is WEA Trust your current health insurance provider?WEA Trust will now be available in two different areas of the state. WEA Trust – East will be available in 31 counties in central to eastern Wisconsin. WEA Trust – Northwest will be available in 18 counties in northwestern Wisconsin. If you currently have WEA Trust, you should submit a health insurance application to enroll in the correct WEA Trust plan for 2012.
2012 Changes – State Group Health Insurance (cont.) Coinsurance - You will be required to pay a 10% coinsurance for non-preventive services (up to an annual maximum – noted below) What is Coinsurance? Coinsurance is a specified percentage of the charges that you must pay each time covered services are provided, subject to annual maximums. If you are covered by an HMO or are covered by and receive in-network benefits from one of the Preferred Provider Plans(WEA Trust PPP-East or WPS Metro Choice), you will pay 10% coinsurance for non-preventive medical services, Up to an annual maximum of $500 per person or $1,000 per family. If covered by the Standard Plan, you will pay 10% coinsurance for non-preventive in-network Medical services, up to an annual out-of-pocket maximum of $800 per person or $1,600 and per family after a $200 deductible per person or $400 per family. Your coinsurance for out-of-network benefits will increase to 30% coinsurance for non-preventive medical services, with no change to the deductible or annual out-of-pocket maximum. A number of benefits have been modernized and modified.
2012 Changes – State Group Health Insurance (cont.) Coinsurance - You will be required to pay a 10% coinsurance for non-preventive services (up to an annual maximum) Example: You are sick and go to your doctor. The office visit costs $200 so you will be responsible for 10% of the charge so you will pay $20 for the office visit. • Coinsurance is different that a copayment. A copaymentis a specified dollar amount you pay when you receive a service (emergency room visit) or prescription.
2012 Changes – State Group Health Insurance (cont.) Preventative Care – what is covered at 100%? • http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/regulations/prevention/taskforce.html
2012 Changes – State Group Health Insurance (cont.) • 2012 Insurance Premiums - Premiums listed do not apply to those covered by the Graduate Assistant health plan or to those who are required to pay the less than half time rates or total cost.
2012 Changes – State Group Health Insurance (cont.) • 2012 Health Insurance Premiums - what else do I need to know? • No Change: • Navitus Prescription Drug Coverage • Durable Medical Equipment • Hearing Aids (adults age 18 and older) • Changes: • Emergency Room co-pay will increase from $60.00 to $75.00 if admitted for less than 24 hours – This co-pay does not accumulate to the Annual Out of Pocket Maximum • Hearing Aids (younger than age 18) – 90% coinsurance/10% patient responsibility – this does accumulate to the Annual Out of Pocket Maximum
2012 Changes – Special Enrollment & Plan Changes Epic Benefits+ Changes - EPIC Benefits + • There will NO Longer be an Excess Medical Benefit The excess medical benefit of this plan will be replaced by a Hospital & Surgery benefit effective January 1, 2012. Hospital & Surgery benefit - you receive $100 for each day of hospitalization in excess of three days or following an outpatient surgery performed at a hospital or ambulatory surgical center. Epic Benefits + other benefits: • Dental benefit - partial dental coverage for non-routine services • Vision benefit - discount plan or vision insurance (extra cost) • Accidental death and dismemberment benefit
2012 Changes – Special Enrollment & Plan Changes Epic Benefits+ (cont.) • Graduated Dental Benefit If you enroll during this period, your annual dental benefit maximum will be $500 per member for 2012 and $750 per member for 2013. In 2014, you will be eligible for The full $1000 annual benefit. Or if you add additional family members to your current coverage, they will be subject to the graduated dental benefits.
2012 Changes – Special Enrollment & Plan Changes Epic Benefits+ (cont.) 2012 Epic Benefits + Premiums
2012 Dental Wisconsin Open Enrollment Opportunity IMPORTANT - If you carry comparable dental insurance as of the end of the 2011 and enroll in Dental Wisconsin for 2012, you and your covered dependents will not be required to re-serve benefit waiting periods, provided the comparable coverage was in effect for the last 90 days of 2011. A comparable plan includes EPIC Benefits+ if you also carry a health insurance plan that offers preventive and diagnostic services. Anthem DentalBlue is also considered a comparable plan. Coverage Requirements • Once enrolled for 2012, must remain enrolled for all of 2012.
2012 Dental Wisconsin (cont.) 2012 Dental Wisconsin Insurance Premiums
2012 Anthem DentalBlue IMPORTANT - Anthem DentalBlue will no longer be open to new enrollments in 2012 and will no longer be available in 2013. • If already enrolled, may change coverage level and plan (e.g. add/remove eligible dependents; change from PPO to Supplemental Plan). Enrolling in Dental Wisconsin? • If you elect to cancel this coverage and enroll in Dental Wisconsin, you must indicate this in Section 5 of the Dental WI application. Waiting periods under Dental WI will be waived in most situations (if covered for at least 90 days by DentalBlue).
2012 Anthem DentalBlue 2012 Anthem DentalBlue Premiums
2012 Dental Comparison Chart Dental Comparison Chart - please note Anthem DentalBlue will no longer be open to new enrollments in 2012 and will no longer be available in 2013. http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/ins/dental-2012-plan-comparison.pdf
2012 Vision Insurance (VSP) Open Enrollment Opportunity • Coverage Requirements Once enrolled for 2012, must remain enrolled for all of 2012.
Employees Reimbursement Account (ERA) The ERA program allows you to set aside $100 to $7,500 in pre-tax dollars for eligible medical expenses and $100 to $5,000 for dependent care expenses (restrictions may apply). • Coinsurance and copays are reimbursable expenses under the ERA program. Upcoming Changes to ERA Program • The maximum you can contribute to the medical account will drop to $2,500 in 2013. If you plan to incur more than $2,500 in covered medical expenses, you may want to have the procedure in 2012.
Employees Reimbursement Account (ERA) • You must either enroll online at http://www.myfbmc.com or via telephone at 1-800-847-8253 until 9:00 p.m. CST on October 28th – different date than prior years. • Select your election amount carefully - any funds not used by the end of the plan year will be forfeited. • Employees must re-enroll in the program every year.
UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance is a term life insurance policy that provides term Life insurance coverage for employees only (no coverage for dependents). Coverage and premium are based on age. New Carrier • Effective October 1, 2011, Minnesota Life will become the new carrier of the plan (Country Life Insurance Company was the previous carrier). Due to the change in carrier, beneficiary designations currently on file will no longer be valid as of January 1, 2012. • During the first week of October, current enrollees should have received a letter from UW Employees, Inc./Minnesota Life that includes a user ID and password information so they may elect beneficiary(ies) for this plan online at Minnesota Life’s secure website, www.lifebenefits.com
UW Employees Life Insurance, Inc. Coverage Level Increase • Coverage levels will slightly increase but there will be no premium increase. Special Open Enrollment - On the application you should check the box that indicates that you work for the University of Wisconsin System and the box next to “Enrollment.”
Individual & Family Life Insurance, Inc. Covered employees received an email on September 28th that included a link to the AIO election form and personalized coverage and premium information. This personalized information is also available online at: https://uwservice.wisc.edu/administration/indfam-increase-calculator.php During the AIO period, insured employees may elect to increase coverage by the following amounts: • Employee coverage: increase by $5,000; $10,000; $15,000 or $20,000 (Maximum coverage: $200,000) • Spouse/domestic partner coverage: increase by $5,000 or $10,000 (Maximum coverage: $100,000) • Child(ren) coverage: increase by $2,500 (Maximum coverage: $10,000) IMPORTANT - spouse/domestic partner and child coverage may never exceed the employee coverage level. Beneficiary Designation: • To ensure that benefits are paid to the person(s) of your choosing, you should complete a beneficiary designation form.
Roth Option – 403b TSA and/or Wisconsin Deferred Compensation WDC This allows you to contribute with after-tax dollars. Roth contributions are included in taxable income in the year they are made, but the account balance and earnings are not taxed when distributed (subject to certain restrictions). If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, Roth contributions may be a good option. • The Roth option under WDC is available now and will be available in November under the TSA program. Note – not all TSA plans will offer the Roth option. Link for list of investment companies offering the Roth option http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/retsav/vendors.htm
Life Events Changes in family or employment status can be used as an IRS qualifying event to apply for additional life insurance, modify your FSA elections, change enrollment in disability plans, or even add or drop health Insurance. IMPORTANT - Most life events have a 30 day deadline CHANGES IN FAMILY STATUS • New child in the family • Disability and Serious Illness • Marriage • Divorce or Separation • Child loses dependent status • Death of employee • Death of spouse or child • Moving - (Transferring from one UW campus to another or changing your county of residence) CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS • Classified to Unclassified or Unclassified to Classified • Increase/decrease in percent of appointment • Becoming WRS-eligible • Layoff • Leave of Absence • Military Call-Up • Retirement • Rehired Annuitant • Termination
Beneficiary Designation – Time to Review You should know … • Many UW benefit programs would pay death benefits to your survivors if you should die while participating in the program. • Your will or trust document often is not enough to control how your death benefits are paid. You must either file a beneficiary designation with the program provider or allow state law or the program contract to determine who receives the benefit. • Wisconsin marital property law may affect how some of your benefits are paid, but it does not affect payment of Wisconsin Retirement System, State Group Life Insurance, and Wisconsin Deferred Compensation benefits. • It's important to keep a record of your beneficiary designations and to update them whenever your circumstances change. Link for more information and forms: http://www.wisconsin.edu/hr/benefits/lifevent/bene.htm
Need Help or More Information? Don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Human Resources 262-595-2204 where you will be connected to a Benefits Specialist IMPORTANT - All applications to enroll in or change your benefits during the Benefit Enrollment & Change period must be received by the Office of Human Resources no later than 4:30pm on Friday, October 28, 2011. Go to the fall enrollment website for additional information: www.uwservice.wisc.edu/2012/ Premiums for all benefit plans are available at: http://uwservice.wisc.edu/premiums/ All forms are available online at: http://uwservice.wisc.edu/forms.php Don’t forget to check your UW Portal to review your benefits http://www.uwp.edu/departments/human.resources/
Thank You! Benefits Specialist TeamRoxane Kriederman, Ed Soledad and Rita Altmeyer