Open Enrollment 2006
Open Enrollment for 2006 is from 8:00am (PT) Tuesday, November 1, 2005 through midnight (PT) Wednesday, November 30, 2005.
If you make any changes, your new coverage will be effective January
1, 2006.
Read all the details you need and make your changes online at the
Open Enrollment Section of the At
Your Service website. You will need to use your UC password (see
instructions on how to set your password at the end of this email).
Watch for a six-page Open Enrollment brochure that you will
receive at your home address later in October – it gives a general
summary of Open Enrollment information, including 2006 monthly employee
costs for medical plans. If you do not receive a booklet,
the At Your Service website contains all the same information, and
more!
HIGHLIGHTS
- You have a one-time opportunity this year to enroll in Supplemental Disability or reduce your waiting period without completing a statement of health.
- Good news on the healthcare front: while healthcare costs continue to rise significantly around the country, UC strives to negotiate the best possible medical plan rates for faculty and staff. There will be some increase in monthly medical plan premiums next year for some employees, depending on their plan, salary band, and level of family coverage. A $5 increase in office visit copayments for our California HMOs will serve to reduce overall rate increases for UC’s HMOs. Premiums for the Blue Cross PPO plan will be reduced next year. UC continues to allocate our limited resources primarily to employees, with special consideration for those in the lower salary bands, and to children.
- Important changes have been implemented starting this calendar year to allow you to apply unused 2005 Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DepCare) balances to eligible expenses incurred through March 15, 2006. Remember, you must re-enroll each year if you want to remain in these plans.
UC remains committed to supporting you in your efforts to maintain wellness and a healthy life for yourself and your family. UC will continue to partner with you and our medical plans in 2006 to provide new programs, resources, and education about wellness, healthy lifestyles, and fitness. Here are more details about this year's open enrollment:
Medical plan design changes for 2006
There will be no changes in the Blue Cross PLUS, Blue Cross PPO, and CoreCA plans. Copayments for all office visits in the HMO plans will increase by $5. Details about these, other plan changes and enhancements, and monthly employee costs are online at the Open Enrollment website (atyourservice.ucop.edu). Remember, too, that because your medical plan premium is paid on a pre-tax basis, the actual impact of any premium increase on your paycheck is less than established rates.
NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES in UPTE, CNA, and CUE Bargaining Units
PERB has ruled that increases in employee contribution rates for
medical plan options and copays for each medical service received
are subject to negotiations with unions representing employees in
bargaining units for which the contract is expired.
This ruling means that the increased employee contributions and copays
announced in the Open Enrollment announcement that is being issued
to all participants cannot become effective for employees in the CUE
(Clerical), CNA (Registered Nurses), and UPTE (Research Support and
Technical) units presently in negotiations.
Due to operational requirements, the Medical Plan options made available
to all employees during the Open Enrollment will reflect the new employee
contribution rates and increased co-pay requirements for all participants.
Employees in the CUE (Clerical), CNA (Registered Nurses), and UPTE
(Research Support and Technical) units are advised that they will
be reimbursed for any additional employee contribution or co-pay charged
unless and until different arrangements are negotiated with their
union representatives or are otherwise implemented in accordance with
the requirements of HEERA.
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Dental and vision plans remain at no cost to employees
Monthly premiums for UC’s dental plans – Delta Dental and PMI Dental Plan – and the Vision Service Plan (VSP) will continue to be fully paid by UC in 2006. There will be some dental plan benefit enhancements.
Supplemental Disability
Available this Open Enrollment only!!! You will have a one-time opportunity this year to enroll in the plan or reduce your waiting period without completing a statement of health. There will be no plan changes in 2006.
Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DepCare)
You must re-enroll in these plans to continue your participation in 2006. Effective for calendar year 2005 and beyond: The IRS annual account balance forfeiture rule has been modified. You may use any account balance that remains at the end of the year to be reimbursed for eligible expenses incurred through March 15 of the following year. Moreover, the deadline for filing claims is being extended from April 15 to June 15 of the following year. The modification of IRS annual forfeiture rules for HCRA and DepCare make those plans even more valuable for managing anticipated healthcare and dependent care costs on a pre-tax basis.
Other insurance plan premiums to remain stable or decrease
Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D) is open
for paper enrollment all year, and employee monthly costs will decrease
in 2006.
The ARAG Legal Plan is not open for new enrollments this year; provisions
and employee monthly costs will remain the same in 2006.
Actions you can take during Open Enrollment
- Change to a different medical plan.
- Change to a different dental plan.
- Change participation in the Tax Savings on Insurance Premiums (TIP) program.
- Enroll eligible family members in your health plans.
- Enroll in Supplemental Disability or reduce your waiting period without a statement of health. Available this Open Enrollment only!!!
- Enroll or re-enroll in the Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA). If you are currently enrolled, you must re-enroll if you want to participate in 2006.
- Enroll or re-enroll in the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DepCare). If you are currently enrolled, you must re-enroll if you want to participate in 2006.
- Opt out of your medical, dental, and/or vision plan, or enroll in a new plan if you previously opted out.
- Cancel health plan coverage for currently enrolled family members.
If you are satisfied with your current enrollments and have no changes, you don’t need to do anything – BUT, if you participate in HCRA or DepCare you MUST RE-ENROLL to participate in 2006.
Family Member Eligibility
Remember, your enrolled family members must be eligible for UC coverage.
If you are audited, and enrolled family members are not eligible,
severe penalties will apply. Check the Open Enrollment Eligibility
section of the At Your Service web site to see if your family members
are eligible for coverage.
http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/open_enrollment/employees/cal/eligibility.pdf.
UC Password
You will need your UC password to take actions on the Open Enrollment
website. If you need to set or reset your password, go to the At Your
Service website and choose "Forgot Your Password" (blue
button on bottom right side of web page). You will be emailed a temporary
password. With your temporary password, log back in to At Your Service;
choose "Your Benefits Online" (blue button on top right
side of web page) and follow the instructions to customize your password.
Suggestion: You may want to take this opportunity to look at some
of the other features of "Your Benefits Online" --- check
your current enrollments, view your beneficiaries, do a retirement
estimate, and more.
For personal assistance
If you need assistance with your Open Enrollments actions, or if you need help finding a computer, please contact your local Departmental Benefits Administrator. You may also contact the central Benefits Office at 642-7053 or benefits@berkeley.edu for Open Enrollment assistance.
Open Enrollment Presentations for Active Faculty and Staff Employees
The OHR - Benefits Office will provide Open Enrollment Presentations for faculty and staff. This presentation will give an overview of all the UC benefits plans, and will cover the Open Enrollment process. Topics covered will include:
- 2006 Medical Plans
- The Supplemental Disability Plan (open this year only)
- The new HCRA/DepCare "grace period"
- How to take Open Enrollment actions
- plus more!
The year we will offer the same presentation four times, and faculty and staff may attend any presentation that they wish. No reservations are required, and family members are welcome to attend.
All presentations are in Room 150 University Hall:
Thursday, November 10th 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Monday, November 14th 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Monday, November 21th 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Tuesday, November 22th 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Please note: These workshops are for actively employed faculty and staff. There will be separate workshops offered for retired faculty and staff. Details will be sent to staff in DBC email # 14.
Powerpoint presentations:
- Open Enrollment and Benefit Plans Overview for 2006 Faculty and Staff
- Open Enrollment Overview for 2006 Retirees