University of California, Berkeley

Open Enrollment for 2013: Plan Changes

Open Enrollment begins at 8:00 a.m. October 29, 2012, and will end at 5:00 p.m. on November 20, 2012 (the Tuesday before Thanksgiving).

All faculty and staff should review their current benefits enrollments and 2013 benefits options (even if they do not think they want to make any changes) and make any needed changes during Open Enrollment.  If employees would like to contribute to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) next year, they must re-enroll even if they had an established FSA in the past year.

The At Your Service Open Enrollment website can help faculty and staff compare plans and make choices.

Recommendation: Faculty and staff should be sure to confirm their Open Enrollment choices. Also, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to check their January 1, 2013 pay statements to be sure that all benefits changes have been accurately recorded. Report any problems promptly to the HR Benefits Unit at benefits@berkeley.edu.

Plan Changes for 2013

There were few changes in rates and coverage for 2013, but some items are worth noting:

  • UC has had some success in holding down rising health care costs.  Faculty and staff will see only modest increases in medical plan costs for 2013, with over 80% percent of faculty and staff seeing increases of less than $8 each month. UC continues to cover 87 percent of premium costs. See the complete list of 2013 health care rates on At Your Service.
  • UC will continue to offer eight medical plans from which faculty and staff can choose. Some copayments are being increased for the first time since 2006.  The Open Enrollment booklet as well as the At your Service website gives you a full list of these increases.  Each plan provides comprehensive coverage, including behavioral health benefits; however, the cost varies significantly (in terms of premiums and out-of-pocket expenses), as does provider choice and flexibility to use out-of-network doctors and hospitals.
  • Faculty and staff who expect to have $180 to $5,000 ($2500 for the Health FSA) in out-of-pocket health care or dependent care expenses next year must remember to enroll or re-enroll in one or both of the flexible spending accounts. An FSA allows faculty and staff to set aside money pre-tax in a special account from which they can pay for eligible expenses. It's a good way to stretch health care and dependent care dollars and save money.  However, it is a use it or lose it plan, so be sure you understand how it works.  There are more details in the Open Enrollment booklet.
  • The ARAG legal plan is open for enrollment.
  • SitterCity, UC’s family care resource, is changing its name to SelectPlus and adding a Senior Care Service called Years Ahead.  Sittercity will continue to connect families with in-home caregivers. Caregiver profile includes a background check, picture, references and reviews. Faculty and staff make all the arrangements on hiring decisions and payment. There are caregivers available in such areas as child care, nannies, elder care, tutors, housekeepers, and dog walkers/sitters.  Years Ahead, the new Senior Care Service can help employees understand and find the right level of care for aging loved ones.  It includes a needs assessment to determine the level of care needed and desired, care recommendations and detailed access to information on care providers and facilities.
  • Family member verification verifies eligibility of dependents for faculty and staff. The process is managed by a third-party vendor named Secova.  Faculty and staff who add family members to their plans during Open Enrollment will be required to verify those family members’ eligibility.  Faculty and Staff can begin gathering documentation that shows their dependents' eligibility for coverage in anticipation of the request that will come early next year. Open Enrollment is the time to make sure all of your family members meet UC's eligibility criteria. For more information, check the Group Insurance Eligibility Factsheet  (PDF).

If you have any questions, please contact your Department Benefits Counselor or the Human Resources Benefits Unit at benefits@berkeley.edu or (510) 664-9831.

Supervisors are authorized to grant two hours of administrative leave with pay to staff who wish to attend benefits-related educational events, subject to the business needs of the department.