The 2003 Open Enrollment period for all Maryland state insurance benefits begins Monday, November 17 and will continue until Friday, December 5th. OE offers all eligible faculty and staff, including eligible Direct Pay employees (contingent staff, lecturers and part-time faculty members), the opportunity to examine and evaluate their current coverage and compare with the coverage and costs for 2004. Changes can be made during OE usually without any special enrollment restrictions (except for term life and Long Term Care insurance) and will be effective on January 1, 2004.
During this year?s OE, besides the rate increases noted in the first two OE Updates, there is only one major change: effective January 1, 2004 the Health Care Flexible Spending Account will provide reimbursement for some over-the-counter medicines such as antacids, allergy medications, pain relievers and cold medicines.
Active regular, faculty and staff members who have benefit deductions from their November 19 paycheck will have to use the state?s Interactive Voice Response system to make any changes during OE; retirees will also have to use the IVR Automated System for their changes as well. Direct Pay enrollees will have to complete and return an OE worksheet. The IVR phone lines will be open at 12:00a.m. November 17 and will be in operation 24 hours a day/7 days a week during the Open Enrollment period, including holidays and any emergency leave periods. The IVR will close at 11:59 p.m. on December 5. The IVR voice phone numbers are 410-669-3893 or 1-888-578-6434; TTY IVR number is 410-333-5244. In order to access the IVR, you must use your PIN# which is the 4-digit number of your month and date of birth.
The 2004 Benefits Book is now available on the MD Department of Budget and Management?s website at {http://www.dbm.maryland.gov}, click on the ?Employee Services? tab and then ?Health Benefits?.
Towson University?s Office of Human Resources will be making ?Open Enrollment House Calls? for the benefit of those who may need further assistance with their OE decisions. Look for us at the following locations and feel free to stop in with your OE or any other benefit related questions:
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 10a.m.-12noon, Towson Center Room 200
Thursday, Nov. 20, 10a.m.- 12noon, Cook Library, Room 411
Monday, Nov. 24, 10a.m.- 12noon, Stephens Hall, Room 216
Monday, Nov. 24, 3p.m.-6p.m., General Services Bldg., Main Conf. Room
Tuesday, Nov.25, 1p.m.-4p.m., Enrollment Services, Room 306
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 10a.m.-12noon, Hawkins Hall, Room 301C
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7:30a.m.- 10:30a.m., General Services Bldg., Main Conf. Room
Thursday, Dec. 4, 1p.m.-5p.m., Administration Bldg. Room 120
Friday Dec. 5, 1:30p.m.- 5p.m., Administration Bldg. Room 120
We expect delivery of our OE materials from the state by November 21. As soon as they are received, personalized OE packets will be prepared and distributed to all regular faculty and staff members at their campus address. Direct Pay enrollees and retirees in any of the state benefit plans will receive their OE materials at their home directly from the state. Direct Pay employees who are not currently enrolled in any of the state plans will need to obtain an OE packet from OHR.
Contact Dave Curtis, x46018, email: {dcurtis@towson.edu} or Gail Price, x46017 email: {gprice@towson.edu} in the Towson University Benefits Unit with any Open Enrollment questions or concerns.
