The 2003 Open Enrollment period for all Maryland state insurance benefits is now underway and will end on Friday, December 5. OE offers all eligible faculty and staff, including eligible Direct Pay employees (contingent staff, lecturers and part-time faculty members) and retirees, 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. Although this OE is voluntary (those employees and retirees currently enrolled in coverage need not reenroll to continue with insurance), all regular employees who want to have the Flexible Spending Accounts in 2004 must make that election during OE in order to have FSAs in 2004!
Open Enrollment materials are being distributed through campus mail to all regular
faculty and staff members who are currently enrolled in any of the MD state benefit
plans. Any regular employee who has not received their Open Enrollment packet by
Monday, December 1 should contact either Dave Curtis or Gail Price in the OHR
Benefits Unit to request one if they want to enroll or make any changes for 2004. In the
meantime, if you want to check on the 2004 Benefits Book and/or the 2004 premium
rates, go to the MD Department of Budget and Management?s website at
{http://www.dbm.maryland.gov} click on ?Employee Services? then ?Employee
Benefits? then ?Health Benefits?.
Special Note for Direct Pay Employees (Contingent Staff, Lecturers and Part-Time
Faculty): if you are currently enrolled in any of the MD state benefits plans, your OE
packet is being mailed to you at your home address directly from the State Employee
Benefits Division. Those who are not currently enrolled must request an OE packet from
the OHR Benefits Unit; you will not automatically receive any OE materials. Also,
remember that in order to be eligible for coverage in 2004, you must have an active
contract as of January 1, 2004.
Active regular, faculty and staff members who had 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 system for their
changes as well. Direct Pay enrollees will have to complete and return an OE worksheet.
The IVR phone lines will be in operation 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week during the Open
Enrollment period, including holidays and any emergency leave periods but will
close at 11:59 p.m. on December 5. The IVR voice phone numbers are 410-669-3893 or
1-888-578-6434, the 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.
Active regular employees who are not currently enrolled or who did not have payroll
deductions for state benefits from their November 19 paycheck will need to complete an
OE worksheet in order to make changes or to enroll in the Flexible Spending Accounts
for 2004. Those worksheets are available upon request from OHR or at the remaining OE
House Call outreach sessions around campus:
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
Contact Dave Curtis, x46018, email: {dcurtis@towson.edu} or Gail Price, x46017
email: {gprice@towson.edu} in the TU Benefits Unit with any OE questions or concerns.
