The 2004 Open Enrollment (OE) period for all Maryland state insurance benefits is now underway and will continue through Wednesday, Dec. 22. OE offers all eligible faculty and staff, including eligible direct pay employees (contingent staff, part-time faculty and lecturers) and retirees, the opportunity to examine and evaluate their current coverage and compare with the coverage and costs for 2005.
Changes can be made during OE usually without any special enrollment restrictions (except for term life and Long Term Care insurance) and are usually effective on January 1, 2005. Remember that this fall?s OE will only cover a six-month period from January 1, 2005 through June 30, 2005. There will be another OE in spring 2005 for coverages from July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.
How to Make Changes
Active regular, faculty and staff members who had benefit deductions from their December 1, 2004 paycheck, as well as retirees who are currently enrolled, will have to use the state?s Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to make any changes during OE. The IVR phone lines are in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the Open Enrollment period, including any emergency leave periods. The IVR will close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 22. 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 faculty and staff members who did not have benefit deductions from their December 1,2004 paycheck should also attempt to use the IVR; if the IVR system does not allow you access, you will have to complete and return an active OE worksheet before the December 22 deadline in order to enroll or make any changes.
Special Note for Direct Pay Employees
If you are currently enrolled in any of the MD State benefit plans, your OE packet has been mailed to you at your home address directly from the Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Those who are not currently enrolled but have an active contract in 2005 must request an OE packet from the OHR Benefits Unit; you will not automatically receive any OE materials. To check on the status of your Direct Pay OE materials, call the DBM?s Employee Benefits Division at 410-767-4775 or 1-800-307-8283. Direct Pay employees will have to complete and return an OE worksheet before the December 22 deadline to TU?s Office of Human Resources to enroll or make any changes during this OE.
Where to Find OE Information
All the pertinent OE information including rates, details of changes, especially concerning the new dental plan and dependent eligibility requirements, are available on the Open Enrollment State of Maryland Link on the OHR home page at {http://wwwnew.towson.edu/adminfinance/hr/} under News and Announcements.
Additional information will be included in future Daily Digest updates.
Please contact Dave Curtis at x4-6018 or {dcurtis@towson.edu} or Gail Price at x4-6017 or {gprice@towson.edu} in the TU Benefits Unit with any OE questions or concerns.
