The 2004 Open Enrollment (OE) period for all Maryland state insurance benefits now underway will end this Wednesday, Dec. 22. All faculty and staff, including eligible Direct Pay employees (contingent staff, lecturers, and part-time faculty members) as well as eligible retirees, who want to enroll for the first time or to make changes to their current MD state coverage for the first six months of 2005 must act before the deadline.
How to Make Changes
As a reminder, regular faculty and staff members who had MD state benefit deductions from their December 1 paycheck or received a pre-printed OE Benefits Statement listing their current benefits, must use the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to complete their OE actions. All other faculty and staff members will have to hand deliver their completed OE worksheets to the TU OHR by the December 22 deadline to make their changes. Do not send them through campus mail!
Remember that the IVR system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through 11:59 p.m. on Dec.22. Regular employees who must use the IVR should plan on making their calls early. The IVR numbers are 410-669-3893 or 1-888-578-6434. A benefits confirmation statement will be returned via campus mail only to those making IVR calls. Those confirmation notices should be reviewed carefully to be sure all the information is correct.
Effective Date for Changes
All OE transactions become effective January 1, 2005. And, as in years past, OE does not affect or involve either of the USM benefit plans- UNUM Group Universal Life and Long Term Disability insurance.
Dental Point of Service, Flexible Spending Accounts
Although this OE is voluntary (except for those faculty and staff members and retirees currently enrolled in the Dental Point of Service plan and who wish to have dental benefits in ?05), all regular employees who want to have the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for the first six months of 2005 must make that election before the deadline. Remember also that reimbursement from those accounts will be allowed only for eligible expenses incurred between 1/1/05- 6/30/05. 26 pay employees should plan on 12 deductions for FSA and 21 pay faculty will have 11 FSA deductions for the first six months of 2005.
OHR “House Calls”
To assist with last minute questions, the TU OHR will be available at the following locations on campus during this last week of OE:
* Monday, Dec. 20 (today), 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Admin. Bldg., Rm. 120 (OHR Training Room)
* Tuesday, Dec. 21, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Admin. Bldg., Rm. 120 (OHR Training Room)
* NEW SESSION! Wednesday, Dec. 22, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Admin. Bldg, Main Lobby
Please note: On Dec. 22 you must use the main entrance to the Administration Building.
Where to Find OE Information
Additional details on this year?s OE activity can be accessed by going to the Open Enrollment State of Maryland Link on the OHR home page at {http://wwwnew.towson.edu/adminfinance/hr/} under News and Announcements.
Contact Information
Contact Dave Curtis, x4-6018 or {dcurtis@towson.edu}, or Gail Price, x4-6017 or {gprice@towson.edu}, in the TU Benefits Unit with any OE questions or concerns.
