Open Enrollment Spring 2013: Dates and Benefits Festival/Health Fair
The 2013 Open Enrollment (OE) period for all Maryland state insurance benefits will take place from Tuesday, April 16 to Tuesday, April 30. The State of Maryland is converting their plan year to a calendar year basis beginning January 2014, and this spring’s OE will only cover the period July 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. The State is planning on offering another OE this fall for the new 2014 plan year.
OE offers eligible faculty, staff and retirees (including eligible direct- pay employees: contingent staff, lecturers and part-time faculty) the opportunity to evaluate and compare their current benefits coverage to the coverage and costs for the plan period July 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. Changes can usually be made during OE without any special enrollment restrictions.
This year’s OE will be voluntary; therefore, individuals who have no changes or corrections to their plans do not need to take any action. However, regular employees who would like to have flexible spending accounts (FSA) between July 1 and December 31, 2013 must re-enroll during this upcoming OE. Remember that OE does not affect or involve either of the USM benefit plans (Unum Group Life and Long Term Disability insurance).
For more details and direct updates from the State of Maryland go to www.dbm.maryland.gov/benefits . A link to that site is also on the TU OHR home page as well.
Benefits Festival and Health Fair
Faculty and staff employees and retirees should plan on attending the Benefits Festival and Health Fair being held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 19 in the University Union Chesapeake rooms. All of the Maryland state benefits providers will be available at the festival so take advantage of this opportunity to meet with them and find out how the changes in coverage and medical plan design will affect you and/or your family for the remainder of 2013. Special flyers with more details about this exciting and important event will soon be distributed to faculty and staff employees via campus mail.
T3 is utilized as the primary means to share additional information about OE to faculty and staff members, so be sure to check it often for updates and reminders!
Questions should be directed to Dave Curtis, x4-6018, or Gail Price, x4-6017.
