The fall 2013 Open Enrollment (OE) period for all Maryland state insurance benefits is now underway and will continue until Wednesday, October 16.
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 January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. 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 January 1 and December 31, 2014 must re-enroll during this OE. Remember that OE does not affect or involve either of the USM benefit plans (Unum Group Life and Long Term Disability insurance).
Making Changes
Active regular faculty and staff members and retirees who are currently enrolled in state benefits will have to use the 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 OE but will close at 11:59 p.m. on October 16. The IVR voice numbers are 410-669-3893 or 1-888-578-6434; individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability should use Relay or 711. In order to access IVR, you will be asked to input your Social Security number and special PIN, which is the 4 digit number of the month and day of your birth (for example, February 4 would be 0204). When calling the IVR, be patient and listen carefully and completely to all the prompts to ensure that the changes you want to make are accepted by the system. Pay particular attention if you are adding any dependents since that also requires accessing the dependent record portion of the IVR system to assure that they are listed correctly for each plan you expect them to be enrolled in. All regular employees should first attempt to use the IVR; if they are unable to access the system, they will have to complete and hand deliver an active OE worksheet to the TU Office of Human Resources (OHR) before 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 16 in order to enroll or make any changes during OE.
Direct-pay employees are not able to use the IVR and will have to complete and hand-deliver their OE worksheet, along with all other required dependent documentation, to OHR before 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 16 in order to enroll or make any changes during OE.
Last Outreach Session
OHR will be holding the last OE Outreach Session for this OE period on Tuesday, October 15 from 12:30 – 7 p.m. in the Administration Building room 120. Faculty, staff and retirees who need further assistance with their OE decisions should plan on stopping in anytime during those posted hours.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Although this OE is voluntary all active, regular faculty and staff employees who want to have flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for health care or dependent day care for the plan year January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 must re-enroll in those plans before the OE deadline. To figure the amount to be deducted each pay period, regular faculty and staff employees should divide the total amount desired by 24 and input that number when using the IVR. Remember that for the new plan year beginning January 1, 2014, the family maximum for the Healthcare FSA will be $2,500 and $5,000 for Dependent Day Care FSA.
Details for this OE period, including the new benefits booklet along with the premium rates for 2014 and details about the Affordable Care Act, are posted on the state’s website at http://dbm.maryland.gov/benefits/Pages/HBHome.aspx .
T3 is utilized as the primary means to share additional information about Open Enrollment so be sure to check it often for updates and reminders!
Questions should be directed to Dave Curtis, x4-6018, email: dcurtis@towson.edu, or Gail Price, x4-6017 email: gprice@towson.edu.
