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 upcoming OE. Remember that OE does not affect or involve either of the USM benefit plans (Unum Group Life and Long Term Disability insurance).
Summary Statements
All regular faculty and staff employees who make changes or elections during OE will receive an official Summary Statement of Benefit Elections for Year 2014 via campus mail. Direct- pay employees (contingent staff, lecturers and part-time faculty members) and retirees who make any changes during OE will receive their summary statements at their home address directly from the State of Maryland State Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Employees and retirees who do not make any changes or elections during OE will not receive a summary statement.
It is extremely important that you carefully review your summary statement as soon as you receive it. Regular faculty and staff members whose plan selections, coverage levels and/or the “Yes/No” indicators for dependents are not correct must call the Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) again to make the correct selections. Regular employees who cannot access the IVR and direct pay employees will have to submit a new OE worksheet, along with all other required documentation, to the Office of Human Resources Benefits Unit to make any changes to their selections, coverage levels and/or dependent enrollments by 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 16.
Corrections to addresses, spelling of names, social security numbers or dates of birth should be noted on the statement and faxed to DBM at 410-333-5191 no later than 30 days from the “Date Printed” on the bottom right portion of the summary statement. Be sure to keep a confirmation of the fax transmission for your records.
Please note that if your summary statement shows a ~ or a ^ to the left of the code number for any listed dependents, you must provide acceptable documentation to OHR’s Benefits Unit no later than 30 days from the “Date Printed” on the bottom of the statement. If your Term Life selection has an (*) next to it, Minnesota Life will be in contact with you regarding completion of a medical review form. Remember that the requested additional amount of coverage over the guaranteed issue amount will not be in effect until those materials are submitted to and approved by Minnesota Life.
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.
T3 is used as the primary means to share additional information about Open Enrollment so be sure to check it often for updates and reminders!
Questions or concerns should be directed to Dave Curtis, x46018 dcurtis@towson.edu or Gail Price, x46017 gprice@towson.edu in the TU Benefits Unit.
