Annual Open Enrollment
Once a year, full-time employees have the opportunity to make changes in medical, dental, and Personal Accident Insurance coverages and to enroll in the Tax Saver Benefit (TSB) and Wellness HRA plans’ pre-tax reimbursement accounts.
If an employee does not take any enrollment actions during Open Enrollment, participation in medical, dental, and Personal Accident Insurance will remain the same at the 2009 contribution rates. Employees continuing in the IU HDHP PPO & Medical Savings Plan will continue at the same Medical Savings contribution level, with a minimum of $300 annually, unless a different amount is designated for 2010. If an employee does not enroll in a TSB reimbursement account or the Wellness HRA, he/she will not be a participant in 2010.
The Open Enrollment period takes place during November of each year, with enrollment changes becoming effective on January 1. This is an opportunity to:
- Select a different medical plan or drop a plan.
- Add or drop dependents.
- Add or drop dental coverage.
- Add, drop, or change Personal Accident Insurance.
- Allocate contributions for pre-tax reimbursement of health and/or dependent care expenses (TSB).
- Complete a tobacco-free affidavit to participate in the Wellness HRA.
An Open Enrollment packet with additional information and enrollment forms will be sent to full-time employees in mid-October through campus mail. Employees should use the self-service area of OneStart to initiate or change enrollments. The deadline is November 13, 2009.
Eligibility rules for enrolling dependents in IU-sponsored medical and dental plans are available at www.indiana.edu/~uhrs/benefits/needknow.html.
2010 Health Care Plans
6.4 Percent Increase in Medical Premiums
For 2010, there will be a 6.4 percent weighted average increase in medical premiums. There will be no increase in dental premiums. These are adjustments in total premiums. Employee contributions will remain frozen at the 2009 premium rates. The below chart illustrates IU’s average contribution amounts for 2010, for the $900 Deductible and Blue Access plans. IU contributions to the HDHP plan include both medical plan payments and HSA contributions.
2010 University Contributions |
||
Medical |
Dental |
|
| Employee Only | $ 4,894.08 |
$262.09 |
| Employee/Child(ren) | $ 9,726.24 |
$373.63 |
| Employee/Spouse | $11,898.48 |
$504.87 |
| Family | $12,984.84 |
$710.93 |
For Fiscal Year 2009/2010, IU will pay over $150 million for employee health care coverages.
| ONLINE OPEN ENROLLMENT |
Self Service November 2 - 13 Last year over 60 percent of employees used online enrollment through Benefits Self Service in OneStart. Current plan enrollments and covered dependents are presented with each plan when enrolling online, and an instant confirmation of elections is sent via IU email. Those who opt to use a hard copy form for manual processing will want to verify their current benefit elections before and after making any changes, by accessing Benefits Self Service. |
H1N1 (originally called swine flu) is a new influenza virus that has been spreading worldwide since early this year. CDC expects illness from this new virus to continue for some time. As a result, employees and their families may become ill. The symptoms of H1N1 are similar to seasonal flu including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills, stuffy nose, and fatigue. A number of people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting.
If an individual becomes ill with flu symptoms:
- Stay home and avoid contact with others.
- Stay home from school or work until a fever has been absent for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
- Health care workers need to stay home for 7 days after the onset of symptoms before returning to work.
- Cover cough and wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for aches and fever.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
- Those who share common spaces with other household members should wear a face mask to help prevent spreading the virus.
- Those who are at high risk of flu complications (have chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, immunosuppression or are pregnant) should call their health care provider to discuss treatment.
- Seek emergency medical care immediately if one of the following occurs: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, severe or persistent vomiting, or chest pain; or flu symptoms improve and then return with fever and worsened cough.
Diana Ebling, MD, Medical Director
Health Center, IU Bloomington
IU HDHP PPO & Medical Savings Plan
This article is an overview. Visit the HDHP Web page at www.indiana.edu/~uhrs/benefits/2010/hdhp.html to read and understand the plan provisions and tax features.
Just like other IU-sponsored medical plans, the HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) PPO provides comprehensive medical coverage and access to Anthem’s provider networks in Indiana and across the U.S. The plan pays a large part of medical costs after the deductible is met, and employee expenses are limited to an annual out-of-pocket maximum. The HDHP PPO does have a higher deductible; however, the deductible is offset by University and employee contributions to a health savings account.
The medical savings feature is an HSA: health savings account. The University makes a contribution to the savings account, and the employee can decide whether to make contributions above a required minimum.
Other Distinguishing Features:
HDHP PPO Highlights
- A comprehensive medical plan covering medical, prescription, behavioral health, and organ transplant services with no limitations for pre-existing conditions.
- Deductible is $1,200 for employee-only coverage and $2,400 when one or more family members are covered. (Prescriptions are included in the deductible.)
- Once the deductible is met, the plan pays 80 percent of in-network medical costs, including prescriptions and behavioral health services. After the out-of-pocket maximums, the plan pays 100 percent.
- Preventive services and preventive prescriptions are not included in the deductible and are covered at 80 percent.
Medical Savings Highlights
- Enrolling in this plan authorizes JP Morgan Chase to open a health savings account in the employee’s name. The University pays the monthly banking fees for the savings account.
- The University makes a $300 contribution to the savings account for employee-only coverage and $750 when one or more family members are covered.
- The employee makes a $300 required minimum contribution and decides whether to make additional contributions up to the IRS-allowed maximums.
- Contributions and interest/investment earnings can be used tax-free for medical expenses.
- Any account balance rolls over year to year, even upon separation from IU.
- TSB and/or HRA accounts can only be used for dental and vision expenses and certain medical expenses after the HDHP deductible is met.
Health Risk Assessments consist of a Web-based health risk evaluation; Biometric Assessments establish a baseline for basic medical factors (blood test for sugar, cholesterol, etc., and blood pressure measurement); and a 24-Hour Nurse Line is available to plan participants.
Enrollment
Online enrollment is required for employees electing this plan. Those without Web access who wish to enroll in the IU HDHP PPO & Medical Savings Plan should contact a campus Human Resources office for assistance.
Smoking accounted for over 6% of total health care expenses in the USA in 1999.
Source: World Health Organization
