2016 Employee Annual Benefits Enrollment to Be Held Nov. 16-30

The 2016 employee annual benefits enrollment will be conducted Monday, Nov. 16, through Monday, Nov. 30. This is the only time during the year when you can make changes to your benefits without a “qualifying event” (also known as a change in status). Benefit elections made during this enrollment period are effective Jan. 1, 2016.

If you plan to participate in the Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and/or the Health Savings Account (HSA) in 2016, you must complete the online enrollment process to confirm your 2016 election(s). All other benefits require re-enrollment only if you wish to change your current enrollment selections.

You must complete the annual enrollment process to:

  • Newly elect, change or drop medical, dental and/or vision coverage;
  • Add or drop family members from your coverage;
  • Continue or add a Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account election;
  • Continue or elect a Health Savings Account for the first time if enrolling in the $2,600/$5,200 Deductible Plan-HDHP;
  • Enroll in or cancel your MetLaw legal benefit;
  • Change the taxable status of your Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefit; or
  • Add or change your Voluntary Life Insurance/AD&D coverage amount.

Annual enrollment materials will be available Nov. 13 and will provide detailed information on the 2016 benefits as well as include instructions to complete the annual enrollment process. A number of benefits information sessions will be offered to employees on both campuses, as described under “Benefits information sessions.”

What’s changing for 2016?

  • There will be no changes to the medical plan design or coverage levels.
  • The dental plan will move from Delta’s standard plan to its enhanced plan. Changes includes additional covered services and less employee out-of-pocket expense for certain services, such as posterior white fillings. The university will pay all additional costs associated with the dental plan design change.
  • The vision plan will move to EyeMed’s Access network, its most extensive network available.

Benefits costs

The university expects total medical costs to increase approximately 5 percent in 2016. The university will cover 72 percent of 2016 budgeted medical costs. Employee medical premiums will increase 2.5 percent in the aggregate, and will vary based on the relative risk and benefits associated with the medical plan option elected. To see how your premiums will change, click here.

There are no changes to employee dental or vision plan rates.

Collecting Social Security Numbers

As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers must file an annual report with the IRS that includes Social Security numbers for all employees, spouses and dependents enrolled in our medical plan. The purpose of this report is to show the IRS that employees and their dependents have qualified health coverage so they won’t be subject to the ACA’s individual mandate tax penalty. We will be collecting this information as part of the annual enrollment process. Please note the university holds your personal information, including Social Security numbers, in the highest confidence and only shares it as mandated by law.

Benefits information sessions 

A number of annual enrollment information sessions have been scheduled to help you learn about your benefits options and answer questions about them. You may sign up to attend these meetings through the Leadership Academy.

Annual enrollment benefits information sessions

Thursday, Nov. 12 10-11 a.m. Minneapolis, Terrence Murphy Hall, Room 350
Tuesday, Nov. 17 1-2 p.m. St. Paul, Anderson Student Center, James B. Woulfe Hall
Tuesday, Nov. 17 3-4 p.m. St. Paul, Anderson Student Center, James B. Woulfe Hall
Wednesday, Nov. 18 2-3 p.m. Minneapolis, Terrence Murphy Hall, Room 301
Thursday, Nov. 19 9-10 a.m. St. Paul, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Room 208
Thursday, Nov. 19 11 a.m.-noon St. Paul, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Room 208

Health Savings Account (HSA) and High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) information sessions

Thursday, Nov. 12 9-10 a.m. Minneapolis, Terrence Murphy Hall, Room 350
Tuesday, Nov. 17 2-3 p.m. St. Paul, Anderson Student Center, James B. Woulfe Hall
Wednesday, Nov. 18 3-4 p.m. Minneapolis, Terrence Murphy Hall, Room 301
Thursday, Nov. 19 10-11 a.m. St. Paul, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Room 208

If you have questions or need additional information, contact the HR benefits team.

Phone: (651) 962-6520
Fax: (651) 962-6524
Benefits@stthomas.edu