Benefits Annual Enrollment Begins Thursday for 2011

The university’s 2011 benefits annual enrollment will begin tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 21, and will run through Friday, Nov. 19. This is the one time during the year when employees can make changes to their benefits without a “qualifying event” or a change in status. Elections made during this period are effective Jan. 1, 2011. 

By now, you should have received your 2011 Benefits Guide. It includes lots of useful information. If you have not received your copy, please contact us! Educational sessions will be held on the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses throughout the enrollment period to give you a chance to learn more and ask questions. Here is the schedule:

General information sessions

  • Tuesday, Oct. 26 – 3-4 p.m., St. Paul, MHC 152
  • Thursday, Nov. 4 – noon-1 p.m., Minneapolis, TMH 301
  • Wednesday, Nov. 10 – noon-1 p.m., Minneapolis, TMH 301
  • Monday, Nov. 15 – noon-1 p.m., St. Paul, MHC 152
  • Thursday, Nov. 18 – noon-1 p.m., St. Paul, MHC 152

Health Savings Account (HSA) information session

Tuesday, Nov. 2 – noon-1 p.m., St. Paul, MHC 155

Who must complete annual enrollment for 2011?

  • All employees electing, changing or dropping medical, dental and/or vision coverage.
  • All employees adding or dropping dependents from their coverage.
  • All employees electing, continuing, changing, or dropping a Health Care and/or Dependent Care Reimbursement election.
  • Employees electing an HSA for the first time. In addition, you will be required to complete an enrollment form, which we will mail to you after you complete your 2011 annual enrollment.

No action is needed on your part if you are keeping the same medical, dental and vision coverage and/or continuing your current HSA election.

What’s new in 2011?

BCBS Accord Network/GenRx prescription formulary

UST is changing from the BCBS Aware Network to the BCBS Accord Network. A new drug formulary called GenRx will be in place as well.

Health Care Reform Act

Covered employees with young adult children who have not yet reached age 26 will be able to add them to their health plan, regardless of their student or marital status. The one exception is that your eligible adult children cannot have insurance coverage elsewhere. This new provision only applies to health care coverage; it does not apply to dental and vision coverage. The cost of over-the-counter drugs that you purchase without a doctor’s prescription (with the exception of insulin) will no longer be reimbursable from your Healthcare Reimbursement or Health Savings Account.

BCBS fitness center rebates

An eligible employee who is covered on one of the UST medical plans and up to one covered eligible dependent can receive a $20 discount at a participating fitness center if you or your eligible dependent uses the facility at least 12 times per month. 

Dependent eligibility matrix

If you are adding new dependents in 2011, you will be required to provide documentation that establishes their eligibility to receive dependent or spousal coverage. The types of documentation required for dependent verification is described in the Dependent Eligibility Matrix.

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For instructions on completing the Annual Enrollment process, please refer to your Benefits Guide, visit the HR News Corner on the Human Resources home page, or contact Becky James, HR-Benefits Office, (651) 962-6497. You also can visit us in Aquinas Hall, Room 213.