Ready, Set—Enroll in HR Benefits Starting Sept. 30
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Are you interested in changing your health insurance plan? Maybe you want to put away more money in a health savings account?
Mark your calendars. This year’s Open Benefits Enrollment period starts Monday, Sept. 30 and runs for three weeks, ending at the close of business Monday, Oct. 21. The benefits you select will become effective Jan. 1, 2014 and last through calendar year 2014.
Enrollment is optional. That means if you’re happy with your current benefits and don’t need to make any changes, you don’t need to do anything. Your 2013 designations will automatically roll over into 2014.
The major exception is if you participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Employees who take advantage of these accounts must re-enroll in their benefits each year.
Unlike last year, employees can expect only minor changes to the County’s 2014 Benefits offerings. Those include:
• Employees can contribute more to their Health Savings Accounts (HSA). Maximum contribution levels have increased to $3,300 per year for an individual or $6,550 for an employee +1 or more. Employees who are 55 years or older can contribute an additional $1,000 per year.
• The monthly cost for an HSA account has dropped from $3.50 to $2.75 for accounts with a balance of less than $5,000.
• Anthem Blue Cross will replace CVS Caremark as the pharmacy vendor for Anthem Blue Cross traditional plans (non-high deductible plans), starting Jan. 1, 2014. All Anthem Blue Cross traditional plan members will receive a new medical card in the mail that can be used at both doctor’s offices and pharmacies.
• Non-represented employees and employees in bargaining units who have a newly adopted agreement with a term of June 28, 2013 – June 25, 2015 will see 5 percent increases to their County flex credit contributions for 2014. Employees who are in a bargaining unit that has not yet reached a successor agreement will not see a change to their flex credit rates until negotiations with their unit have concluded and MOA’s have been adopted by the Board of Supervisors.
• Some monthly premiums will increase, while others will stay the same or drop. Premium increases for County medical plans are the most modest in recent years. Plans with rising premiums include Anthem Blue Cross’ Full Access, Select and PPO plans and Kaiser Permanente’s Traditional HMO and High Deductible plans. Premiums for the Anthem Blue Cross High Deductible Plan will remain the same. Meanwhile, premiums for the County’s VSP Vision and United Concordia DHMO and PPO Dental plans will decline.
For more information, visit the County’s Human Resources Open Enrollments website or call the Benefits office at (888) 550-2203. You can also attend an upcoming Open Enrollment Educational Seminars, scheduled at the following dates and times:
• 9/16 12 to 1 p.m. – 220 W. Broadway, 6th Floor Orientation Room
• 9/16 1 to 2 p.m. -- NBC Building, 225 Broadway, 8th floor Conference Room
• 9/16 4 to 5 p.m.—CAC, Bayview Room
• 9/18 9 to 10 a.m. – COC, Room 171, Building 5560
• 9/20 12 to 1 p.m. – Vista Courthouse, Jury Lounge
• 9/27 3 to 4 p.m. – El Cajon Courthouse, Jury Lounge
• 9/27 3 to 4 p.m. – HHSA, 690 Oxford St., Chula Vista