2019 Open Enrollment Begins Today

Open Enrollment begins today and ends Nov 20 at 5pm

What’s new?
UC will continue to offer the same choice of quality medical plans, in addition to a few health and welfare updates featured below:  

• Continued low costs - Most faculty and staff will see medical plan premium increases of less than $6 per month. UC will continue to adjust premiums by pay level to ensure costs are distributed fairly.

• Changes for Health Net Blue & Gold - The plan has a new name, UC Blue & Gold HMO. Health Net will continue to offer medical benefits for Blue & Gold and will begin providing behavioral health benefits, as well, through Managed Health Network (MHN), a Health Net company.

• Domestic partner options - If you are in a domestic partnership, you may have more options for enrolling your family members in health and welfare coverage next year.

• Pet insurance - Protect your pets with UC’s new voluntary pet insurance through Nationwide. This plan is not subject to open enrollment deadlines - always open for enrollment.  

What do I do now?
Please explore the Open Enrollment website to learn more about the 2019 plan changes and your benefit plans. Then, log into your personal account on At Your Service Online to make your changes. Even if you don’t make changes, you should still review your 2019 costs, coverages and update your beneficiaries as necessary.

In order to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for the 2019 plan year, you must enroll or re-enroll. Remember, if you choose UC Health Savings Plan (HSP) as your medical plan, you cannot enroll in the Health FSA.

Five resources to help you plan

1.     Open Enrollment brochures were mailed to you on Friday, Oct. 19 and they provide valuable information and tools.

2.     For Open Enrollment questions and password resets, log into At Your Service Online and choose the “Forgot your Username or Password,” or contact Campus Shared Services (CSS) at 510-664-9000 (option 3).

3.    One-On-One Phone Sessions. Visit the UC Open Enrollment website prior to scheduling a telephone consultation. If you still have questions, a 15-minute telephone consultation with a Benefits representative will be available on Oct. 26, Nov. 2, Nov. 9, and Nov. 16. Please call 510-642-7053 and hold for the receptionist to schedule your appointment.

­Educational Videos - UC has a series of short, online educational videos to help employees and their families understand their benefits and use them wisely. Take five minutes to view the videos.

4.  Emeriti and Retirees Coordinated with Medicare Information Sessions150 University Hall, 2199 Addison St, Berkeley

Thursday, Nov. 1, 10am - 12pm or
Wednesday, Nov. 7,  10am - 12pm

5.   The Open Enrollment Information Day is Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 10am to 3pm, at Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. Representatives from the medical plans will be available for questions. For specific presentation times, please view the Open Enrollment Information Day­ flyer

All confirmations and changes to your Open Enrollment benefits are done through At Your Service Online, and don’t forget that the changes you make during Open Enrollment are effective Jan. 1, 2019. If you have any questions please call us at 510-664-9000 (option 3).

Warmest wishes,
Jo

Jo Mackness, Interim AVC-HR

If you are a manager who supervises UC Berkeley employees without email access, please circulate this information to all.