Make plans now for annual open enrollment for medical, dental, vision and voluntary AD&D insurance coverage and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for all benefit-eligible employees of UAB.
This year’s open enrollment period will run from 7 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. Packets will arrive at your home the week of Sept. 29.
The cost of health care is rising nationwide as a result of inflation, advances in health care and increased use of the benefit.
The UAB employee population faces many of the same health care issues of our nation, state and city. UAB struggles with how to balance the impact of these costs on employees and the organization. During this lean budget year, UAB administration worked diligently to minimize any additional cost passed along to you for your benefits.
Premiums will increase for all three medical plans in 2009: Viva UAB by 6.5 percent, Viva Access by 8 percent and Blue Cross/Blue Shield by 10 percent.
For 2009, several plan design changes are being implemented in order to help contain overall premium increases. Pharmacy plan changes include increased generic drug utilization, which helps save both you and the plan money. Pharmacy co-pays will be increased slightly in order to offset growing pharmacy costs, and a new co-pay level for specialist visits will be introduced under the medical plans.
There will be no premium increases or plan design changes to the dental plan in 2009.
Vision rates through VSP will increase 10 percent for 2009. In addition, the out-of-pocket co-pays for VSP will increase by $5.
To participate in open enrollment, employees may make all elections online at www.shps.com, or by using a touch-tone telephone and calling 1-800-225-0162.
If additional help is needed, customer service representatives will be available to answer questions between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. These options will be available beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 1.
All elections will be effective Jan. 1, 2009. New premiums for medical, dental, vision and voluntary AD&D will be reflected in your January 2009 payroll. FSA deductions also will be reflected in your January 2009 payroll.
You must participate in open enrollment if you are:
• Changing your level of coverage as it relates to the single/employee plus up to two dependents/family option.
• Adding or deleting dependents.
• Changing from basic to comprehensive level of coverage – or vice versa – with the dental plan.
• Dropping existing medical, dental and/or vision coverage.
• Enrolling or changing voluntary AD&D coverage.
• Participating in the flexible spending account (FSA) program for 2009.
In addition to your packet, annual open enrollment materials will be available beginning Oct. 1 on the UAB Human Resources Benefits Web page; go to www.uab.edu/benefits and click on Annual Open Enrollment. This area includes links to the VIVA, Blue Cross Blue Shield, MetLife and Vision Service Plan (VSP) home pages, as well as provider directories. Informational materials also will be available on the SHPS Web site.
To learn more about UAB’s benefit plans and open enrollment, make plans to attend an upcoming Benefits Fair.
The fairs will be held Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the North Pavilion Hospital Atrium and Thursday, Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the HUC Great Hall conference rooms A and B.
Any questions concerning annual open enrollment should be directed to an HR consultant or to the UAB Benefits Department at 934-3458 or benefits@uab.edu.