Open Enrollment will be held October 1 - 31, 2008, and information from the Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA) will be distributed via Campus Mail about the changes and options available for health, dental, prescription drug and vision insurance; and Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Open Enrollment information also can be found online at 2009 Group Health Insurance/Open Enrollment Information.
Internet Open Enrollment must be completed by midnight October 31, 2008. We strongly encourage you to enroll early in October in case you need assistance with your password.
If you have questions, please contact Benefits at 4-7402 (Open Enrollment hotline); stop by 150 Carruth-O'Leary between 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; or email benefits@ku.edu.
Click on the topics below for additional information.
Open Enrollment Meetings
You are encouraged to attend one of the 1.5 hour Open Enrollment meetings where representatives from KHPA will present information, answer questions and hear your concerns and feedback.
- Thursday, Oct. 9th at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in the Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
- Wednesday, Oct. 15th at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Room 150, JRP
- Statewide Open Enrollment Meetings
Non-Tobacco User Discount
All employees must complete a tobacco certification form and designate one of the following: non-tobacco user, tobacco user or non-disclosure. Those who do not make a designation will be defaulted into the non-disclosure category. Those with tobacco user or non-disclosure status will pay higher premiums.
In addition to full-time/part-time status, salary tiers and coverage options, the 2009 employee premiums will include a new factor, the “Non-Tobacco User Discount.” KHPA states there will be a $20 discount per pay period for non-tobacco users or tobacco users who enroll and complete the State’s HEALTHQUEST “iCan Quit Tobacco Cessation Program.” All employees enrolled in a health plan must complete a tobacco certification form –on-line or paper. If you are not going to participate in on-line enrollment, complete and return the enclosed tobacco certification form to Benefits by October 31, 2008.
If you do not make an election during open enrollment, KHPA indicates they will default you into the non-disclosure category and you will pay the higher tobacco user premium. Please make a conscious decision to make your designation if you are a non-tobacco user or if you are a tobacco user who will enroll in and complete the “iCan Quit Tobacco Cessation Program” to take advantage of the lower non-tobacco user premiums.
Please note: KHPA indicates that misrepresentation of tobacco user status may result in loss of the employer contribution toward the health insurance premium for the remainder of the year.
Who Must Participate in Web Open Enrollment?
- All employees in the State of Kansas health plan must complete the tobacco certification form either on-line or on paper.
All employees enrolled in a health plan must complete the tobacco certification form during Open Enrollment, otherwise KHPA will default you into the non-disclosure category which has higher tobacco user premiums. Complete the tobacco certification form, by October 31st, either on-line or return the enclosed form to Benefits. - If you want to participate in a Flexible Spending Account (health and/or dependent care) enrollment is required every year.
Remember that the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is for work-related dependent child care or adult care expenses. - HealthyKIDS – interested employees who meet the eligibility requirements must apply every year to participate in the HealthyKIDS program and receive a 90% employer contribution toward dependent coverage.
A paper application must be submitted no later than October 31, 2008, and dependents must be enrolled currently in coverage or newly enrolled via the on-line Open Enrollment process. - If you want to change health plans; add or drop vision coverage; add, drop or change dependent medical, dental or vision coverage; or change tax status of premium payments, you must participate in Web Open Enrollment.
If you add a spouse and/or child(ren) you must provide appropriate documentation to Benefits. To document marital status, provide a marriage license or most current year’s filed tax return; for a children, provide a birth certificate).
Premiums
Refer to the KHPA chart for premium information.
Coverage Periods and Premium Deductions
Coverage periods for both health insurance and flexible spending accounts will be monthly. Coverage will begin on the first day of the month and will end on the last day of the month. Plan Year 2009 will be effective January 1, 2009, and the first premium will be deducted from the check dated January 9, 2009.
Semi-monthly deductions for health insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts are taken from the first and second paychecks of each month for that month’s coverage. If the month has a third paycheck, those deductions will not be taken.
Academic year faculty and staff with positions designated as less than twelve-month will have health insurance, flexible spending account and health savings account deductions from the first two paychecks during the first four months of the year (Jan – Apr) and the last four months of the year (Sept – Dec). Advance summer health insurance premiums will be deducted from six checks in the spring.
Plan Changes for PY 2009
Refer to the Open Enrollment booklet for more information about changes made to out-of-pocket expenses including deductibles and copayments.
- Additional plan options have been added by KHPA.
Insurance Company Plan A Plan B Plan C (Qualified High Deductible Health Plan) Blue Cross & Blue Shield X X Coventry Health Care X X X Preferred Health Systems X X X (new) UMR – A United Healthcare Co. X (new) X (new) X (new) All Plan A policies cover the same benefits; all Plan B policies cover the same benefits; and all Plan C policies cover the same benefits. The difference between the vendors offering the plans are: the provider networks available, the ancillary services offered (website and discount programs) and the premiums. The three companies that offer Plan C each use a different vendor for their Health Savings Accounts.
The Open Enrollment Booklet includes a comparison chart for out-of-pocket charges and ancillary services associated with the Plans. The Quest Diagnostics LabCard continues to be available only with Plan B.
- Vision coverage - No changes have been made for the Basic Vision Plan. The Enhanced Vision Plan will include a new benefit for contact lens fitting exam fees.
- Prescription Drug Plan – Tobacco control products will be covered up to a maximum plan payment of $300 per member per year.
Primary Care Providers and Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Again, in Plan Year 2009, all of the Plans are PPOs and use of a Primary Care Physician is not required and you do not need a referral when seeking services. Out-of-pocket expenses will be determined based upon the type of provider utilized and network or non-network status. Instead, lower co-payments apply when using the following types of primary care providers: general practice, family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics and physician extenders (physician assistants and advance registered nurse practitioners). Using network primary care providers will result in the lowest out-of-pocket cost. Other network providers, who are not primary care providers, will be considered specialists and a higher co-payment is required. Using non-network providers will result in higher out-of-pocket costs. Preventive care services will not be covered when you use a non-network provider.
KHPA indicates that each company’s provider network will be used for both Plan A and Plan B (i.e., Blue Cross will have the same network for both Plan A and Plan B). Check the on-line provider directories or check directly with your providers to verify whether the doctors/hospitals you prefer to utilize are included within a company’s provider network, both within the State of Kansas and nationwide. Please remember that provider networks can change throughout the Plan Year.
PlanSelect Tool
PlanSelect is an online tool available to help you pick a plan design (Plan A, B or C), review the provider networks and review the ancillary services of each health plan to find a plan that would best fit your needs.
Identification Cards
All employees enrolled in a health plan will receive new identification cards from the health insurance companies. Delta Dental and Superior Vision will send new cards to new members only. (You can print a new Delta identification card from their website and no vision card is needed to access Superior Vision services.) If you have moved, please ensure that your current address is on file with the Payroll Department to ensure prompt delivery of your new cards!
Confirmation Statements
Once you complete online enrollment, please print a copy of your saved elections. You will be able to view confirmation statements online in early December. If you participate in Web Open Enrollment during October 2008, you will be able to view confirmation statements online in early December. A confirmation statement will not be mailed to you.
Web Self-Service Instructions
Follow the instructions for Web Open Enrollment. You will need your state employee ID Number (available at the Kyou Portal https://staff.ku.edu under MyEmployeeInfo, under View Paychecks after your address, or from your departmental human resources staff member).
Web Browsers Recommended
Browsers recommended to ensure on-line security: http://da.state.ks.us/ps/subject/ssc/sscbrowser.htm. If you do not have access to a computer at work or at home with the appropriate browser with 128-bit encryption, we strongly recommend you utilize computers on campus that have been appropriately configured by departmental LAN administrators.
Computer Access for Web Open Enrollment
Information about where you can use computers and/or receive assistance with Web Open Enrollment is provided here. Benefits staff will be available to assist you before or after the scheduled meetings on Wednesday, October 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Kansas Union Big 12 Room. Also, to utilize computers for Web Open Enrollment during the month of October, visit your departmental human resources office during business hours, or stop by Benefits at 150 Carruth-O'Leary, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. M-F.
Contact information for additional assistance
Questions about your network data connection or browser
If you have questions related to your network data connection or browser, contact your departmental technical support staff. Also, the IT Customer Service Center (864-8080) itcsc@ku.edu will be available to provide support Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 8:00 p.m.
Technical assistance if needed to sign into the Employee Self-Service Center
If you need technical assistance signing into the Employee Self-Service Center, contact the Kansas Health Policy Authority Help Desk in Topeka at 785-296-1900 or toll free at 866-999-3001, 24 hours a day from October 1 – October 31. The Employee Self Service Center is unavailable for daily routine systems maintenance from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. CT, and Sundays, 8:00 a.m. - 12 noon CT. The Help Desk staff cannot answer questions about benefit options.
- You will be locked out of the system after 3 invalid attempts to sign on.
Who can access my information over the Internet: You must enter your Employee ID number and a Password that should only be known to you. Unless you have compromised your Password by revealing it to someone else, you are the only one who can access your information using the Employee Self Service Center.
Is my information secure: The security of the Employee Self Service Center is state of the art, uses 128-bit encryption, and offers the best protection of data that we can provide. Our security policy requires that passwords be changed every 30 days. You also have a key role in protecting your information. You should create passwords that are not easily linked with you, change your password regularly, and protect your password so that it is not compromised.
When working on a public or shared computer, you should clear the computer's "cache" (temporary memory) after you sign out of the Employee Self Service Center in order to prevent others from viewing confidential information after you leave the machine. The steps are different depending on the browser you are using.
Benefit coverage questions
For benefit option questions, please contact Benefits at 864-7402 or email benefits@ku.edu. The Benefits Office cannot provide log-in assistance or password information. You are encouraged to enroll early in October in case you need assistance with your password.
