printable versionOpen Enrollment for health, life insurance benefits starts Friday
BY MICHAEL PEÑA
Open Enrollment begins Friday, Oct. 24, and runs through Friday, Nov. 14. During this time, benefits-eligible employees can make changes to health and life insurance plans for the upcoming calendar year, and retirees can make changes to their medical and dental coverage.
This period is the only opportunity to make changes, unless a participating individual experiences a life change such as getting married, giving birth or adopting a child.
Changes in benefits for 2009 are minor compared to years past. The university is offering the same medical plans, with co-payment amounts set at current levels. Dental and vision coverage have not changed either.
The amount employees must contribute as paycheck deductions will change slightly. For the Health Net, PacifiCare and Blue Shield plans, the difference in contribution amounts generally range from a decrease of about $17 to an increase of about $15. Contributions for the PacifiCare HMO plan went up across the board, from an increase of just over $12 for employee-only coverage to a $50 increase for employee-and-family coverage.
But for employees who live outside an HMO service area—such as Monterey or anywhere outside California—the university is offering two Blue Shield PPO plans with contribution amounts that are lower than what they have been paying under medical plans currently offered by Stanford.
As in years past, the university bases its contribution for medical benefit plans on the lowest cost plan. Kaiser remains the lowest, and for employee-only coverage, the university pays the entire cost. Stanford also contributes 82 percent of the full cost for coverage of a spouse and/or dependents under Kaiser, even when employees opt for one of the other health plans.
Plan summaries, comparisons and details are available in the Open Enrollment section of the Stanford Benefits website at http://benefits.stanford.edu. Once the period begins, employees can enroll in plans and make changes online. A Stanford University ID number and personal identification number (PIN) will be required.
This fall marks the second year that Stanford Benefits is making Open Enrollment a mostly paperless process for active employees—in the name of the university-wide sustainability effort. A limited number of Open Enrollment packets are available by request through the benefits website.
The Stanford Benefits team also has scheduled workshops (see schedule) to discuss the full range of 2009 benefits, which include supplemental life insurance, long-term care insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. The university also offers mental health benefits and healthcare and dependent daycare spending accounts.