Open enrollment, which continues through Nov. 30, is the time when employees may change their medical and/or dental plans and add or delete coverage for family members.
There are some important changes to medical coverage for 2007. The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) will discontinue Group Health Options and offer some new choices — Group Health Classic and Value plans.
Group Health Classic, formerly known as Group Health Cooperative, is a standard managed care plan.
Group Health Value has a lower monthly premium, but members will pay more when they use the health-plan services. The Value plan will require an annual deductible, higher co-payments for office visits, higher co-pays for brand-name drugs, and higher out-of-packet maximums.
Similarly, Uniform Medical Plan provides lower premiums, but can have higher annual deductibles.
Monthly premiums for 2007 for the three plans available to employees at WSU Pullman are:
Plan Employee Employee & spouse* Employee & child(ren) Full family
Group Health Classic $57 $124 $100 $167
Group Health Value $13 $36 $23 $46
Uniform Medical Plan $24 $57 $41 $75
* or qualified same-sex domestic partner
Employees are receiving a PEBB Perspective from the state Health Care Authority at their home addresses during October. This mailing will be the only open enrollment notice so please read it carefully. For more information and to make changes to coverage visit www.pebb.hca.wa.gov
New flexible spending administrator
Application Software, Inc. (ASI) is the new administrator for flexible spending accounts (FSA). ASI will process applications during open enrollment and administer claims and reimbursements beginning in January 2007.
All employees, including those who already have an FSA, must enroll during open enrollment. FSAs may be set up online only. The application form and more information about the FSA program are available ONLINE @ www.pebb.hca.wa.gov or by calling ASI Customer Service at 800-659-3035.
Benefits fair Nov. 9
The Annual Employee Benefits Fair will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, in the second floor atrium of the French Administration and Lighty buildings.
At the fair, employees can meet more than 30 medical and dental plan vendors, ask questions and gather information prior to making a plan change.
For more information, contact Benefit Services at 335-4589.
