Nov. 1-30: Open Enrollment

Open enrollment period for WSU employees.

The annual benefits open enrollment period for eligible WSU faculty and staff is now underway and will run through Nov. 30.

This is the one time each year changes can be made to your account without the occurrence of a special event (job change, marriage, etc.). All WSU faculty and staff systemwide can participate in Open Enrollment, regardless of location.


During Open Enrollment, you can:

  • Change your medical and/or dental plans.
  • Waive or add family members to your plan.
  • Change medical premium deductions to pre- or post-tax (IRC Section 125).
  • Attest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner premium surcharge.
  • Enroll/re-enroll in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) benefits.

Many of these changes can be made online for current subscribers, at any time during the Open Enrollment period, through the Health Care Authority’s My Account Web portal. For links to the online portals or forms, visit the HRS Open Enrollment website, which will be updated as information and forms become available. Forms can also be found and returned in the Pullman HRS office, located in the French Administration building, room 139.

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Plan changes

Most plans will see minor premium changes for the 2019 plan year. A Virtual Diabetes Prevention Program is being added to all medical plans for non-Medicare subscribers, with overall coverage remaining unchanged. Coverage in certain counties is changing for Kaiser Permanente plans; more information on these changes can be found in the For Your Benefit newsletter or on the HRS Open Enrollment website.

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Benefits fairs and Open Enrollment presentations

The Health Care Authority (HCA) Annual Benefits Fairs will be held throughout the state during the month of November. You can pick up informational materials, attend presentations, ask questions and speak with representatives from our benefit providers.

  • Everett:

    Friday, Nov. 2
    8:30–11 a.m.
    Everett Community College, Walt Price Fitness Center

  • Pullman:

    Wednesday, Nov. 7
    11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
    Washington State University, CUB Jr. Ballroom

  • Spokane:

    Tuesday, Nov. 6
    8–11 a.m.
    Spokane Community College, Bigfoot Room

  • Tri-Cities:

    Thursday, Nov. 8
    1-3:30 p.m.
    Columbia Basin College, Byron Gjerde Center

  • Vancouver:

    Tuesday, Nov. 6
    10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Clark College, Gaiser Hall

A full list of Benefits Fair locations statewide, can be found on the PEBB Benefits Fairs webpage.

Additionally, HRS Benefit Services is providing presentations to review benefit options available to you during this Open Enrollment period. These presentations will include a general benefits overview, as well as an in-depth look at the Health Savings Accounts (HSA) paired with Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHP). WSU faculty and staff from all locations are invited to attend, with two presentations being offered via videoconferencing.

  • Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 12:30 – 2 p.m., CUB Jr. Ballroom, Pullman
  • Thursday, Nov. 8 at 2 – 3:30 p.m., Lighty 405 on the Pullman campus and by videoconference
  • Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 12:30 – 2 p.m., Lighty 405 and by videoconference

To see if your location is already registered for the Benefits Overview Presentation, visit the AMS Event Calendar.  Additional site connections may be requested through AMS.Videoconference.Meeting@wsu.edu.

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FSA/DCAP benefit

Those enrolled in a Classic, Value, UMP Plus or SoundChoice plan, or who waived medical coverage, may elect to participate in a Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA). You must enroll/re-enroll during Open Enrollment for each year you wish to participate. This is also the case for those who wish to have a Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) account for 2019. For more information or to enroll, visit the Navia Benefit Solutions PEBB website.

2018 FSA participants may incur medical charges and submit claims under the grace period, Jan. 1–March 15, 2019, provided they do not enroll in a Consumer Directed Health Plan (CDHP) for 2019. If an FSA participant is switching to a CDHP for 2019, the FSA account must be at $0 by Dec. 31 or contributions may not be made to the Health Savings Account until April 2019.

The 2019 annual maximum contribution to an FSA is increasing to $2,650.

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HSA benefit

A Health Savings Account (HSA) benefit is automatically tied to CDHP plans. WSU will continue the employer annual contribution of $700.08 for an individual and $1,400.04 for a family. The overall contribution limits for 2019 will increase to $3,500 for individuals and $7,000 for families. This limit includes the employer annual contribution, as well as the $125 SmartHealth Wellness Incentive for those who earned it for 2018. Individuals ages 55 and older may contribute an additional $1,000 per year to this account.

WSU offers pre-tax employee contributions to the HSA through payroll deduction. Elections can be made at any time by submitting the HSA Payroll Deduction Form to HRS Benefit Services.

Informational sessions regarding the CDHP and HSA benefits will be offered on Nov. 8 and 14. Visit the Benefit Fairs & Open Enrollment Presentations page on the HRS website for more details regarding these presentations.

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Long-term disability special open enrollment

Starting in early 2019, a special open enrollment period for optional long-term disability insurance will occur. This is a one-time opportunity to enroll in disability insurance, or lower your disability waiting period if currently enrolled, without having to provide a Statement of Good Health or going through medical underwriting.

Additional information will be forthcoming on the long-term disability open enrollment.

More open enrollment information can be found on the WSU Open Enrollment site. Questions can be directed to WSU Human Resource Services, 509-335-4521, hrs@wsu.edu.

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How to make changes online

Changes and attestations related to your medical and/or dental coverage can be made by logging onto your HCA My Account portal. If you have not previously set up your account, click “New to My Account? Register now” to start the process.

Changes you can make through My Account include:

  • Activating, waiving, or changing medical or dental coverage
  • Waiving or reactivating coverage on a dependent
  • Responding to the spousal premium surcharge attestation

Enrollment or re-enrollment for the Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) can also be done online at the Navia Benefits website. You must re‑enroll for each year that you wish to participate in these benefits.

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How to make changes by paper form

Hardcopy enrollment forms are available for download or can be picked up at the HRS Pullman office, located in the French Administration building, room 139.

It is important to note that paper forms must be received by your campus’ HRS office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30. Hardcopy forms are required when adding a dependent to your plan for the first time, as well as permanently deleting someone from your coverage (e.g. divorce). When adding a dependent, you will also need to provide dependent verification documentation.

If you plan on mailing your forms, please complete your forms early and leave plenty of time for your them to arrive. Do not email forms, as they may contain sensitive personal information.

Hardcopy completed forms can be sent in multiple ways:

  • Fax

    509-335-1259

  • USPS Mail

    139 French Administration Building
    PO Box 641014
    Pullman, WA 99164-1014

  • Campus Mail

    1014

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Questions can be directed to HRS Benefit Services at 509-335-4521 or hrs@wsu.edu.

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