The Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period is September 27 – October 22, 2021. This is your annual opportunity to enroll in or make benefit plan changes. Changes made during ABE are effective January 1, 2022. Here are some highlights of the 2022 benefits.
State Group Health Insurance
The health plan designs (health plan and high deductible health plan) and most health plan components (deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance) will remain the same. There will be a modest increase in employee premiums effective January 1, 2022. Premiums will be available prior to ABE.
These are the health insurance plan carrier changes:
- Quartz Community will split into Quartz Central and Quartz West. Since Quartz Community will no longer be offered, employees enrolled in Quartz Community will need to select a different health insurance carrier.
- Aspirus will be offered for select counties in Central Wisconsin
Here are some of the enhancements to covered services:
- Coverage will be added for corrective jaw surgery
- Access to coverage for continuous glucose monitors will be expanded to the pharmacy benefit
- Timeframe requirement will be removed for extractions and dental repairs due to accidents
- The age for colonoscopy screenings to begin will be reduced to age 45
Uniform and Preventive Dental Insurance Plans
These plans provide coverage for preventive dental services, most basic dental services, and orthodontia services (up to age 19). Coverage for composite/resin fillings for the back teeth will be added to these plans for 2022. Employee premiums effective January 1, 2022 will decrease for uniform dental (employee only coverage) and will increase for the preventive plan.
Supplemental Dental Insurance Plans
These plans (Select and Select Plus) provide coverage for most basic and major dental services. In addition, one of the plans (Select Plus) covers orthodontia services for children and adults. You may enroll in one supplemental dental insurance plan (and either the Uniform or Preventive Dental plan). Employee premiums will increase effective January 1, 2022 and will be available prior to ABE.
Vision Insurance Plan
This plan provides coverage for an annual eye exam as well as materials (contacts and/or glasses). There is no change in employee premiums for 2022.
Accident Insurance Plan
This plan is designed to protect employees and their families in the event of an injury due to an accident. For 2022, cash benefit payment amounts for most covered injuries (due to an accident) will increase. In addition, a cash benefit will be added for outpatient rehabilitation therapy, when necessary due to an accident. This plan includes an Accidental Death & Dismemberment component. There is no change to premiums for 2022.
Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance Plan
This plan will continue to be offered. Employees may enroll in both the Accident Insurance plan and the AD&D Insurance plan. There is no change to premiums for 2022.
Pre-tax Spending and Savings Accounts
Here are the annual contribution limits for 2022 for the pre-tax spending and savings accounts:
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts: $2,750
- Dependent Day Care Account: $2,500 or $5,000 (depending on tax filing status)
- Health Savings Accounts: $3,650 for single health insurance, $7,300 for family health insurance
The Healthcare FSA will have a carryover limit of $550. The Dependent Day Care Account does not have a carryover provision. Health Savings Account balances continue to rollover from one year to the next.
403(b) Program
UW System is making changes to enhance the 403(b) Program, the University’s supplemental retirement savings plan.
Changes to the program will focus on cost-effectiveness, simplification and ease of use for 403(b) participants. UW System’s goal is to make it easier to enroll, select investments, and monitor investment performance on an ongoing basis.
Along with upcoming program changes, the 403(b) program has been rebranded to the UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program (SRP), from the UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) 403(b) Program.
In addition to the name change, the 403(b) Program will be undergoing enhancements to the recordkeepers (providers) and investment line-up effective January 1, 2022.
- TIAA and Fidelity will remain as active recordkeepers in the program
- T. Rowe Price, Ameriprise, and Lincoln will no longer be offered as recordkeepers
If you are a current program participant or enroll in the program in the next few months, you may need to take action based on these upcoming changes.
Watch for emails in September with additional information about ABE and the 403(b) Program changes.
Source: UW System Human Resources