Author: sipiorsk@uwgb.edu

Long-Term Care Insurance covers services that are typically not covered by health insurance, but are vital for a patient, such as assistance with activities of daily living (walking, eating, bathing, etc.). This type of insurance provides financial protection from the rising costs of long-term care. Coverage for care in non-institutional settings such as assisted living, adult day care, and in-home care is also available.

Review Long-Term Care Insurance for plan eligibility and enrollment information.

Each year, the Long-Term Care Insurance plan, authorized by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), may distribute one piece of advertisement to employees. The notice from HealthChoice, the Long-Term Care Insurance vendor, can be accessed by clicking here.

For questions contact HealthChoice at 1-800-833-5823 or info@healthchoice.com. Visit www.healthchoice.com/request.php to request an information packet.

Source: UW System Human Resources

Employees enrolled in the Health Care and/or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for the 2017 plan year must submit eligible claims for the 2017 plan year to the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Administrator (TASC) for reimbursement by Saturday, March 31, 2018. Eligible claims must be received by TASC or postmarked by March 31. Claims for 2017 must have been incurred January 1 through December 31, 2017 to be eligible to submit for reimbursement from your 2017 account.

You may submit a claim using any of the following methods:

• Mobile App (see flyer)
• TASC Online Account
• Download an FSA Reimbursement Claim Form and submit to TASC via fax or mail

Important: The IRS requires you to include appropriate supporting documentation when submitting a claim. Make sure that your documentation contains the required information before submitting your claim.

As a reminder, the IRS allows up to $500 of unused funds in a 2017 Health Care FSA to be carried over into a 2018 Health Care FSA account. Funds remaining above the $500 carryover after March 31 will be forfeited. The $500 that is carried over does not offset a 2018 election amount. If you did not sign up for a 2018 Health Care FSA during the Annual Benefits Enrollment period last fall, a 2018 account will be created for you if you have carryover. You will not receive a new TASC debit card. Note: There is no carryover provision for the Dependent Day Care FSA.

For questions, contact TASC at 1-844-786-3947 or 1customercare@tasconline.com.

Source: UW System Human Resources

Each year, State Group Life Insurance premiums are updated on April 1. For University Staff (paid bi-weekly), the premium update will be reflected on the March 29, 2018 paycheck. For Faculty/Academic Staff/Limited Appointees (paid monthly), the premium update will be reflected on the March 30, 2018 paycheck.

Current enrollees in the State Group Life insurance program can review their updated premiums at this link: State Group Life Premium Notice. Additionally, current enrollees in the program were sent an email with a link to this customized web page.

State Group Life insurance coverage level and premiums are based on a participant’s age as of April 1 each year, and their highest calendar year of Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) earnings.

For a full list of premiums and more information about the plan, visit the State Group Insurance plan page. If you have questions, contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu.

Source: UW Service Center

IRS Tax Form 1095-C is available online in the MyUW portal. The statement is located in the Payroll Information module under the Tax Statements tab. Paper copies of the 1095-C were mailed to employees via U.S. mail in February 2018 using the same address as the W-2 Form distribution.

The UW System is providing Form 1095-C to all employees who were full-time, as defined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), for all or some months of 2017. The information on this form will be used by the IRS to determine whether individuals and/or employers are subject to penalties under the ACA’s individual and employer mandates. Employees should retain Form 1095-C with their tax records.

In addition to Form 1095-C, some employees will receive a Form 1095-B from their insurance carrier. Form 1095-B reflects health insurance coverage provided to an employee or their family member(s) during the previous calendar year. Form 1095-B also documents employee compliance with the ACA Individual Mandate. Employees should retain Form 1095-B with their tax records.

For more information regarding Form 1095-C, Form 1095-B and the ACA, visit the UW System Human Resources website: Affordable Care Act (ACA). If you have questions regarding your Form 1095-C, contact the UW System Service Center at servicecenter@uwsa.edu or (855) 489-7877 or (608) 262-0600.

If you have any questions regarding Form 1095-B, contact your health insurance carrier that provided the form.

Source: UW Service Center

Summer prepay insurance premiums will be deducted from March 30, May 1, and/or June 1 paychecks for the following employee groups:

• Academic (9-month) employee who will be returning to UW employment in the fall of 2018.
• Academic (9-month) employee with a summer service/summer session appointment.

Why are Summer Prepay Insurance Premiums Deducted in the Spring?

The additional summer prepay insurance premium deductions are taken to continue an employee’s insurance coverage through the summer (contract break) months. These additional premium deductions must be taken in the spring, along with regular monthly premium deductions, since insurance premiums cannot be deducted from summer service/summer session earnings.

What if an Employee’s Employment Status Changes?

If an employee’s summer 2018 or fall 2018 employment status changes after they have already had summer prepay deductions, they may receive refunds for the summer prepay deductions. If an employee will be terminating employment, and will not return in the fall, they should contact the human resources office immediately for assistance in determining their employment termination date and the date their insurance coverage will end.

Employees who anticipate that they will experience any other status change; marriage, adoption, divorce, etc., should contact the human resources office immediately so they understand the impacts to their insurance benefits.

What if an Employee does not Have Summer Prepay Insurance Premiums Deducted?

If an employee does not have summer prepay deductions taken in the spring, and then has a summer session/summer service appointment, they will be billed directly for payment of the additional premiums due to provide them with insurance coverage during the summer months. Payment must be made by the billing invoice due date to insure that insurance benefits are not canceled due to non-payment.

2018 Summer Prepay Deduction Schedule

Important: This schedule outlines premium deductions for an employee scheduled to return to fall 2018 UW employment, or who has a summer appointment and is then terminating. Most employees will have deductions taken according to this schedule. Human resources offices can assist employees whose deduction schedule may vary from the schedule below based on appointment, summer employment, fall return date, or termination date.

Paychecks on Which Premiums will be Taken	Insurance	Premiums to be Taken
March 30, May 1, June 1	Health and other insurance deductions for programs in which you are enrolled.*	Regular premium deduction PLUS one summer premium deduction.
May 1	Income Continuation Insurance	Regular premium deduction PLUS two summer premium deductions.
June 1	Income Continuation Insurance	Regular premium deduction PLUS one summer premium deduction.

*Does not include Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) deductions. These deductions are calculated based on a 9-month schedule for academic (9-month) employees so no additional premiums are taken for these programs.

*Does not include Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) and Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) deductions. These deductions are based on an employee’s earnings. Since the employee will not have earnings during the summer months, there are no additional premiums taken for these programs.

*Opt-Out Incentive and Health Savings Account (HSA) employer contribution will continue to be processed during the summer months for these programs.

How Will Summer Prepay Appear on Earnings Statements?

Summer prepay will appear as a lump sum amount on earnings statements. All deductions taken pre-tax (most medical-related premiums and a portion of State Group Life Insurance premiums) will be added together under the name ‘Prebtx’ and all deductions taken post-tax (most life insurance premiums) will be added together under the name ‘Preatx.’ Note: ‘Prebtx’ stands for before tax or pre-tax and ‘Preatx’ stands for after tax or post-tax.

Regular benefit deductions for the month will continue to be listed under the plan name. These deductions are typically taken on a pre-tax basis. If an employee has one extra deduction for each plan, there will be a total listed under Prebtx or Preatx on each earnings statement impacted by the additional deductions.

Important: To verify accuracy, employees should review their earnings statements to ensure that their insurance deductions are accurate for their situation. If insurance premiums are not collected through the summer prepay deductions process, employees will be billed for premiums. In this case, employees must remit timely premium payments to continue their insurance coverage.

For questions, please contact Human Resources at payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390.

Source: UW Service Center

ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions.

Annuity Options– This webinar will help to increase your understanding of the WRS annuity options available to you at retirement. ETF will also explain the difference between a beneficiary and a named survivor.

• Thu, Mar 1, 2018 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Mon, Mar 5, 2018 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Mon, Mar 12, 2018 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Thu, Mar 22, 2018 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

WRS Retirement Benefit Calculation Methods– This webinar will explain the methods used for benefit calculations and the components of each method. Anyone who has requested or is planning to request an estimate will have a better understanding of how that amount was calculated.

• Thu, Mar 8, 2018 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Fri, Mar 16, 2018 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Tue, Mar 20, 2018 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Wed, Mar 21, 2018 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WRS Benefits: For New and Mid-Career Employees– This one-hour webinar is for employees who are five years – or more – from retirement. The information presented will help you make sound, strategic decisions over the course of your career. Topics include vesting, ways to enhance a WRS retirement benefit, purchasing service, military service credit, the Core and Variable Trust Funds, contribution rates, the importance of a beneficiary form and how to complete one, and how “life event” changes affect retirement benefits.

• Fri, Mar 2, 2018 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• Wed, Mar 7, 2018 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Wed, Mar 14, 2018 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Thu, Mar 22, 2018 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

WRS Employee Benefits Seminar– Attend a Wisconsin Retirement System employee benefits seminar and come away with a greater understanding of your WRS benefits and how they work. These one-hour evening presentations, hosted by the Department of Employee Trust Funds in cities throughout Wisconsin, are designed for all members, especially those who are within five years of retirement. Topics covered include the retirement process itself, return-to-work rules, the Core and Variable Trust Funds, beneficiary designations, purchasing service, how “life events” affect your benefits, and much more. Questions are encouraged – stick around for the Q&A session afterward!

• Mon, Mar 19, 2018 6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
• Wed, Apr 4, 2018 6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
• Thu, Apr 19, 2018 6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.

Register for a webinar

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

As a result of the 2017 Federal Tax Reform bill passed in December 2017, most employees will see a change in their federal income tax withholding on their paychecks beginning in early 2018.

The change was implemented for both University staff (paid bi-weekly) and for Faculty/Academic Staff/Limited Appointees (paid monthly) on the February 1, 2018 paycheck.

To see your federal withholding amount, log into the MyUW Portal. Launch the Payroll Information module and click on the Earnings Statements tab. Find the Taxes section of your earnings statement where Fed Withholding will be listed. You may choose to review several recent earnings statements to compare your federal withholding, and see how your amount has changed.

If you would like more information, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has prepared an IRS Withholding Tables Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) to help employees understand how the new federal tax withholding may affect their paychecks.

If you have questions, contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu.

 

Source: UW Service Center

What is a beneficiary?

A beneficiary is someone you designate to receive insurance benefits that are payable upon your death. Naming beneficiaries ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

Keep your beneficiary designations up-to-date

You may change your beneficiary designations at any time. It is important to review your beneficiary designations regularly, especially when you have experienced a life event; birth or adoption of a child, marriage, divorce, etc.

Your assets are distributed according to the beneficiary designations that you have on file at the time of your death. If you are unsure of your current beneficiary designation for any of your current insurance plans, complete a new beneficiary designation form to ensure that your designations are current.

How do I know what benefits I have?

To make sure that you review and update the beneficiaries for all of your insurance plans, confirm your current plan enrollments. Log in to the MyUW portal. Go to the Benefit Information module, choose the View Benefits Summary Detail tab at the bottom of the page to see your current benefit enrollments. Contact your human resources office to confirm your coverage.

Beneficiary designation forms

To change a beneficiary designation, complete a beneficiary form for each plan in which you are enrolled. Keep a copy of each completed beneficiary form for your records. Return completed forms to the address on the form, not to your human resources office.

The plans that have a beneficiary designation form are listed below.  Beneficiary Designation Forms may be found here.

• EPIC Benefits+
• State Group Life Insurance
• Individual & Family Group Life Insurance
• UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
• Wisconsin Deferred Compensation 457 Program
• If you have a Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA), contact the plan directly to update your beneficiary designations

Source: UW System Human Resources

Income Continuation Insurance (ICI) premiums are updated annually on February 1. Updated premiums for University Staff (paid bi-weekly) will be reflected on the February 15, 2018 paycheck. Updated ICI premiums for Faculty/Academic Staff/Limited Appointees (paid monthly) will be reflected on the March 1, 2018 paycheck.

If you are currently enrolled in the ICI program, visit the ICI Premium Notice web page for your personalized updated premium amount. Current enrollees were sent an email February 1 directing them to this customized web page.

Several factors determine your premium amount:

• For University Staff: the ICI premium is based on 2017 earnings reported to the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), sick leave balance/usage as of December 23, 2017 and current ICI category.
• For Faculty/Academic Staff/Limited Appointees: the ICI premium is based on 2017 WRS-reported earnings and the selected ICI elimination period.

Please note: The ICI annual premium update effective February 1 is based on 2017 earnings and does not reflect any enrollments made during the ICI Deferred Enrollment period which began in January and ends March 1, 2018. Employees who are eligible to participate in the ICI Deferred Enrollment period received notification about their opportunity via an email sent January 19.

A complete list of ICI premiums and plan information is available on the ICI plan page. If you have questions, contact Payroll & Benefits at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu.

Source: UW Service Center