Annual Benefits Enrollment Presentations

The 2024 Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period is September 25 – October 20, 2023. This is your annual opportunity to enroll in or make changes to most of your benefits. Changes made during ABE are effective January 1, 2024.

Plan now so you are ready for the enrollment period.

UW System Human Resources is hosting virtual presentations to review the upcoming benefit changes and actions you may need to take. Presentations are scheduled for:

Registration is not required. To attend a session, click on the link above. To save the link to your Outlook calendar create a ‘New Appointment’ and copy and paste the link for the session you want to attend to the appointment.

The presentations will be approximately 45 minutes. You will have an opportunity to submit questions during the presentation (excluding personal health information). A recording of the presentation will be available on the ABE web page (following the first presentation).

UW System Human Resources

Deadlines to Use Floating Legal Holidays

This year, Sunday, December 24, 2023 (Christmas Eve) and Sunday, December 31, 2023 (New Year’s Eve) are floating legal holidays which eligible employees must use by the deadline.

A floating legal holiday occurs when a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, and the following Monday is also a legal holiday. The Sunday legal holiday will be available for eligible employees to use as floating legal holiday. Eligible employees are granted eight hours of floating legal holiday (prorated, if part-time).

  • University Staff employees must use these floating legal holidays by December 31, 2023, the end of the calendar year in which they were granted. If floating legal holidays are not used, they are lost and cannot be carried over into the new calendar year.
  • Academic Staff and Limited appointees must use these floating legal holidays by June 30, 2024, the end of the fiscal year in which they were granted. If floating legal holidays are not used, they are lost and cannot be carried over into the new fiscal year.

The UW System will be closed on Monday, December 25, 2023, and Monday, January 1, 2024, to observe these legal holidays.

Resources:

Source: UW System Human Resources

Annual Benefits Enrollment: 2024 State Group Health Insurance Premiums

The State Group Health Insurance premiums will be increasing in 2024.  The annual medical deductible for the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Access HDHP have increased to comply with federal requirements:

    • Individual: increased to $1,600
    • Family: increased to $3,200

Premium changes will be effective January 1, 2024. More information pertaining to the State Group Health Insurance program can be found on the UW System Annual Benefits Enrollment website.

 

2024 Benefits Highlights

The Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period is September 25 – October 20, 2023. This is your opportunity to enroll in or change your benefits and/or dependents for the upcoming calendar year. Changes made during ABE are effective January 1, 2024. Below are the highlights for 2024.

State Group Health Insurance
The plan designs (health plan and high deductible health plan), copayments, and coinsurance will remain the same.

The annual deductibles for the High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) will increase to $1,600 for individual coverage and $3,200 for family coverage to remain compliant with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) minimum deductible requirement.

Group Health Cooperative (GHC) of South Central Wisconsin will split into two separate networks starting January 1, 2024.

    • GHC of South Central Wisconsin Dane Choice* will include current in-network providers in Dane County.
    • GHC of South Central Wisconsin Neighbors is a new plan that will cover in-network providers in Columbia, Grant, Iowa, Sauk, Jefferson, Juneau, and Lafayette County.

*If you are currently enrolled in a plan with GHC of South Central Wisconsin as the carrier, you will default to GHC of South Central Wisconsin Dane Choice with the same dependents for 2024 unless you make a change during ABE.

All other health insurance carriers will continue to be offered for 2024. Employee premium information will be available prior to ABE.

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). Employee premiums for the Preventive Plan will increase. Employee premium information for Uniform Dental will be available prior to ABE.

Supplemental Dental Insurance Plans
The Select and Select Plus plans provide coverage for major and restorative dental services. The Select Plus plan covers orthodontia services for children and adults. Employee premiums for the Select Plan will decrease. Employee premiums for the Select Plus Plan will increase.

Vision Insurance Plan
The vision insurance plan provides coverage for an annual eye exam and materials (contacts and/or glasses). Employee premiums will remain the same in 2024.

Accident Insurance Plan
This plan provides a lump sum payment to you for specific injuries due to an accident. This plan includes an accidental death & dismemberment component. Employee premiums will decrease in 2024.

Pre-tax Spending and Savings Accounts
Below are the annual contribution maximums for 2024.

    • Healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): $3,050 (increase)
    • Dependent Day Care Account: $2,500 or $5,000 (depending on tax filing status)
    • Parking & Transit Accounts: $300 per month (increase)
    • Health Savings Accounts: $4,150 for individual coverage; $8,300 for family coverage (increase)

The Healthcare FSA carryover limit will increase to $610. The Parking & Transit Account carryover is unlimited. To be eligible for Healthcare FSA and/or Parking & Transit Account carryover from 2023 to 2024, you must:

    • Have a minimum balance of $50 in your account at the end of the run-out period (March 31, 2024) OR
    • Enroll for the 2024 plan year with a minimum contribution amount of $50 (in each account if you enroll in multiple accounts)

Carryover does not apply to the Dependent Day Care Account. All remaining funds in your Health Savings Account roll over year to year.

Next Steps
Most institutions will host onsite benefits fairs during ABE as a resource to help you understand the benefits for 2024. Check the benefits fairs schedule to see if your institution will be hosting a benefits fair. Then, mark your calendar to attend!

Watch for emails in September for more information about ABE and actions required.

Source: UW System Human Resources

Annual Benefits & Wellness Fair

Mark your calendar to attend the Annual UW-Green Bay Employee Benefits & Wellness Fair!

When: Thursday, September 28, 2023

Time: 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

Where: University Union Phoenix Room, Green Bay campus

Please stop by to talk about your benefits and wellness to get helpful information as you consider options for the Annual  Benefit Enrollment period.  We’ll have refreshments too!  This year’s Annual Benefits Enrollment period is September 25th to October 20th.

Representatives from the following organizations will be looking forward to talking with you during the fair:

  • Common Ground (Health Insurance)
  • Dean Prevea (Health Insurance)
  • Network (Health Insurance)
  • Robin by HealthPartners (Health Insurance)
  • UnitedHealthcare (Health Insurance for Retirees)
  • Optum (Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts)
  • Securian (Life Insurance)
  • Zurich (Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance)
  • HealthChoice (Long-Term Care Insurance)
  • Fidelity (Supplemental Retirement Program)
  • TIAA (Supplemental Retirement Program)
  • Wisconsin Deferred Compensation
  • Edvest College Savings Plan
  • Kepro (Employee Assistance Program)
  • WebMD Well Wisconsin Program
  • UW-System Benefits Counseling
  • UW-Credit Union
  • UW-Green Bay University Recreation
  • UW-Green Bay Wellness Committee
  • UW-Green Bay Office of Sustainability
  • UW-Green Bay Safety & Environmental Management

Questions? Please contact us at hr@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390.

Onsite Health Screening

Time to register for your onsite health screening!

A free health screening* event has been scheduled for employees (and spouses) who are enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program.

At an onsite screening, you’ll learn your measurements for blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol (HDL, LDL and total), triglycerides and glucose, and be in and out in 20 minutes. Register today!

  • LOCATION:  Phoenix Room # 2114, Sheboygan campus
  • DATE: Thursday, September 14, 2023
  • TIME: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
  • Unfortunately the Sheboygan screening event has been cancelled due to not meeting the minimum number of participants.
  • LOCATION:  University Union, Phoenix Rooms, Green Bay campus
  • DATES:  Wednesday, September 20, 2023
  • TIME:  8:00 am to 1:00 pm

Please register at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin by clicking Benefits, and then Get Started on the Biometric Screening card.

Earn your $150 Well Wisconsin Incentive

Complete three activities by October 13, 2023 to earn the $150 Well Wisconsin incentive.

  1. Get a health screening or complete another health check option (ex. dental exam or coaching session).
  2. Complete the health assessment at webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin – it takes about 10 minutes and is mobile and tablet friendly!
  3. Complete a well-being activity (ex. complete a challenge, listen to two Well Wisconsin pod casts, etc.).

For more information on the Well Wisconsin Program or to complete your activities, log in to webmdhealth.com/wellwisconsin­­.

*The Well Wisconsin incentive program is a voluntary program available to employees, retirees and spouses enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program, excluding Medicare Advantage participants who have incentives available through their health plan. The Well Wisconsin incentive will automatically be issued to eligible participants upon completing the applicable activities. All wellness incentives paid to participants are considered taxable income to the group health plan subscriber and are reported to their employer, who will issue a W2. In some cases, the Wisconsin Retirement System acts as the employer. Retirees, continuants and their spouses will have some taxes withheld from the incentive amount earned.

Know Your Benefits: College Students & Health Insurance Benefits

If you have a child in college that you cover as a dependent on your State Group Health Insurance plan, here are some tips about their coverage.

    • If they attend school within your health plan’s service area, they should seek care only from in-network providers unless they need Emergency Room or Urgent Care services.
    • If they attend school outside your health plan’s service area, Urgent Care and Emergency Room services will be covered by your health plan as in-network.

After an Urgent Care or Emergency Room visit, in most cases, your child must return to your health plan’s service area for follow-up care.

Since most plans only provide coverage for services when they are in-network, it is important that you plan for the possibility of your child needing care.

For additional information, including mental health services, review the College Students and Health Benefits article.

Source: UW System HR

Submit Leave Reports

Faculty, Academic Staff and Limited Appointees (who have or had an active leave-eligible appointment) must submit monthly leave reports for each appointment, whether or not leave is used. Employees are required to report leave on or before the day the leave is taken, or if no leave is taken, to enter a “No Leave Take” at the end of the month.

Missing leave reports must be submitted by September 30, 2023 for fiscal year July 2022 through June 2023.

Failure to submit leave reports will result in a permanent reduction of sick leave hours. Even one unsubmitted leave report will reduce an employee’s sick leave balance resulting in less sick leave available to use if needed.

Long term, a reduction of sick leave hours will result in fewer hours available for the Sick Leave Credit Conversion Program which allows employees to pay for health insurance in retirement.

How do I Know if I have Missing Leave Reports?

Employees with missing leave reports receive email reminders every two weeks listing their missing reports. Employees may also check for missing leave reports at any time in the My UW portal.

Resources

Questions? Please contact Human Resources at hr@uwgb.edu or (920) 465-2390.

Source: UW System Human Resources

Review Your Beneficiary Designations

When was the last time you reviewed your beneficiary designations?

Naming a beneficiary allows you to transfer a financial interest to a specific person after you have passed away. If you do not remember who you have listed as your beneficiary, or you have experienced a life event such as a marriage, divorce, or birth of a child, review and submit updated beneficiary designations.

The most recently dated beneficiary designation on file at the time of your death is binding for the payment of any proceeds. If a beneficiary is not designated, benefits will be paid according to plan provisions (not your will).

Here is a list of the plans that have benefits payable to beneficiaries:

  • State Group Life Insurance
  • Individual & Family Life Insurance
  • UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance
  • University Insurance Association Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
  • Accident Insurance (accidental death & dismemberment component of the plan)
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
  • UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program (SRP)
  • Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) 457 Program

To see which benefit plans you are enrolled in, log into the My UW portal and follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Benefit Information tile and click Launch full app.
  2. On the Summary tab, review the Coverage column to see which plans you’re enrolled in (waive indicates you are not enrolled).
  3. Click Next to see additional plans.
  4. Review the plans you are enrolled in that have benefits payable to beneficiaries.

The UW System Beneficiary Information web page provides information on how to designate a beneficiary for each benefit plan. Some plans allow you to update your beneficiary designations online while others require a signed paper form. If a plan you are enrolled in requires a paper form, print the applicable beneficiary form(s) from the Beneficiary Information page, and mail the completed forms directly to the address listed on the form.

Source: UW System Human Resources