Benefits Annual Enrollment October 15-31, 2020
This year’s Annual Enrollment (AE) period for benefit plan changes is October 15-31, 2020. Changes made during the AE period will become effective January 1, 2021, for plan year January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. Great news for the upcoming year; many plan costs are remaining the same or decreasing, while providing the same or enhanced benefits!
Annual Enrollment is your opportunity to review your benefit elections and make changes for the upcoming 2021 plan year. All members of the State Health Plan must take action during Annual Enrollment in order to reduce monthly premiums. You may make State Health Plan and NCFlex changes through the state’s online enrollment system accessible via the MyPack Portal, by calling the enrollment center at 855-859-0966, or via the Benefitfocus app. (Note that the benefits enrollment portal contains SSNs, so by downloading the app, SSNs will show.) Changes to other benefits such as MetLife Life Insurance, Hyatt Legal, and Voluntary Long Term Disability Plans are all completed via paper forms.
Be sure to review the online tutorials below and attend a Zoom session detailing changes for next year. If you need help enrolling in your State-wide benefits, call 855-859-0966 to enroll over the phone. Our goal is to have 100% of staff and faculty complete the Annual Enrollment process.
What’s New for 2021
- State Health Plan members who select a Clear Pricing Project Provider will have reduced copays.
- $0 copay for their Primary Care Provider
- Reduced copay for Specialist
- MetLife Dental Plan will have a rate reduction. If you decide to switch Dental Plans for 2021, a waiting period for coverage will not apply.
- For 2021, you can enroll in or increase Cancer and Specified Disease Insurance without having to provide Evidence of Insurability (EOI).
- If you/your spouse are not currently enrolled in NCFlex Group Term Life, during Annual Enrollment you may purchase $20,000 of coverage (on yourself/your spouse) on a guaranteed issue basis (if you were not previously denied coverage). Amounts over $20,000 require EOI.
- MetLife Life Insurance transitioned to a UNC System-administered plan effective September 1, 2020. The new System-administered life insurance plan includes a new rate structure decreasing some premiums, and includes an AD&D benefit at no additional cost.
- The Standard Long-term Supplemental Disability Plan will have a rate reduction.
- No premium increases for the 3rd year in a row!
- Members who select a Clear Pricing Project Provider as their Primary Care Provider will enjoy a $0 copay.
- Reduced copays for members who visit a Clear Pricing Project Specialist.
- Preventive Services remain free – no copay or deductible – on the 80/20 and 70/30 plans.
- Preferred and non-preferred insulin will have a $0 copay for a 30-day supply.
- The formulary, or drug list of covered medications, changes quarterly, so changes in drug coverage in both plans are possible.
- Tobacco users can attend a tobacco cessation counseling session at a CVS MinuteClinic or Primary Care Provider’s (PCP) office for FREE to earn a lower premium for 2021! (If you combine your tobacco cessation visit with another service at your PCP, there may be a copay.)
- You must complete the attestation during Annual Enrollment, but you have until November 30, 2020, to complete the cessation visit.
- Premiums will not increase for the 2021 benefit plan year!
- The 70/30 and 80/20 plans will have the tobacco attestation wellness credit for employees.
- Failure to complete the tobacco attestation during the Annual Enrollment period will result in a $60/month surcharge for 2021, beginning with the December 2020 paycheck.
- View 2021 Rates Here
During Annual Enrollment, employees may add or delete dependents from their benefit plans. Just as with plan changes, any dependents added during Annual Enrollment have an effective date of January 1, 2021. If you are adding dependents to your health plan, the State Health Plan requires that you submit documentation verifying your dependents’ eligibility.
- Documentation requirements for dependents
- Instructions on how to upload documentation in the enrollment portal
You may now upload dependent documentation using the Benefitfocus app. (Note that the benefits enrollment portal contains SSNs, so by downloading the app, SSNs will show.)
- Remember to re-enroll in FSAs for the upcoming year!
- You must re-enroll in the Health Care and/or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) each year to make contributions in the upcoming plan year. If you do not re-enroll, your current contributions end on Dec. 31, 2020.
- Healthcare FSAs have a new 2021 maximum annual amount of $2,750.
- If you participated in the Health Care FSA in 2020, up to $550 of the unused account balance from 2020 will roll over to pay eligible expenses in 2021. If you do not re-enroll in the FSA for 2021, you cannot make new contributions, but you may still use these rollover funds.
- MetLife Dental Plan will have a rate reduction. If you decide to switch Dental Plans for 2021, a waiting period for coverage will not apply.
For a listing of all forms needed if you are enrolling or changing NC State’s benefit plans (MetLife Life Insurance, Hyatt Legal and Voluntary Long Term Disability plans), visit the NC State Benefit Plans web page. If you do not wish to make changes to these plans for 2021, there is nothing you need to do.
To change your enrollment in NC State Benefit Plans, please complete the appropriate form(s) and return to the Benefits Office no later than October 31, 2020.
- MetLife Life Insurance transitioned to a UNC System-administered plan effective September 1, 2020. The new System-administered life insurance plan includes a new rate structure decreasing some premiums, and includes an AD&D benefit at no additional cost.
- You may send forms:
- Via email to HRSbenefits@ncsu.edu
- Via fax to 919-513-2528
Annual Enrollment presentations will be conducted via Zoom. You are cordially invited to attend one of these sessions to learn about benefit plan changes and updates for 2021. The schedule and registration for each Zoom session is below. You may register for any sessions that you’d like to attend.
| Date | Time | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, Oct. 7 | 2:00pm | |
| Thursday, Oct. 8 | 10:00am | |
| Monday, Oct. 12 (en Espanol) | 10:00am | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 14 (en Français) | 10:00am | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 14 | 4:00pm | |
| Thursday, Oct. 22 | 10:00am | |
| Monday, Oct. 26 | 3:00pm | Register |
| Wednesday, Oct. 28 (en Espanol) | 8:00am | Register |
Tips
- Review information carefully.
- Take time to plan for the upcoming year.
- Remember to re-enroll in FSAs for the upcoming year!
- Don’t wait until the last minute!
- Review, add and/or update beneficiaries in the enrollment portal for applicable plans.
- All enrollments (online, phone and/or paper enrollment forms) must be completed and/or received by the HR Benefits Office no later than October 31, 2020.
- Review MetLife life insurance information.
- For online enrollment, don’t forget to SAVE!
- Print/save confirmation statement from online enrollment or record date/time of your phone enrollment or save screenshot from app enrollment.
- State Health Plan premiums are deducted in advance, so the first premium for 2021 is deducted in the December 2020 paycheck.
- Review your State Health Plan premium deduction in December 2020 for accuracy.
- Review your January 2021 paycheck for all other deductions.
Additional Resources
- Enrollment Center Contact Number: 855-859-0966
- State Health Plan’s Annual Enrollment Site
- Active Member Decision Guide
- Guía Para Tomar Decisiones en la Inscripción Abierta 2021
- State Health Plan Information Video
- State Health Plan Upcoming Webinars
- Finding a Clear Pricing Provider
- 2021 NCFlex Annual Enrollment Employee Sessions
- 2021 NCFlex Enrollment Guide
(Universities offer a separate disability plan) - 2021 NCFlex Enrollment Guide for Universities
- Guía de Inscripción 2021
(Las universidades ofrecen un plan de discapacidad separado) - 2021 NCFlex Product Videos
- UNC System Guide
- Information for NC State Benefits Plans (MetLife Life Insurance, Hyatt Legal Plan, Voluntary Long Term Disability Plans)