Benefits Annual Enrollment October 10-28, 2022
This year’s Annual Enrollment (AE) period for benefit plan changes is October 10-28, 2022. Changes made during the AE period will become effective January 1, 2023, for the plan year January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023. Great news for the upcoming year; many plan costs are remaining the same, while providing the same or enhanced benefits!
Annual Enrollment is your opportunity to review your benefit elections and make changes in plans and/or eligible dependents for the upcoming 2023 plan year. All members of the State Health Plan (SHP) must take action during Annual Enrollment since all SHP members will be defaulted into the Base PPO Plan (70/30). The employee must actively enroll in the Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20) and answer the question regarding tobacco use to eliminate the $60 monthly tobacco surcharge. If you respond that you are a tobacco user, you must complete a free tobacco cessation session no later than November 30, 2022 AND attest regarding tobacco use during Annual Enrollment to eliminate the monthly surcharge for 2023. If you are not a tobacco user, simply attest to that during the Annual Enrollment period. Failure to take action will result in enrollment in the 70/30 plan and payment of the $60 monthly tobacco surcharge for the upcoming plan year.
What’s New for 2023
Online Enrollment Process
NC State University is a State of North Carolina employer as well as a member of the UNC System. NC State employees have access to benefits administered by both the State of NC and the UNC System. Therefore, there are two enrollment platforms you will use when enrolling for benefits for 2023.
You can link to both of the enrollment platforms via the MyPack portal, or by using the below direct links. Please pay special attention to the plans that are now in the UNC System’s enrollment platform, and ensure your beneficiaries are updated in this new portal.
| eBenefits (BenefitFocus) | UNC System (Empyrean) |
You will need to log into this platform to enroll/make changes to your elections for:
|
You will need to log into this separate platform to enroll in/make changes to your elections for:
|
| Questions? Call the eligibility and enrollment call center at 855-859-0966, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET., Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., ET. | Questions? Call the Empyrean University Benefits Service Center at 833-862-1490, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., ET. |
How to enroll via MyPack Portal
- Go to MyPack Portal and log in.
- Under the Employee Self Service tile click on the “Benefit Details” tile.
- Click on “My State Employee Benefits” (on the left side of screen; make sure your pop up blocker is off). You will be logged in to the online benefits enrollment portal.
- Once you have logged into the site, select “Get Started” on the home page and follow the prompts.
- After you have made your choices, and they are displayed for you to review and print, you must scroll down to the bottom and click “Save Changes” or your choices will not be recorded. Don’t overlook this critical step!
- Be sure to save/print a copy of your Confirmation Statement to review and save for your records before logging out.
How to enroll via direct link to the online benefits enrollment portal
- Go to BenefitFocus and log in. You will be logged in to the online benefits enrollment portal.
- Once you have logged into the site, select “Get Started” on the home page and follow the prompts.
- After you have made your choices, and they are displayed for you to review and print, you must scroll down to the bottom and click “Save Changes” or your choices will not be recorded. Don’t overlook this critical step!
- Be sure to save/print a copy of your Confirmation Statement to review and save for your records before logging out.
You may also enroll via the BENEFITFOCUS Mobile App. (Note that the benefits enrollment portal contains SSNs, so by downloading the app, SSNs will show.)
How to enroll via MyPack Portal
- Go to MyPack Portal and log in.
- Under the Employee Self Service tile click on the “Benefit Details” tile.
- Click on “My UNC Benefits” (on the left side of screen; make sure your pop up blocker is off). You will be logged in to a separate enrollment portal.
- Once you have logged into the site, you will see a pending event (i.e., open enrollment). Click “Continue” and follow the prompts.
- After you have made your enrollment choices, and they are displayed for your review, you must scroll down and click “Submit My Elections.” One last pop-up message will appear and you must click “Accept” or your choices will not be recorded. Don’t overlook this critical step!
- Be sure to save/print a copy of your Confirmation Statement to review and save for your records before logging out.
How to enroll via direct link to the online benefits enrollment portal
- Go to Empyrean Benefits and log in. You will be logged in to the online benefits enrollment portal.
- Once you have logged into the site, you will see a pending event (i.e., open enrollment). Click “Continue” and follow the prompts.
- After you have made your enrollment choices, and they are displayed for your review, you must scroll down and click “Submit My Elections.” One last pop-up message will appear and you must click “Accept” or your choices will not be recorded. Don’t overlook this critical step!
- Be sure to save/print a copy of your Confirmation Statement to review and save for your records before logging out.
Mapping of NCFlex Life Insurance to UNC System Life Insurance
University employers are mapping life insurance coverage from the NCFlex life insurance vendor (Voya) to the UNC System life insurance vendor (Securian). AD&D coverage will also be mapped. You may still make changes to coverage during Annual Enrollment per the guidelines, including providing Evidence of Insurability (EOI) if required. Any changes made during Annual Enrollment are effective January 1, 2023.
Voya will no longer be offered, but existing coverage for employees will be mapped from Voya to Securian in full, with no limitations on the employee’s coverage amounts. (Keep in mind that the UNC System plan uses multiples of salary for coverage amounts which is different from the NCFlex plan. Therefore, employee coverage amounts may increase.)
There may be changes to your spouse and/or child dependent coverage if the combined plan amount exceeds the UNC System plan limits. Coverage for children cannot exceed $10k.
Beneficiary designations cannot be mapped, so it will be crucial to ensure you designate beneficiaries within the new platform.
Changes to the Voluntary Long-Term Disability Plans are completed via paper forms. Changed to the MetLife Legal Plan (formerly Hyatt), are made via an online form.
Be sure to review the webinars posted and attend a Zoom session detailing changes for next year. If you need help enrolling in your State-wide benefits, call BenefitFocus at 855-859-0966 or Empyrean at 833-862-1490 based upon the plan to enroll over the phone. Our goal is to ensure all staff and faculty complete the Annual Enrollment process correctly.
NCFlex/UNC System Benefit Plan Updates
- Online enrollment in NCFlex benefits is via a split enrollment platform. Be sure to review, then print/save confirmation statements from each platform to ensure you have made your desired changes for 2023.
- Those enrolled in NCFlex life insurance with Voya will have coverage amounts for themselves and their covered dependents mapped to Securian, the UNC System life insurance plan. When you log into the UNC System enrollment platform, your NCFlex life insurance amounts should be reflected and added to your Securian life insurance for yourselves and covered dependents. You should see the combined coverage amounts (if applicable) when you log in.
- For the UNC System life insurance, Securian, the employee can elect to increase by 1 salary multiple, up to the Guaranteed Issue amount of 3x salary.
- Beneficiary information will not transfer. Be sure to designate beneficiaries into the UNC System enrollment platform.
- There will be an opportunity in early 2023 to make life insurance changes (reduce or increase coverage) if you wish to change the amount mapped.
- Dental premiums under High and Low options are increasing beginning January 1, 2023.
- No waiting period will apply if you switch dental options for 2023.
- All benefit eligible employees will be automatically enrolled in $10,000 of Core AD&D insurance at no cost to the employees. You no longer need to enroll to receive this free coverage!
- NCFlex Accident Plan is adding another plan option.
- Any Voluntary AD&D coverage you currently have will be mapped to the UNC platform.
- Effective January 1, 2023, Voya will be the new administrator for Critical illness. In addition, there will be a new plan option available and lower rates.
- The Cancer plan will be mapped to the UNC platform. Rates are decreasing, and no EOI for 2023.
- The plan option names are changing. The 80/20 plan will be known as the Enhanced PPO Plan, and the 70/30 plan will be known as the Base PPO Plan.
- No premium increases for the 5th year in a row!
- There are no significant benefit changes for 2023.
- The formulary (drug list), which determines what medications are covered and what tier they fall under, changes on a quarterly basis, so there is a possibility that you will have changes in your prescription coverage in 2023.
- Members who select a Clear Pricing Project Provider as their Primary Care Provider will continue to enjoy a $0 copay!
- Members will continue to enjoy a reduced copay when visiting a Clear Pricing Project Specialist!
- Joint replacement bundle pricing for eligible members!
- Preferred and non-preferred insulin continues to have a $0 copay for a 30-day supply!
- Preventive Services remain covered at 100% – no copay or deductible – on either plan!
- 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 2023! (If you combine your tobacco cessation visit with another service at your PCP, there may be a copay.)
- You must complete the tobacco attestation during Annual Enrollment, but you have until November 30, 2022, to complete the tobacco cessation visit to eliminate the $60 monthly tobacco surcharge for 2023.
- Premiums will not increase for the 2023 benefit plan year!
- The Base PPO (70/30) and Enhanced PPO (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 2023, beginning with the December 2022 paycheck.
- View 2023 Rates Here
During Annual Enrollment, employees may add or delete eligible dependents from their benefit plans. Just as with plan changes, any dependents added during Annual Enrollment have an effective date of January 1, 2023. If you are adding dependents to your health plan, the State Health Plan requires that you include SSNs and 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 Mobile 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!
- Healthcare FSAs have a 2023 maximum annual election amount of $2,850.
- The rollover limit for 2024 is $570 (minimum amount is $25). Funds elected for 2023 must be used between January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, and claims for that time period filed no later than Mar 31, 2024.
- Dependent Daycare FSAs have a 2023 maximum annual election amount of $5,000.
- Funds elected for 2023 must be used between January 1, 2023 – Mar 31, 2024, and claims for that time period filed no later than Mar 31, 2024.
- To view your FSA account, go to ncflex.padmin.com.
- There will be a new enhanced coverage tier under the Accident plan.
- There will be a new option available under the Critical Illness plan.
During the Annual Enrollment period, Securian life insurance will allow enrolled employees and enrolled spouses to increase coverage by 1 multiple without EOI, provided they don’t exceed the guaranteed issue amount which is the lesser of 3 times base annual salary or $500,000 for employees and $50,000 for spouses.
Click here for information on the Securian Life Insurance Plan.
For a listing of all forms needed if you are enrolling or changing NC State’s benefit plans — MetLife Legal Plan (formerly Hyatt Legal Plan) 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 2023, 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 28, 2022. Please note, the MetLife Legal Annual Enrollment is now an online form found here.
- You may send forms:
- Via email to hrsbenefits@ncsu.edu
- Via fax to 919-515-7543
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 2023. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Sept. 29 | 10:00 a.m. | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 5 (en Espanol) | 8:00 a.m. | |
| Thursday, Oct. 6 | 10:00 a.m. | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 12 | 10:00 a.m. | |
| Monday, Oct. 17 | 3:00 p.m. | |
| Thursday, Oct. 20 | 3:00 p.m. | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 26 (en Espanol) | 10:00 a.m. | Register via REPORTER |
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 28, 2022.
- 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 2023 is deducted in the December 2022 paycheck.
- Review your State Health Plan premium deduction in December 2022 for accuracy, compare what was deducted to your confirmation statement and contact the Benefits Office if you see an error.
- Review your January 2023 paycheck for accuracy of all other deductions. Compare what was deducted to your confirmation statement and contact the Benefits Office if you see an error.
Additional Resources
- BenefitFocus Enrollment Center Contact Number: 855-859-0966
- UNC System (Empyrean) Enrollment Center Contact Number: 833-862-1490
- UNC System Annual Enrollment Site
- University Open Enrollment Summary Guide
- UNC System Office FAQs
- State Health Plan’s 2023 Annual Enrollment Site
- State Health Plan 2023 Rate Sheet
- State Health Plan 2023 Comparison
- State Health Plan Upcoming Webinars
- Finding a Clear Pricing Provider
- 2023 NCFlex Enrollment Guide
(Universities offer a separate disability plan) - 2023 NCFlex Enrollment Guide for Universities
- 2023 NCFlex Enrollment Guide (en Español)
(Las universidades ofrecen un plan de discapacidad separado)