UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Benefits Open Enrollment is underway. Penn State faculty and staff are reminded that the enrollment period, which ends Friday, Nov. 20, is the only opportunity to make benefits changes for 2016, unless an employee has an eligible change-in-status event, such as the birth of a child or marriage.
Changes to benefits selections can be made by logging into ESSIC, the Employee Self-Service Information Center, with all changes and updates taking effect on Jan. 1, 2016.
Action is required
Action is required by all faculty and staff even if no benefits selection changes are expected. The Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law requires employers to have an employee’s written consent to take deductions from that employee’s pay for voluntary benefits. That written consent must be obtained before deductions can be made. Therefore, all Penn State employees electing health care, dental, vision, optional life insurance, long-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, flexible spending accounts or long-term care must log into ESSIC during 2016 Benefits Open Enrollment period to provide consent, even if they have no changes to their benefits, or risk the discontinuation of benefits.
Benefits microsite simplifies the process
Those who do wish to make benefits changes or explore benefits options and offerings will find the 2016 Benefits Open Enrollment microsite at http://openenrollment.psu.edu. The site is a valuable digital resource with useful information, interactive tools and helpful links. The site contains:
- Explanations of the PPO Savings Plan and PPO Blue Plan, and side-by-side coverage comparisons.
- Both basic and comprehensive decision tools that use real data to compare plans. (Penn State employees can call Highmark at 1-800-914-4384 to request two secure and personalized documents – a Claims Calculation Report and a Pharmacy Claims History Report – that will help provide more precise data for use with the decision tools.)
- Links to valuable websites like ESSIC and Highmark Blue Shield.
- A link and instructions for the six remaining Benefits Open Enrollment webinars, scheduled for 9:30-11 a.m., Nov. 10, 16 and 18, and 2 -3:30 p.m., Nov. 12, 17 and 19, and a link to a recorded version of the webinar, at the webinar page.
- A copy of the Benefits Open Enrollment e-Magazine benefits guide.
For additional information on Benefits Open Enrollment, refer to these Penn State Today articles:
May 18 – Understanding your benefits: How does health care work?
June 1 – Understanding your benefits: Some key terms to help with plan selection
June 21 – Understanding your benefits: Penn State’s PPO Blue and PPO Savings Plans
July 23 – Understanding your benefits: More details of Penn State’s health plans
Aug. 17 – Understanding your benefits: Special health management programs available
Sept. 18 – Understanding your benefits: Ways to put pre-tax dollars aside for medical care
Oct. 5 – Benefits Open Enrollment microsite simplifies the benefits enrollment process
Oct. 5 – Understanding your benefits: Is a PPO Savings Plan right for you?
Oct. 9 – Benefits Open Enrollment webinars offer a convenient, interactive resource
Oct. 19 – Understanding your benefits: Using the Highmark website to your advantage
Nov. 2 – 2016 Benefits Open Enrollment has begun – your action is required by Nov. 20