Open enrollment period for employee benefits underway

Salve Regina’s open enrollment period for health care benefits – including dental, vision, AFLAC supplemental insurance, dependent day care accounts and medical flexible spending accounts – is underway.

The enrollment deadline for dependent day care and medical flexible spending accounts is Friday, May 31. The enrollment deadline for health care, dental, vision and AFLAC supplemental insurance is Friday, June 7.

Employees can make changes to the following benefits during the open enrollment period:

Health care

Employees can change from one plan to the other, add or delete family members, join a plan they had previously waived or drop coverage. Payroll contributions, effective July 5, will be $37 for individual, $110 for individual plus one or $137 for family for Choice and $45 for individual, $137 for individual plus one and $171 for family for Choice Plus.

The University will continue to reward those employees enrolled in United Healthcare who do not use tobacco products. In order to receive the discount, employees must submit a Tobacco Free Affidavit by Friday, June 7.

Dental

Employees can change from one plan to the other, add or delete family members, join a plan they had previously waived or drop coverage. Payroll contributions, effective July 5, will be $4 for individual or $12 for family.

Vision

The University has contracted with Vision Service Plan to provide in-network vision benefits such as frame and contact lens allowances. Payroll contributions, effective July 5, will be $2.61 for individual, $3.79 for individual plus one or $6.79 for family. Vision deductions will be taken twice per month (not all 26 pays).

Dependent day care account

Employees may set aside up to $5,000 on a pre-tax basis to pay for eligible dependent care expenses. New and current participants must sign up annually.

Medical flexible spending account

Employees may set aside from $260 to $2,500 on a pre-tax basis to pay for health-related expenses not covered by their health care plan, including prescription deductibles and co-pays, eyeglasses, orthodontics and dentures. Due to changes in federal law, the plan no longer allows the purchase of over-the-counter medications such as cold medicines, anti-acid and pain relievers without a prescription. Employees who have a FSA payment card and will be re-enrolling in the plan should keep their current card for continued use.

AFLAC supplemental benefits

Employees may purchase or cancel a cancer plan, critical care and recovery plan, personal accident plan and/or a hospital protection plan through payroll deduction on a pre-tax basis.

All changes require some paperwork. For more information, call Claudia Cavallaro, assistant director for human resources and benefits, at (401) 341-2332.