Employee Matters

This column is prepared by staff of the Office of Human Resources. E-mail the office at benefits@ohr.wisc.edu, or call 262-5650.

Fall Benefits Program Enrollments and Deadlines

The opportunity to enroll in various benefits plans for 2007 coverage is approaching. The following benefits plans will have enrollment opportunities on the dates indicated below.

• Health Insurance Dual Choice (insured employees): The enrollment period is Oct. 9–27, with coverage effective Jan. 1. The Dual Choice booklet will be sent via campus mail to eligible employees. Coverage must be effective on or before Oct. 1. If so, you are eligible to change health plans or change from single to family coverage during this period. Visit the OHR Web site for changes in health plans for 2007, 2007 premiums and more.
• Employee Reimbursement Accounts Program (ERA): The enrollment period is Oct. 9–Nov. 17, with coverage effective Jan. 1. The ERA booklet will be sent via campus mail to eligible employees. Participants can set aside money in ERA accounts to pay for medical or dependent-care expenses. The money is deducted from earnings before taxes are withheld. If you participated in 2006, coverage is not automatic for 2007. You must enroll every year.
• Office of State Employee Relations (OSER)-sponsored dental insurance for represented employees (includes program, project and teaching assistants) and UW–Madison-sponsored dental insurance for nonrepresented employees (includes project employees and limited-term employees): The open enrollment period is Oct. 9–27, with coverage effective Jan. 1. Notification will come via an e-mail announcement from department benefits coordinators. Both dental plans offer dental coverage beyond any coverage that may be included in your state group health insurance plan. There are three different plans offered by the vendor Dentacare. One of the plans, titled Supplemental, is available only if you are enrolled in a health plan that offers dental benefits. Therefore, if you are changing your health plan, be sure to review your dental coverage as well.
• Spectera Vision: The enrollment period is Oct. 9–Nov. 17, with coverage effective Jan. 1. Notification will come via an e-mail announcement from department benefits coordinators. The Spectera vision benefit pays for vision exams, glasses, frames and contact lenses (after co-pays) and offers discounts on refractive eye surgery. People planning to enroll should review their participation in the ERA program and any vision benefits offered by state group health insurance plans.

More information on the fall enrollments is available under “New Info” at http:// www.bussvc.wisc.edu/ecbs/ecbs.html.

In addition, watch for an announcement about fall enrollment “Special Informational Sessions” to be held. Sessions will provide information on how the various benefits plans work together, and you can get your individual questions answered.

How can you find out more about benefits? Plan to attend the Employee Benefits and Resource Fair on Thursday, Oct. 12, at Memorial Union. Watch for information about other upcoming seminars and educational opportunities.