1. Open enrollment dates are set
UAB’s annual open enrollment for benefits will begin 7 a.m. Oct. 26 and conclude 5 p.m. Nov. 12. Eligible employees can choose among dental, vision and health insurance plans, plus voluntary life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance and tax-deferred spending accounts for health and dependent care for 2019. You can review all the information you need in the open enrollment toolkit anytime on the UAB for Me portal.
2. Action is required
This is an active open enrollment, which means any benefit-eligible employee who does not select a 2019 health care plan option during the enrollment period will not have UAB-provided health care coverage (medical, dental, vision) beginning January 2019. Detailed offerings of these plans will be provided in coming weeks to better enable you to make the best choice for your household.
3. Transition to three tiers continues
A change in the tier structure begun in 2016 affects employees whose spouses are covered through their UAB benefits in the temporary category “Employee plus spouse, or employee plus spouse plus one child.” Premiums in that category will experience incremental increases as UAB realigns its coverage options to offer only three premium tiers: 1) Single, 2) Employee + Children and 3) Family.
4. Premium assistance increases
To ease the cost of medical premiums for qualified employees, UAB offers a premium-assistance program for eligible employees. This year the subsidy increases to include covered employees whose household income, based on family size, is two (2) times the federal poverty level or less.
5. New voluntary benefits debut
UAB employees also will have the option to select insurance to cover accidents and identity theft and/ or participate in a pet care discount program during open enrollment. These are wholly voluntary and paid for by employees. Details to come.
6. Get answers at the Benefits Fair
The UAB Benefits Fair will be held 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 1 in the UAB Hospital West Pavilion Atrium to help answer any questions you may have before choosing your benefits for 2019. Can’t make it but have individual questions? HR consultants and benefits representatives will be available in schools/ departments for your convenience. A full schedule of times and locations will be available by Oct. 22. Contact your HR consultant or the UAB Benefits office, benefits@uab.edu or 934-3458.
