Open enrollment | October 1-31, 2018

During open enrollment, eligible employees, retirees, survivors, and COBRA and former spouse subscribers may change their coverage for the following year. Below is a full list of changes that can be made during this year’s open enrollment. The 2019 Insurance Benefits Guide (IBG) describes all PEBA-sponsored insurance benefits.

If you are satisfied with your current coverage, the only thing you need to do is re-enroll in MoneyPlus accounts.

Any changes that you make during open enrollment take effect January 1, 2019.

What’s new for 2019?

Changes listed below are effective January 1, 2019.

Adult well visits will be a covered benefit under the Standard Plan, subject to copayments, deductibles and coinsurance in covered years.
ASIFlex is the new flexible spending accounts administrator.
- PEBA will administer MoneyPlus enrollment, so open enrollment changes can be made using MyBenefits.
- There is no fee to participate in the Pretax Group Insurance Premium feature.
- Administrative fees for flexible spending accounts and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) will be lower.
- Participants may carry over up to $500 of unused Medical Spending Account funds into 2020.
- ASIFlex will auto-adjudicate as many card transactions as possible for Medical Spending Accounts using claims data from health, dental and vision vendors.
  - Cannot eliminate documentation entirely.
  - Goal is to decrease need for backup documentation.
- Participants may use Dependent Care Spending Account funds for expenses incurred through March 15, 2020.
- Central Bank is the new custodian bank for HSAs. Current HSA participants must re-enroll in an HSA and open a bank account with Central Bank to make pretax contributions.
There is no increase in the State Health Plan employee premiums.
Some patient cost-sharing features, such as copayments and deductibles, will increase for Standard Plan members. Learn more on the Comparing the 2019 Standard Plan and Savings Plan flyer.

What you can do during the 2018 open enrollment

Health

Change from one health plan to another:

- State Health Plan Standard Plan;
- State Health Plan Savings Plan; or
- GEA TRICARE Supplement Plan (available to eligible members of the military community).

Enroll yourself or any eligible dependents in health coverage.
If you are eligible for Medicare, you may enroll in or change from the Medicare Supplemental Plan.
Drop health coverage for yourself or any dependents.

If you enroll in the Savings Plan in October, you may also sign up for a Health Savings Account (HSA). Learn more below in the MoneyPlus section.

Dental

Changes to existing dental coverage can only be made during open enrollment in odd-numbered years. Your next opportunity to add or drop dental coverage will be October 2019.

Vision

Enroll in or drop State Vision Plan coverage for yourself and/or your eligible family members.

Life insurance

Enroll in or increase Optional Life coverage with evidence of insurability.
Enroll in or increase Dependent Life-Spouse coverage with evidence of insurability.
Enroll in or drop Dependent Life-Child coverage.
Drop or decrease Optional Life and Dependent Life-Spouse coverage.

Long term disability

Apply for Supplemental Long Term Disability coverage with medical evidence of good health.
Drop Supplemental Long Term Disability coverage or increase waiting period.

MoneyPlus

Enroll in or drop the Pretax Group Insurance Premium feature.
Enroll or re-enroll in flexible spending accounts:
- Medical Spending Account.
- Limited-use Medical Spending Account (available to Savings Plan members only).
- Dependent Care Spending Account.
Enroll or re-enroll in a Health Savings Account (available to Savings Plan members only).

MyBenefits

The easiest way to change your coverage during open enrollment is through MyBenefits at mybenefits.sc.gov. During October, each section in which you are eligible to make changes includes links to instructions.

If you’re the subscriber, you can use MyBenefits throughout the year to:

Update your contact information;
Print a list of the insurance plans under which you are covered;
Get your eight-digit Benefits Identification Number (BIN);
Make changes during special eligibility situations including birth, adoption, marriage and divorce;
Update your life insurance beneficiaries; and
Approve changes made as a result of a special eligibility situation.

To protect your insurance information, you must register the first time you use MyBenefits. Learn how to register here.

Follow up on your open enrollment changes

In January, log in to MyBenefits at mybenefits.sc.gov. Select Review Benefits from the drop-down list to see your 2019 benefits. If you notice any errors, contact your benefits administrator immediately. Retirees, COBRA subscribers or survivors of a state agency, higher education institution or public school district should contact PEBA. If you are a retiree, COBRA subscriber or survivor of a local subdivision, contact the benefits administrator at the local subdivision with which you have a coverage relationship.

What happens if you miss open enrollment?

Open enrollment ends October 31, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. Once the deadline has passed, you must wait until either the next October or until you enter a special eligibility situation. These occur after life events like getting married or having children. Insurance changes must be made within 31 days of the event.