Penn's Benefits Open Enrollment process is once again approaching: a time to re-evaluate personal and family insurance requirements, and to continue or change coverage options as needed. This year there are changes involved throughout the overall package. Both new benefits and plan changes are outlined in detail in the printed materials being mailed to faculty and staff homes this week, under the title of "PennChoice."
To help the faculty and staff make informed choices about insurance, a broad schedule of informational meetings is being offered. At those meetings--the dates and times of which are listed below and in a flyer being mailed around campus this week--presentations will be made by both Penn Benefits specialists and representatives from Penn's health care plan providers. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about health insurance options, dental plans, and other aspects of the total Penn Benefits Package.
In addition to the Open Enrollment meetings, the annual Benefits Fair and several Mini-Fairs will provide information on a personal basis. Also, a series of seminars dealing with workplace issues in the '90s--on such wellness topics as managing stress, the quality of worklife, and nutrition--will be offered at the dates, times, and locations listed here ( see below).
Open Enrollment--which this year includes a new interactive voice registration procedure called "BEN"--is from Monday, April 28, through Wednesday, May 7. BEN is explained in the "PennChoice" material being mailed to homes, and will be discussed in Almanac shortly.
Regardless of where or when any of the following meetings are being held, Penn faculty and staff are invited to attend as many of them as they choose. Most meetings last about an hour or so. Bring to the meetings any questions and the personal Open Enrollment "PennChoice" information kit to help get as much information as you need.
The first group of meetings takes place before Open Enrollment begins and is designed to provide information about medical plan options. Representatives from both Human Resources Benefits and Penn's health care plan providers will be there to make presentations and answer questions about changes in the plans.
On Tuesday, April 29, during Open Enrollment, Human Resources is planning its annual "Benefits Fair," an event held at the Faculty Club at which faculty and staff can get information on any Benefits topic. Members of Human Resources will be there to help explain the Open Enrollment process.
Open Enrollment closes at midnight on May 7. Faculty and staff must make choices by then and phone them in through BEN to insure that the correct Benefits profile will be in effect for the coming fiscal year.
More information about BEN--and other aspects of Open Enrollment--will follow in subsequent editions of Almanac. For any questions, call the Benefits office at 898-7282.
-- Human Resources/Benefits
Almanac
Volume 43 Number 29
April 8, 1997
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