HUMAN RESOURCES

Open Enrollment: April 8-17

This year's annual Open Enrollment period begins on Wednesday, April 8 and closes on Friday, April 17. Open Enrollment is the time to:

review your current PennChoice plan elections;
learn about new benefits and changes to current benefits;
review your plan options; and
choose the coverages that best meet your needs and those of your family.

The choices you make during Open Enrollment become effective on July 1, 1998 and remain in effect through June 30, 1999. You can only change your PennChoice elections mid-year if you have a qualifying life change event. Your PennChoice enrollment packet, which has been mailed to your home, provides information on qualifying life change events.

Key Open Enrollment Dates:

April 8 through April 17

The Benefits Enrollment Network (BEN), Penn's interactive telephone enrollment system, opens on April 8 and closes at midnight on April 17. You must call BEN by midnight April 17 to make any changes to your benefits elections or enroll in a Health Care or Dependent Care Pre-Tax Expense Account.
CNA Insurance's telephone enrollment system opens on April 8 and closes at midnight on April 17. You must call the system by midnight April 17 to enroll yourself in Long Term Care. April 17 is the deadline for returning eligible family members' applications for Long Term Care to CNA Insurance. (See Long Term Care below for more information on enrolling yourself and eligible family members.)

April 21

If you are adding dependents to your coverage, waiving medical coverage for the first time or waiving dental coverage (a new option this year), BEN will fax or mail a form to you that you must complete and return with dependent documentation, when applicable, to the Benefits Office by April 21, to complete your enrollment or waiver. (Your PennChoice book provides more information on this process.)

If You Need Additional Information and Assistance During Open Enrollment

Stop by one of the Open Enrollment Fairs listed below and talk to a Benefits Specialist. Please bring your Open Enrollment packet with you.
Call the Open Enrollment hotline at (215) 898-0852 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hotline will be open from April 8 to April 17.
Visit the Benefits Office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and meet with a Benefits Specialist. Please bring your Open Enrollment packet with you.

Long Term Care

Long Term Care is a new benefit which will be effective July 1, 1998. CNA Insurance is administering the benefit. Please look for information on Long Term Care in your enrollment packet.

To learn about Long Term Care, attend one of the Benefits Fairs or lunch time sessions listed below, pick up an information kit at the fairs, sessions or Benefits Office or call CNA Insurance at 1-800-528-4582.
To enroll yourself in Long Term Care call CNA's telephone enrollment system at 1-800-262-1949 between April 8 and April 17. If you are a full-time benefits eligible faculty or staff member, you may call CNA directly to enroll or call BEN (follow the voice instructions for Long Term Care) and BEN will transfer you to CNA's telephone enrollment system.
To enroll an eligible family member pick up an information packet, complete the application in the packet and return it to CNA Insurance by April 17. Follow the instructions in the packet.

After Open Enrollment

May: You will receive a confirmation statement in May from the Benefits Office that summarizes all of your benefits elections with the exception of Long Term Care. If you enroll in Long Term Care, you will receive a separate Long Term Care confirmation statement from CNA Insurance. Carefully review your confirmation statement and contact the Benefits Office immediately if you have any questions about your benefit elections. If you have questions about Long Term Care, call CNA Insurance at 1-800-528-4582 or send an e-mail to gltc.custservice@cna.com.

June: The first payroll deductions for the 1998-1999 Plan Year coverage will begin in June. Review your deductions and contact the Benefits Office immediately if you have any questions about deductions for all benefits with the exception of Long Term Care. Contact CNA Insurance with questions about deductions for Long Term Care.

July: The first payroll deductions for contributions to Health Care and Dependent Care Pre-Tax Expense Accounts will begin in July. Review your deductions and contact the Benefits Office immediately, if you have any questions.

Open Enrollment Events

Event Location Date Time

Long Term Care Sessions

Houston Hall
Smith-Penniman Rm 3417 Spruce Street
April 6

12-1 p.m.
1-2 p.m.

Long Term Care Sessions

Houston Hall Smith-Penniman Rm 3417 Spruce Street
April 8

12-1 p.m.
1-2 p.m.

Main Benefits Fair Faculty Club Alumni Hall 200 S. 36th St. April 9 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Long Term Care Sessions

Houston Hall
Smith-Penniman Rm 3417 Spruce Street
April 13

12-1 p.m.
1-2 p.m.

Benefits Fair

New Bolton Center
at New Bolton Center Kennett Square, PA
April 14 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Benefits Fair

Dental School
at the Dental School Lobby 40th & Locust
April 15 10 a.m.-2 p.m

Long Term Care Sessions

Houston Hall
Smith-Penniman Rm 3417 Spruce Street
April 16

12-1 p.m.
1-2 p.m.

Please review your enrollment materials and take advantage of the services, fairs and lunch time sessions offered by Human Resources/Benefits during the Open Enrollment Period.

--Leny V. Bader
Director, Human Resources/Benefits

Errata-PennChoice Booklet

Pages 6-7: Under Mental Health, all provisions under BC/BS Plan 100, PENNCare and UPHS Point of Service (POS) should have been printed in blue, indicating that changes were made in the benefits.

Page 11: In the blue box on the left side of the page, the e-mail address for CNA has a typo. The correct address is gltc.custservice@cna.com.

Almanac, Vol. 44, No. 28, April 7, 1998

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