March 1999 Trust Talk

Open Enrollment Decisions

Two Slated For Spring '99

As of press date, there will be two enrollment periods this spring for Union-represented State employees. The first to occur will be a limited enrollment sponsored by DAS, and the second will be a full open enrollment sponsored by the Trust. Here's what to expect, and when (in calendar order):

APRIL 26 - MAY 4:
Sponsored by DAS

During this enrollment period, you may change or add dependents to your existing coverage, and/or enroll in a medical plan if you are not currently enrolled.

If you have dependents age 19 or older, you must file a new affidavit with your Payroll/Personnel officer by May 14, or these dependents will lose coverage under all plans. This is an annual requirement. Once your affidavit is on file you do not need to re-file during Trust enrollment.

You will receive more information from DSA in April about this enrollment. If you have questions about this enrollment, please contact the Office of Benefits Administration at 614- 466-8857 or 800-409-1205, or email benefits@ocb.state.oh.us.

MAY 17 - JUNE 4:
sponsored by the Trust.

During this time frame, you may change or add dental, vision or supple mental life insurance coverage for you and your eligible dependents.

We've received some questions on the Trust's customer service line. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Why two different enrollments?

As you'll notice, the open enrollment periods are not only at different times, but are also different in the level of changes you can make. We can't speak for DAS, but can tell you about our rationale and timing. The Trust, governed by the Unions, is charged with offering members consistent choice. For us, this means having an enrollment each year, and, more importantly, offering you a choice among high-quality plans.

Employees who are part of :

• OCSEA/AFSCME Local 11
• District 1199/SEIU
• OSTA
• FOP/OLC
• SCOPE/OEA or
• CWA

and have worked for the State for at least a year can choose among three different dental plans and two different vision plans. And, these plans are really "different" from one another: your dental choices range from a traditional plan (Quality Dental) to a PPO plan (Preferred Choice) to a managed care plan (DMO); and your vision choices vary from an extensive network of doctors (VSP) to a well-represented network of retail-based providers (Cole).

Will the Trust continue to offer us a choice of benefit plans?

We hope so. There are a number of things that have an impact on the benefits we can offer. We thoroughly review our plans on a regular basis to ensure that they are meeting our quality standards. If they can no longer meet our criteria, we may decide to make changes. We may also need to make changes based on the results of the 2000 negotiation: The Trust relies on the Union-negotiated fees gained during collective bargaining to provide your benefits, and we hope that we will be able to sustain the level of your current benefits after fees are negotiated successfully during the Winter-Spring 2000 bargaining.

What changes can I make during each enrollment?

During Trust-sponsored enrollment May 17 - June 4, you may change the dental, vision or supplemental life insurance coverage for you or your family (if you have at least one year of State service). The benefits you automatically receive (basic life and disability gap insurance after one year of State service, or Working Solutions Service at hire) have not changed, and you do not need to do anything related to these plans; UNLESS, you have not declared a beneficiary. You must designate a beneficiary for your basic and or supplemental life benefits if you haven't already. You can check the status of your beneficiaries in the booklet-certificate mailing you will receive from Prudential soon.

During the April 26 - May 14 enrollment period sponsored by DAS, you may change or add dependents to your existing coverage, and/or you may enroll in a medical plan (only if you are not currently enrolled in one). Again, if you have any questions about this enrollment, please call 614-466-8857 or 800-409-1205, or email benefits@ocb.state.oh.us to contact the Office of Benefits Administration.

Why can't I change my medical plan?

The Trust offers you dental, vision and life insurance (plus disability gap and Working Solutions Service) but not medical insurance, so we can't really answer this one for you. We are committed to offering you the opportunity to regularly review your coverage from the Trust to make sure it stays consistent with your family's changing needs, and to giving you real choices for the coverage that will best meet your and your family's needs.

Look for an enrollment guide to arrive in mid-May from the Trust. It will include highlights of the plans for which you're eligible and all the forms you need to enroll in or change your coverage.