April 29, 2014
To: Benefits-Eligible Faculty and Staff
From: James P. Davito, Executive Director, University Payroll and Benefits (UPB)
Subject: FY2015 Benefit Choice (NESSIE) Enrollment Period
The State Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has announced that the FY2015 Benefit Choice enrollment period begins May 1 and will end on June 2, 2014. The FY2015 plan year begins on July 1, 2014 and ends on June 30, 2015.
Benefit Choice on NESSIEgo.illinois.edu/BenefitChoice15
During the Benefit Choice period employees may use NESSIE to change their State health and life coverage, opt into the State group insurance health plan; opt out of the State group health insurance plan with proof of non-state health coverage; opt into or opt out of the State dental plan; and enroll or re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Part-time employees may waive or elect coverage. Employees may also add (documentation is required) or drop dependents. Opt out and dependent documentation should be faxed to 217-244-3135 on or before June 12. If you do not want to change health, dental, life or dependent coverage, your current elections will continue and you do not need to do anything.
Beginning on May 1, 2014, Benefit Choice NESSIE will be available with reference material and forms.
- Benefit Choice Options booklet
- Detailed information about the benefit changes effective July 1, 2014
- Online Enrollment for Benefit Choice (Please do NOT use the forms on the CMS website)
- Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) and Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) online forms and instructions (Please do NOT use the forms on the CMS website)
- Benefit Choice Information Session schedules
Benefit Choice Changes
CMS will be mailing an eight-page flyer to employees' home addresses outlining the Benefit Choice changes. Employees should carefully review all information in the flyer as there are changes to health plan co-payments, deductibles, co-insurance, out-of-pocket maximums; prescription deductible, dental plan deductible, vision co-payments and the replacement schedule for vision lenses and contacts. These changes are summarized on page two of the flyer.
There are changes to the Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) for the FY2015 plan year. The MCAP grace period currently in effect for the FY2014 plan year allows participants to incur expenses from July 1 through September 15, 2014 and submit claims for reimbursement from FY2014 remaining balances. The grace period remains in effect for the current FY2014 plan year and services rendered through September 15, 2014 will use any remaining FY2014 funds.
The grace period is being eliminated for FY2015, but any MCAP balance up to $500 remaining after September 30, 2015 will automatically be carried over to the next plan year's MCAP account. This carryover could result in an MCAP account of $3,000 for the FY2016 plan year. Those who do not re-enroll for the FY2016 plan year and have a balance in their MCAP account after September 30 would forfeit the FY2015 account balance. The carryover provision does not apply to Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) accounts.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Important Information
If you want to participate again or participate for the first time in an FSA MCAP or DCAP, you will need to enroll though NESSIE. Re-enrollment in an FSA is not automatic.
As of the date of this mailing, an FSA plan administrator had not been selected by CMS. Once the administrator is announced, information will be posted on NESSIE and UPB will send a communication to employees with claim submission details.
Premiums
Employee health plan contributions, dependent health plan premiums and dental and life premiums are unchanged from the current plan year. Part-time employee rates are not yet available and will be posted on NESSIE as soon as they are released.
Dependent Eligibility Verification Audit (DEVA)
CMS has scheduled the DEVA audit for fall of FY2015. If during the audit an employee is found to be covering an ineligible dependent, the employee may be subject to a financial penalty, including but not limited to repayment of all premiums the State of Illinois made on behalf of the employee as well as expenses incurred by the Program.
Questions
If you have questions, please review the information on NESSIE prior to contacting your campus UPB office.
- Email – benefits@uillinois.edu
- Urbana – 217-333-3111
- Chicago – 312-996-6471
- Springfield – 217-206-7144
- Documentation Fax Number – 217-244-3135
