Inside Iowa State

Oct. 19, 2007

Merit enrollment opens Oct. 26

by Anne Krapfl

The open change period for non-supervisory merit employees who participate in the State of Iowa Plan for medical and dental care is 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 26, to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26. The coverage period for this plan mirrors the calendar year (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2008). This plan is negotiated by the state's Department of Administrative Services; Iowa State's role is to help eligible employees enroll in it.

The same six health care plans currently offered will be available in the 2008 plan year: Program 3 Plus and Iowa Select, both offered by Wellmark, and four managed care plans. In the managed care "closed" plan category (United Healthcare Heritage Select and Wellmark Blue Advantage), a primary care physician is required and refers participants to in-network specialists. In the "open" plan category (United Healthcare Choice and Wellmark Blue Access), participants may self-refer to in-network providers.

The State of Iowa Plan also continues to have one dental plan option in 2008.

Employee premiums for single coverage in all the plans - health and dental - will remain at $0 in 2008, as will employee premiums for family coverage in three of the four managed care options. The employee premium for family coverage in the fourth (United Healthcare Choice) drops about 83 percent - from $55 to $9.28 per month.

Otis said these premiums are established by the state in its negotiations with the medical plans. ISU is not a participant in the discussions.

Employee premiums for family coverage under the last two Wellmark health plan options are headed in opposite directions: down 18 percent, to $219.44 per month, for the Program 3 Plus, and up nearly 15 percent, to $220.90 per month, for the Iowa Select plan.

The optional vision plan and voluntary life plan being offered in 2008 to ISU Plan participants (see main story) also will be available to non-supervisory merit employees.

Merit staff must fill out forms for any changes they opt to make.

Some forms are available online. Forms also are available in 3770 Beardshear. The benefits office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ISU Plan open enrollment starts Oct. 29