Beginning Oct. 15, faculty and staff can adjust their benefits selections for the coming year.    

“Whether you’re expecting a new addition to your family and need to change your medical insurance coverage or you want to sign up for dental or vision coverage, now is the time to make these changes to your benefits plans,” said Darlene Wright, director of employee benefits. “And our team is here to make the process as easy as possible.” 

This year’s benefits open enrollment period will run through Nov. 9. The following resources are available to faculty and staff to assist them with the decision-making process: 

• 2013 Benefits Guide. These were mailed to faculty and staff members’ homes last week. 
• Benefits Fair. The fair will be held on Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom and will feature more than 30 vendors. The benefits team will be also available to assist with any questions. 
• Health Plan Evaluator. This new web-based tool can help people identify which of the medical plans offered by Tech is best for them. Nontobacco users may log in at www.ubaplanevaluator.com/gtnontobacco (username: gtnontobacco). Tobacco users may log in at www.ubaplanevaluator.com/gttobacco (username: gttobacco). The password in both instances is “mybenefits.” 
• Website. Go to www.ohr.gatech.edu/openenrollment for information about what’s changing, plan overviews, tools and resources, FAQs, and how to enroll in benefits.   
• Email. Contact a member of the benefits team with your questions by emailing benefits@ohr.gatech.edu. 

What’s Changing

Medical

• Employees can once again enroll in the previously frozen Blue Cross Blue Shield and Kaiser HMO plans.
• HMO copays for specialist visits, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, and emergency room services will increase.
• Medical plan premiums will increase anywhere from less than 1 percent to 8.5 percent. 

Dental

• The MetLife dental plan annual maximum benefit will increase from $1,200 to $1,500 per covered person. Composite fillings will now be covered.
• The two existing Humana dental plans will be replaced with two new plans through Delta Dental, which will provide broader network access. A new PPO plan will be offered at the same premium as the current PPO plan, while the HMO plan will be offered at a lower premium than the existing Humana Access plan. Employees enrolled in the Humana plans will automatically be enrolled in the respective Delta Dental plan, unless they indicate otherwise.

Supplemental Insurance

• The UNUM and CIGNA supplemental life insurance premiums have decreased. 
• Expanded spouse life insurance options are now available through CIGNA. 
• The CIGNA employee supplemental life insurance maximum is increasing. 

Other Benefits

• A voluntary group legal plan will now be offered through ARAG. The plan offers 100 percent, paid-in-full, network attorney fees for many covered legal matters including family law, wills and estate planning and debt-related matters.  

What’s Not Changing

Dental

• Premiums for the MetLife dental plan will remain the same. 

Vision

• Providers, plan designs and premiums will remain the same. 

Supplemental Insurance

• A variety of optional life, critical illness, whole life and other supplemental insurances will continue to be offered.

Other Benefits

• Employees may still choose to participate in the Bank at Work Program, which provides discounts at Bank of America, Georgia United Credit Union, State Bank & Trust and Wells Fargo. Each bank offers discounts on a variety of banking services including free checking, discounted mortgage loan services and free safety deposit boxes.