2024 Open Enrollment

October 25, 2023 –  Open Enrollment Presentation

November 1, 2023 – Open Enrollment Begins: Visit the benefits portal to review your current elections and make changes.

November 14, 2023 – Open Enrollment Closes at 4pm

After 4pm on November 14, 2023 – No more changes can be made for Open Enrollment. Only changes for a qualified life event are able to be made for 2024 benefits.

January 1, 2024 – New benefit elections will take effect.

Plan For Me

Plan For Me is an online tool through HealthPartners that helps you compare your health plan options and potential costs – all based on your unique situation.

To get started, go to healthpartners.com/planforme

You’ll need the following information:

• Group Number: 3100
• Site Number: 0
• Effective Date of plan: 01/01/2024

Employee User Guide for the Plan For Me online tool.

USI Benefits Resource Center

USI’s Benefit Resource Center (BRC) is designed to provide you with a responsive, consistent, hands-on approach to benefit inquiries. Benefit Specialists are available to help determine which plan is best for you and your family, answer questions on all Macalester offered benefits, claims assistance, and billing issues you may have.

The specialists in the Benefit Resource Center are available Monday – Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm at (855) 874-0742 or via email at [email protected].

Health Insurance Premiums & Plan Design Changes for 2024

High Deductible Health Plan

	0.75 FTE and above	0.50 – 0.74 FTE
Employee	$123.61	$242.21
Employee + 1	$372.68	$616.47
Employee + 2+	$542.65	$899.76

PPO Plan

	0.75 FTE and above	0.50 – 0.74 FTE
Employee	$186.58	$368.16
Employee + 1	$567.65	$941.41
Employee + 2+	$829.33	$1,377.56

Beginning in 2024:

• You can obtain a 12-month supply of contraceptives at one time.
• Virtuwell is covered at 100%
• Drugs prescribed for weight loss are excluded (e.g. Wegovy, Ozempic)
• Additional diagnostic and testing services after a mammogram that are in-network are covered at 100% under the PPO plan and are covered at 100% after the deductible is met under the HDHP plan.

Health Savings Account (HSA) Limits

The HSA limits for 2024 will be increasing to the following amounts:

• Individual: $4,150
• Family: $8,300

Participants 55 and older can still contribute an extra $1,000 to their HSA.

Nice Healthcare

Spouses/Domestic Partners and Dependent Children up to age 26 of employees who are enrolled in one of our health plans may utilize Nice Healthcare at no cost, even if the Spouse/Domestic Partner or children are not enrolled on our health plan.

Dental Insurance Premiums for 2024

Preventive Plan

Employee	$4.74
Employee + 1	$13.60
Employee + 2+	$22.87

Comprehensive Plan

Employee	$22.66
Employee + 1	$55.62
Employee + 2+	$92.70

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

You are now able to contribute up to $3,200 to your Healthcare FSA and Limited Healthcare FSA for 2024. You will also be able to rollover up to $640 into the next plan year if necessary.

Employee Voluntary Life

For the 2024 Open Enrollment period, you will be able to elect up to $250,000 worth of coverage without having to complete health questions, otherwise known as Evidence of Insurability. Elections over $250,000 up to $600,00 will require the health questions.

Dependent Voluntary Life

For the 2024 Open Enrollment period, you will be able to elect coverage for a spouse/domestic partner or child(ren) without having to complete health questions, otherwise known as Evidence of Insurability (EOI). Spouses/domestic partners are covered at $25,000 and child(ren) up to age 26 are covered at $10,000

Short-Term Disability

For the 2024 Open Enrollment period, you will be able to elect coverage without having to complete health questions, otherwise known as Evidence of Insurability (EOI).

Am I required to complete Open Enrollment?

Macalester observes a passive open enrollment, meaning that we do not require employees to complete the open enrollment process.  Though, we do strongly encourage all employees to review their elections to ensure they are still a good fit. As a reminder, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) elections, such as the Healthcare FSA, Limited Healthcare FSA, and Dependent Care FSA do not roll over and require reenrollment each year.

When does Open Enrollment begin and end?

Open Enrollment will begin on Wednesday, November 1 and will close at 4 pm on Tuesday, November 14.

Where do I go to make my Open Enrollment elections?

You will want to visit our Benefits Portal to make your open enrollment elections. Once you have clicked the link, it will bring you directly into our benefit enrollment system called Bswift. You are also able to access Bswift through 1600grand. In your Employee Dashboard you will see a button labeled Benefits. Click that button and you will be directed to the benefit enrollment system.

What are the Health Savings Account (HSA) limits for 2024?

For individual plans, the limit for 2024 is $4,150. For family plans, the limit for 2024 is $8,300. If you are 55 or older, you are able to contribute an additional $1,000. These limits are both the employee and employer contributions combined.

Can my spouse/domestic partner who is not on my Macalester health plan still use Nice Healthcare?

Yes, this is new for 2024! Spouses, domestic partners, and children up to the age of 26 are able to use Nice Healthcare even if they are not covered on your Macalester health plan.

How long can my dependent child be covered on my benefits?

Your child is allowed to be covered by Macalester benefits until the end of the month in which they turn 26.

What happens if my child gets a full-time, benefits eligible job mid-year? Can I drop them from my insurance?

Yes, this would be considered a qualified life event and you would have the opportunity to drop coverage for your child. Human Resources would need to know within 30 days of the life event and would require documentation showing that your child has coverage elsewhere.

Does my FSA rollover happen automatically?

Yes, the rollover will happen automatically.

What changes are taking place with weight loss medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic? 

Medications that are prescribed for weight loss, including GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, will no longer be covered on our health plan starting on January 1, 2024. However, these medications will continue to be covered by the plan for the treatment of diabetes. Plan participants who are on these medications for diabetes will now be required to receive prior authorization to ensure its use is for diabetes. We encourage anyone on these medications to work with their treating clinician to ensure proper authorization has been provided to HealthPartners.

What is the difference between an HSA and an FSA?

An HSA is a type of tax-advantaged savings account where you set aside money through payroll deductions to help pay for medical expenses — like prescription medications, office visits, or other expenses related to diagnosing, treating, or preventing illnesses. HSA funds can roll over at the end of the year and have higher contribution limits.

An FSA is another type of tax-advantaged savings account where you set aside money through payroll deductions to help pay for qualified medical expenses. FSA funds have a “use-it or lose-it” rule and only allow for a small amount to rollover at the end of the year. So, during open enrollment you’ll have to decide how much money you want to set aside for the year, which can be difficult to predict.

The main difference between an HSA and an FSA comes down to flexibility. With an HSA, there are higher contribution limits compared to an FSA, and HSAs are portable, which means you can take the account with you if you were to switch jobs or leave the workforce. You’re also able to roll over your remaining balance from year to year with an HSA, while an FSA doesn’t allow for that same flexibility.

What can I use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for?

With an Employee Assistance Program, you can get support for everyday issues and life challenges. Macalester’s EAP program, offered through Cigna, is able to connect you with real people who can help you find solutions to life’s challenges. Whether it’s locating a peanut-free preschool, getting legal advice on a speeding ticket or managing workplace stress, EAP will be able to help you get the support you need to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Our Employee Assistance Program offers services such as:

• Emotional Health: Get referrals to dedicated, licensed counselors. Connect by phone, in virtual session or face-to-face for support on a range of topics such as: Mental Health, Relationships, Management of anxiety, depression and stress, Substance Use.
• Home Life Referral: EAP is able to help with issues that impact your work-life balance including: Child care, Eldercare, Home Repairs, Pet Care.
• Financial and Legal Assistance: Whether you need help with budgeting strategies or will preparation, EAP can connect you with professional assistance for issues like: Student Loan Repayment, Tenant Rights, Power of attorney and living wills.
• Job and Career Support: Connect with EAP for resources and referrals in areas including: Work-related stress, Time Management ,Professional Development.

These services are all confidential and available at no additional cost to you and anyone living in your household. Connect anytime by calling 1-877-622-4327 or visiting their website at mycigna.com. The Employer ID is ‘macalester’ for initial registration.

What is Nice Healthcare?

Nice Healthcare is a primary care clinic that offers you and your family unlimited virtual and in-home visits with clinicians.  If you are enrolled in one of Macalester’s health plans, you are automatically enrolled in Nice. Your spouse/domestic partner and children up to age 26 can also use Nice even if they’re not enrolled in a health plan through Macalester.   Macalester covers 100% of the premium so there is no cost to you or your family members when you use Nice!

Nice Healthcare is a clinic that comes to you! They offer:

• Same-day chat and video visits: Diagnosis, prescriptions, treatment plans, care guidance, referrals, and more – care when you need it from anywhere you happen to be.
• In-Home Visits: Need a blood draw, a rapid test, a physical exam, or any other in-person need? Nice will come to you with 35 free labs and physical tests!
• Full-Service Prescriptions: Nice integrates with nearly every pharmacy in the country and provides white glove support to make your prescription experience simple. Plus, Nice provides 550+ medications for free.
• Virtual Physical Therapy: You’ll get access to licensed physical therapists who are trained to diagnose and treat virtually, allowing you to get better without the hassle of endless in-person visits.
• Virtual Mental Health Therapy: Nice mental health therapists focus on prevention, helping you to self-manage your mild to moderate mental health needs. Don’t wait to start feeling better!
• In-Home X-ray and EKGs: Nice can send a mobile imaging technician right to your home to conduct x-rays, EKGs.

Use the Nice Healthcare app to schedule visits, chat with clinicians, attend video visits, review treatment plans, upload documents, and more.

Is there a change to our well-being reward for 2024?

Slightly. In the past, both an employee and their covered spouse/partner had to complete well-being activities to earn one $300 reward card. In 2024 employees and their spouse/partner will each be able to earn their own reward card valued at $150. HealthPartners made this change to be more equitable and create a better customer experience. Macalester’s well-being reward criteria remains the same: complete your annual health assessment and two eligible activities.  We encourage everyone to have an annual preventive visit with their provider, as it will count as one of your activities.

How do I find in-network providers for health, dental, and vision?

You’ve most likely heard the term “in-network” when it comes to Macalester insurance plans, but what does that mean exactly? When facilities, healthcare providers, pharmacies, and suppliers are in-network that means our insurance company has contracted with them to provide services. Typically, you will receive better coverage and pay less when you go to a provider in-network versus out-of-network. HealthPartners, Delta Dental, and VSP Vision Care make it easy to find providers who are in-network to help you make the best decision for you and your covered family.

HealthPartners:  You can search for doctors and medical practitioners, clinics, hospitals, surgical centers, etc. Be sure to select the plan network called ‘Open Access Network’.

Delta Dental:  You can search for General Dentists, Oral Surgeons, Orthodontists, Periodontists, etc. When selecting the plan network, there are two options: Delta Dental PPO and Delta Dental Premier. As a reminder, the Delta Dental PPO Network will provide you with the best level of coverage.

VSP Vision Care: You can search for eye doctors by location, office, and name.

How much can I contribute to my retirement in 2024?

For 2024, the annual contribution limit per IRS regulations is $23,000. For folks aged 50+, they are able to make an additional $7,500 contribution known as a ‘catch-up contribution, bringing their annual contribution limit to $30,500.

Is there anyone I can talk to about my retirement portfolio?

Individual counseling sessions are provided through TIAA representatives and are available to all Macalester staff and faculty. A session with a TIAA Financial consultant can help you create a unique plan for your goals and answer any questions you have about your retirement portfolio. And, it’s at no additional cost as it’s a part of your retirement plan.

To schedule your individual counseling session, visit www.tiaa.org/schedulenow

Am I able to make changes to my benefit elections outside of the Open Enrollment period?

The Open Enrollment period allows you to make changes to your benefit elections without requiring a qualifying event. After the Open Enrollment period, you are only able to make changes if you have a qualified life event (QLE). Common examples of a qualified life event are: marriage, divorce, birth or adoption, a spouse or domestic partner gaining or losing coverage, and death. If you think you have a qualifying life event, please reach out to the HR department within 30 days of the event. We do require documentation in order for the QLE to be made.