OPEN ENROLLMENT: PLAN YEAR 2025

Enrollment period: Sept. 30 - Oct. 25, 2024   |  Effective date of changes: Jan. 1, 2025

 

The Open Enrollment period is your opportunity to choose the health plan coverage that best suits the needs of you and your family. This year’s enrollment process will be different because there are two enrollment platforms. The one you use depends on which benefit you are enrolling in—eBenefits (Benefitfocus) or UNC (Empyrean). Remember, YOU MUST TAKE ACTION during the enrollment dates: Sept. 30 - Oct. 25, 2024.  

During Open Enrollment, benefits-eligible employees will be able to enroll in or update the following benefits:

  • Health
  • Accident
  • Cancer and specified disease
  • Critical Illness
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Group term life
  • Accidental death and dismemberment

Highlights for 2025

  • There will be no employee premium rate increases for the State Health Plan.
  • The Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20) and Base PPO Plan (70/30) are the same plans offered previously to State Health Plan members. As in prior years, all eligible employees enrolled in the State Health Plan will be automatically enrolled in the 70/30 Plan. Those who wish to enroll in the 80/20 Plan will need to take action during open enrollment. Additionally, those who would like to reduce their monthly premium by $60 will need to complete the tobacco attestation during the open enrollment period. 
A NOTE FOR STATE HEALTH PLAN MEMBERS WHO ARE TOBACCO USERS:
  • Starting July 1, 2024, active members of the State Health Plan who are tobacco users must attend a tobacco cessation counseling session to earn a lower premium for 2025. Here’s how it works: 
    • Members should visit any provider’s office that offers the service for free to earn a lower premium for 2025.
    • After members visit a provider for their tobacco cessation session, the provider will submit a claim on their behalf. To ensure they receive credit for their visit, members can upload their office visit summary to the “Document Center” located in eBenefits. Members should be sure to request a copy of their summary during their visit. Note: If employees combine their tobacco cessation visit with another service, there may be a copay.
    • During open enrollment, they will need to attest during the online enrollment process. This step is critical to ensure employees receive the lower premium for 2025. As a reminder, this action is only for members who are tobacco users who want to reduce their monthly premium by $60 per month in 2025. Members who are NOT tobacco users will simply attest to that online during open enrollment.

State Health Plan
 

The State Health Plan will maintain its current employee premium rates for the 2025 plan year and will continue to offer two Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans administered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina — the Base PPO Plan (70/30) and the Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20). 

As in prior years, all eligible employees enrolled in the State Health Plan will be automatically enrolled in the 70/30 Plan. Those who wish to enroll in the 80/20 Plan will need to take action during open enrollment. 

Additionally, those who would like to reduce their monthly premium by $60 will need to complete the tobacco attestation during the open enrollment period.

Starting July 1, 2024, active members of the State Health Plan who are tobacco users must attend a tobacco cessation counseling session to earn a lower premium for 2024.
Here’s how it works: 
  • Members should visit any provider’s office that offers the service for free to earn a lower premium for 2025. 
  • After members visit a provider for their tobacco cessation session, the provider will submit a claim on their behalf. To ensure they receive credit for their visit, members can upload their office visit summary to the “Document Center” located in eBenefits. Members should be sure to request a copy of their summary during their visit. Note: If employees combine their tobacco cessation visit with another service, there may be a copay.
  • During open enrollment, they will need to attest during the online enrollment process. This step is critical to ensure employees receive the lower premium for 2025.
As a reminder, this action is only for members who are tobacco users who want to reduce their monthly premium by $60 per month in 2025. Members who are NOT tobacco users will simply attest to that online during open enrollment.

 

Note: If employees combine their tobacco cessation visit with another service, there may be a copay. 

What you need to know about enrolling in 2025 benefits


When open enrollment begins on Monday, September 30, 2024, there will be two enrollment platforms:

1. eBenefits (BenefitFocus)

Everyone will need to log in to this platform to enroll/make changes to your elections for:
  • Health through the State Health Plan (SHP)
In addition, you will go here to answer your tobacco attestation if you elect to enroll for health coverage under the State Health Plan and want to receive the wellness premium credit. 

Enroll Here

2. UNC (Empyrean)

You will go here to enroll in/make changes to your elections for:
  • Life Insurance
  • Voluntary Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
  • Cancer and Specified Disease
  • Critical Illness
  • Dental 
  • Vision
  • Accident
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • TRICARE coverage
Important: If you are currently enrolled in the Life Insurance, AD&D (Core and/or Voluntary), Cancer and Specified Disease, and/or Critical Illness plans, you will need to log in to the UNC (Empyrean) platform and designate your beneficiary(ies). Your current beneficiary(ies) will NOT be transferred over to the UNC (Empyrean) platform.

Enroll Here

UNC System Group Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) 

The UNC System has partnered with Securian Financial to provide a consolidated life insurance plan that offers coverage for employees, spouses or domestic partners, and dependent children. The links below include important information about what is available to you. Learn more about the coverage options available to you, special plan features and services and costs for coverage. You can also calculate your estimated monthly premium payment, which will be conveniently deducted from your paycheck. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, University employees will no longer participate in the life insurance plan offered by NCFlex. As a result, all NCFlex life insurance coverage will be mapped to the existing UNC life insurance plan with Securian Financial. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the UNC System will also offer AD&D coverage with Securian Financial. This new offering will replace the current AD&D coverage offered by NCFlex. Employees currently enrolled in AD&D through NCFlex will have their coverage automatically mapped to the new UNC AD&D plan for January 2025.

Enroll here

 

DHR Resources 

The N.C. A&T Division of Human Resources/Benefits Office will provide information sessions to help you navigate the open enrollment process. Please contact a Human Resources Benefits Counselor. 

In-Person Assistance during Open Enrollment Period – September 30, 2024 - October 25, 2024.

Human Resources will provide in-person assistance during the open enrollment period. Keep in mind that the enrollment period applies to both your State Health Plan and NCFlex. Please contact the Human Resources Manager, Ms. Sharon Cannon, to learn more about In-Person Assistance. 

 

State Resources 

 

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