UAB’s annual open enrollment for benefits will begin 7 a.m. Oct. 28 and conclude 5 p.m. Nov. 14. Eligible employees can choose among dental, vision and health insurance plans, plus voluntary life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance and tax-deferred spending accounts for health and dependent care for 2017.
This is an active open enrollment, which means any benefit-eligible employee of UAB, UAB Hospital and UAB Hospital Management LLC who does not select a 2017 medical plan option by Nov. 14 will not have UAB-provided medical coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2017.
The benefit plan designs are unchanged from this past year, but there are two items of note:
- VIVA Choice — UAB’s new consumer-driven health plan — will be an option for employees in addition to the traditional plans, Viva UAB, Viva Access and Blue Cross/ Blue Shield. Viva Choice will also feature a health savings account.
- Employees who enroll in a UAB health plan also will be enrolled in Express Scripts, the new pharmacy provider for UAB’s prescription benefits for 2017. Co-pays for prescriptions will not change.
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All the information employees need to make their selections will be collected in the open enrollment toolkit in the UAB for Me benefits portal. This includes plan details, educational pieces, FAQs, decision-making tools and other resources that can help you make selections. This will replace the packet of printed information that had been mailed to employees’ homes in prior years.
Employees who want assistance sorting through the options have several choices to help them select the one best suited for their household:
- A plan shopping application is available during the online open enrollment process.
- Information sessions on Viva Choice, UAB’s new consumer-driven health plan and health savings account, will be held 10 a.m. Oct. 24 in Spain Auditorium and 2 p.m. Oct. 24 in Volker Hall Lecture Room A.
- Human Resources and vendor representatives will answer questions during UAB Benefits Fair 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 3 in the UAB Hospital West Pavilion Atrium.
- Employees may contact their HR consultant or the UAB Benefits office, benefits@uab.edu or 934-3458.
All elections will be effective Jan. 1, 2017, and new premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage will be reflected in the January 2017 payroll.
