Making changes to your contract college health plans can only be done by submitting the paper form, the New York State Health Insurance Transaction Form (PS-404). This form needs to be either hand-delivered to Benefit Services, 130 Day Hall, by 5 p.m. Dec. 24 (when the office closes for winter break) or U.S. postmarked, if mailed, by Dec. 31. Changes received after Dec. 31 will not be accepted.

If you do nothing, your health plan and coverage will be the same in 2010 as in 2009. Exception: Everyone in Univera Healthcare, which is discontinuing, will automatically be enrolled in the Empire Plan if they do not specify another plan. (To avoid coverage transition issues, Univera participants are encouraged to complete a New York State Health Transaction Form to change to the Empire Plan or another HMO available in their area.)

To participate in the Select Benefits medical care or dependent care accounts for 2010, contract college employees must enroll by hand-delivering a paper form to Benefit Services, 130 Day Hall by 5 p.m. Dec. 24; or mailing a form, postmarked by Dec. 31; or by enrolling online at https://ee.ohr.cornell.edu/enroll/ by Dec. 31. Those who do nothing will not be enrolled for 2010. If you enroll online, you will receive an e-mail confirmation of your enrollment.

All recipients of a Cornell Child Care Grant must enroll in a Select Benefits dependent care account to receive grant funds.

Details of the specific changes permitted during the option transfer period, the contract college health plan comparison chart (including rates), the New York State Health Insurance Transaction Form and the Select Benefits forms are available online at http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/benefits/openEnrollContract.html.

Contact Benefit Services at 607-255-3936 or e-mail benefits@cornell.edu by Dec. 24 with any questions.