Benefits open enrollment for endowed faculty and staff will be held Nov. 1-18 for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2017.

This annual open enrollment period is the only time endowed employees can enroll in or make changes to health and dental benefits – including adding or removing dependents – or enroll in a flexible spending account for medical care or dependent care or in legal insurance in absence of a qualifying event.

Changes for this year include a new health plan, the discontinuation of a current health plan and implementation of deductibles for the Cornell Program for Healthy Living (CPHL). All health plans include OptumRx prescription drug coverage.

Health plan offerings for 2017

• CPHL
• Weill Cornell Medicine Preferred Provider Organization (WCM-PPO)
• Aetna Health Saving Account (HSA) plan

Overview of health plans and changes

• The Aetna PPO plan will be discontinued Dec. 31, 2016. The primary distinction between the benefits offered through the Aetna PPO and CPHL has been the optional Enhanced Wellness Program with Ithaca-area doctors that CPHL offers at no cost. Aetna PPO members who take no action during open enrollment will be automatically enrolled into the comparable CPHL plan with the same coverage tier and eligible dependents.
• CPHL enrollees can visit any licensed doctor in or out of the Aetna nationwide network. Members who live in the Ithaca area and elect a primary care physician from the Enhanced Wellness Program will receive an enhanced wellness annual exam, wellness report and healthy living action plan.
• CPHL is instituting an in-network deductible: $100 for an individual and $200 for family coverage. Co-pays will remain the same.
• The Aetna HSA is a PPO plan with a higher deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. The Aetna HSA individual contribution limit has increased by $50 to $3,400; the family contribution limit remains $6,750. Individuals 55 or older can contribute an additional $1,000.

The WCM-PPO will be added as a third option, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Enrollees will have access to Weill Cornell Medicine physicians and the Aetna nationwide network through a tiered system. This plan will be well-suited for individuals who live or work in the NYC area, but the plan is available to all endowed employees. Retail and mail order prescription drug coverage will be offered through OptumRx.

Complete coverage details – including plan rate and coverage comparisons – can be found on the Open Enrollment website.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA) enrollment for medical and dependent care

• Active election is required every year; there is no automatic re-enrollment for medical or dependent care FSAs.  The IRS has increased the maximum amount available in the 2017 medical account FSA to $2,600.
• Up to $500 of unused money in a 2016 FSA medical account can be rolled over into a 2017 FSA account. New this year: Eligible 2016 medical expenses must be incurred no later than Dec. 31, 2016, and claims must be submitted prior to April 30, 2017. Money remaining over the $500 limit on April 30 will be lost. Federal regulations stipulate that the $500 that is rolled over must be used for eligible medical expenses incurred between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2017, or it will be forfeited. The $500 rollover will be available in 2017 for medical expenses in addition to the amount elected for 2017.
• Recipients of a Cornell Child Care Grant only need to enroll in a Dependent Care Account for 2017 if they wish to deduct additional money from their pay for child care expenses.

Prescription drug updates

• OptumRx copays are not increasing but some medications may change tiers, require prior authorization, or be excluded effective Jan. 1, 2017. You should receive a letter from OptumRx if your medications are affected. Contact OptumRx Member Services at 1-866-533-6977 with questions about the prescription formulary.
• A 90-day supply of maintenance medications can now be filled at Gannett Pharmacy on the Ithaca Cornell campus at the cost of a mail order copay. This is the only retail pharmacy that will dispense a 90-day supply for Cornell’s endowed health plans. Ninety-day supplies are still available by mail through OptumRx.

Dental and legal insurance

• Ameritas dental plan provisions and rates and ARAG legal insurance premiums remain the same for 2017. Enrollment for legal insurance is open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, and completed with Mercer Voluntary Benefits.

All endowed faculty and staff will receive an open enrollment email from Benefit Services Oct. 31 with instructions on how to complete the enrollment process, followed by a Workday notice Nov. 1 that the enrollment period has opened.

Though not included in Cornell’s open enrollment, employees should consider reviewing other benefits at this time, including retirement tax-deferred annuities contributions; legal, pet, auto and home insurance; and investment beneficiaries.

Visit the Open Enrollment website for plan details, including a comparison chart and rates, and attend BeneFair, Nov. 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in G10 Biotechnology Building to speak with Cornell Benefit Services staff and partner vendors.

Contact Benefit Services at 607-255-3936 or via email at benefits@cornell.edu with questions.