September is the month of Open Enrollment! This is the annual period when employees have the opportunity to make voluntary changes to their enrollment elections for their medical and dental plans, as well as to participate in the medical and/or dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).  All benefit election changes are effective October 1, 2012.

Cornish is now offering a third plan in addition to the two existing medical plans for the upcoming plan year – New Group Health Options Core Plan, Group Health Options Plan (buy-up), and Group Health Alliant Plus (buy-up).  The only difference between the last two plans, Group Health Options Plan and the Group Health Alliant Plus, is the provider network. Group Health Alliant Plus allows in-network access to Group Health, Virginia Mason, and Everett Clinic providers.  There are several key differences between the New Group Health Options Core Plan and two buy-up plans.  The New Group Health Options Core Plan has an annual deductible of $200 and a 10% coinsurance applied to services other than preventative office visits.

The Employee Benefits Summary provides information on all three plans.  For a brief comparison of the differences between the three plans, see page 2 of the Employee Benefits Summary.  Pages 5-10 provide more details about the medical benefits.  Page 22 and 23 list the total monthly premium and the monthly cost to the employee.

Please remember that your current benefit selections will carry over if you do not make any changes, EXCEPT for your Flexible Spending Accounts – the 2011-2012 FSA plan year ends on 9/30/12 and you must re-elect the benefit and specific amount each plan year you wish to participate. 

In addition, it is important that you take the time to review your current selections and how you use your benefits in order to make any changes necessary during open enrollment. You will not be allowed to make any changes during the plan year (Oct 1, 2012 – Sept 30, 2013) unless you experience a Qualifying Event.  Changes as a result of a qualifying event are limited to allowable changes only.

• If you are satisfied with your plans, we ask that you please fill out your Benefit Election Form and turn it into Human Resources no later than September 14th!
• If you would like to make any changes to your plans now is the time! Please fill out your Benefit Election Form and stop by Human Resources for enrollment forms to add/remove dependents, switch plans, or elect a change to how your employee contributions are withheld from your paycheck (e.g., pre-tax or post-tax).  Forms are due September 14th!
• If you wish to participate in either or both of the medical or dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for 2012 - 2013, you must also make that selection on the attached Benefit Election Form. Your 2011-2012 FSA elections do not carry forward into the next plan year!

Please see updated plans in the Benefits section of our HR page to the right!

Important Dates:

• Benefits Fair on Thursday, 8/23/12 11:30 – 1:30.  Main Campus Center/7th Floor.
• All forms are due in the Human Resources Office by 5:00pm Friday, September 14.
• Elections made during the Open Enrollment period will become effective Monday, October 1

HR Services

If you have questions about your benefit elections, please feel free to contact Human Resources for a confidential consultation: 206.726.5082 or hr@cornish.edu.