The open enrollment period for benefits effective Sunday, January 1, 2017, begins Tuesday, November 1, 2016, and ends at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, 2016. Open Enrollment is the only chance benefits-eligible employees have to change plans, add or drop coverage, and/or add or drop eligible dependents, unless a Life Status Changing Event takes place. Changes made during Open Enrollment become effective January 1, 2017.

Here are the 2017 rate increases for medical insurance: 2017 Rates. These increases will not be passed onto employees through the end of the fiscal year, but will be effective September 1, 2017.

We will be holding informational sessions throughout Open Enrollment, and encourage you to attend one to learn about what’s new going into 2017.

New This Year: Open Enrollment Events

• Health & Benefits Fair: Monday, October 31 from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. in The McCormick Tribune Campus Center (MTCC) Ballroom
  • Health and welfare vendors include: BCBS, Delta Dental, EyeMed, Dearborn National, and WageWorks
  • Financial vendors include: TIAA, Fidelity, and Corporate America Credit Union
  • Free flu shots for faculty and staff covered under Illinois Tech’s health plans. Sign up in advance by clicking here. Must present BCBS ID card.

• Biometric Screening Health Checkups and Flu Shots: Free for faculty and staff covered under Illinois Tech’s health plans* on Monday, November 14 at the Downtown Campus, Tuesday,  November 15 and Friday, November 18 at Mies (Main) Campus. Registration required. Click here to register. *This requirement is for billing purposes only. Illinois Tech does not receive individuals’ medical information.
• Online Open Enrollment will again be used for medical, dental, and vision benefits. For instructions and Frequently Asked Questions, click here: Open Enrollment for End User Training 2016.
• If you are not making changes to your current medical, dental, and vision elections, you do not need to take any action. Your current elections will roll into 2017.
• If you are interested in health and/or dependent daycare flexible spending, you must re-enroll for the 2017 plan year at wageworks.com. Current 2016 health and/or dependent daycare flexible spending elections will not continue in 2017.

All changes must be made in Banner Self-Service, and all completed forms for new Life/AD&D elections must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources by 3 p.m. on November 23. If you have any questions regarding open enrollment, contact Viktoria Rill at 312-567-3353 or via email at vrill@iit.edu.

Informational Session Schedule:  If you are unable to attend a live information session, click here to watch a WebEx recording.

2017 Benefits Summary:

• Medical – no changes to our current In-Network PPO or HDHP plans
  • No rate increase at this time. Rates are subject to increase on September 1, 2017.
• Dental – no changes to our current PPO or DHMO plans
• Vision – no changes to our current plan
• Life Insurance – no changes to our current plan (paper enrollment/changes only)
• Flexible Spending – you must re-enroll (2016 elections do not carry forward) at wageworks.com

Blue Cross Blue Shield—Medical Insurance

Changes to your health plan, including changing plans, changing tiers, and adding or dropping dependents, should be made online through myIIT.

Link to 2016-2017 Plan Summary

Link to 2016 Medical Rate Grid

Link to 2017 Medical Rate Increases

Delta Dental—Dental Insurance

Changes to your dental plan, including changing plans, changing tiers, and adding or dropping dependents, should be made online through myIIT.

Link to 2016 Dental HMO

Link to 2016 Dental PPO-2

Link to 2016 Dental Rate Grid

EyeMed–Vision Insurance

Changes to your vision plan, including changing plans, changing tiers, and adding or dropping dependents, should be made online through myIIT.

Link to EyeMed Benefits Summary

Link to 2016 Vision Rate Grid

Dearborn National – Voluntary Life Insurance

Changes to voluntary life, including enrolling in, increasing, or decreasing coverage for self, spouse, and/or dependent children, should be submitted to HR via the forms below.

Dearborn National Voluntary Life Insurance Enrollment Packet 2017

Flexible Spending

Illinois Tech utilizes the Wageworks Online Enrollment tool. If you have never registered for WageWorks, email Viktoria Rill at vrill@iit.edu. If you are a returning participant, you will log into the Wageworks website with your current username and password. If you do not remember your username or password you can click the “Forgot user name or password” link and follow the steps to obtain your username and create a new password.

**Remember, if you wish to participate in the health and/or dependent daycare FSA plans for 2017, you must make an active election into the plan. Your 2016 elections do not carry over to 2017.**

Link to Wage Works Healthcare FSA Flyer

Link to Wage Works Commuter Flyer

Link to www.wageworks.com

403(b) PLAN

If you are not currently participating in the 403(b) plan and/or receiving the employer match and you have met the eligibility requirements as listed below, now is a good time to enroll. The university contribution begins at 5% of the annual base salary with no employee contribution and it ends at 9% with a 4% employee contribution. If you are not currently enrolled, consider investing in your retirement by completing the Salary Reduction Agreement form linked below to start your contributions.

The IRS has not indicated that contribution limits to 403(b) plans will change going into 2017 (as of October 21, 2016). Currently, participants under age 50 may contribute $18,000 per year and participants 50 and above may contribute $24,000 per year. If you wish to contribute the IRS maximum to the 403(b) plan and did not do so in 2016, you will need to complete a new Salary Reduction Agreement form for 2017.

Finally, you may change your 403(b) contributions at any time during the year.

Link to the Salary Reduction Agreement Form

Link to the 403b Vendor Information sheet