The annual Benefit Choice Period will begin on May 1, 2020 for the State Employees Group Insurance Program. The State of Illinois Department Central Management Services (CMS) has shared some important announcements and reminders to help you prepare for making your FY2021 benefit elections.
Benefit Choice Booklet
CMS mailed Benefit Choice Booklets during the week of April 20, 2020. Please watch for it to arrive at your home mailing address. You may also view the FY2021 Benefit Choice Booklet on the CMS website.
Employee Premium Increase
- The Benefit Choice Booklet includes detailed employee and dependent premiums (costs) for each health plan and the dental plan, as these costs will be increasing for the first time since FY2014.
- The cost of health coverage will still be based on your salary, but will also vary depending on which plan you select for yourself and dependents.
- The amount of the increase will be lower at the lower salary levels, and the amount of increase grows as salary level increases, with the largest increases at the highest salaries.
- Starting May 1, MyBenefits will include a calculator to help you compare costs of various plan options.
New Plan Options
- CMS will introduce a new Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) option, often called a high deductible health plan, administered by Aetna, with an accompanying Health Savings Account (HSA).
- CMS will add new voluntary benefit options including accident, critical illness and hospital insurance, legal services, identity theft protection, as well as pet health insurance.
Register or Remember Login
Beginning May 1, you can make benefit elections through MyBenefits. View the Registration Guide for step-by-step instructions for registering on MyBenefits, or view the How to Register video from CMS. If you registered a while ago, but need to recover your password, choose Forgot My Password on the MyBenefits Login page.
COVID-19 Resources
Questions?
The information above is just a brief introduction, and more detail will be provided in the Benefit Choice Booklet and subsequent communication. Contact University Payroll & Benefits for benefits questions: