The State Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has announced that the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Benefit Choice enrollment period will begin May 1 and end June 1, 2020.
The CMS in-person Benefit Fairs listed on the back cover of the booklet were cancelled but Virtual Fairs will be held throughout the month of May. Information about these virtual events will be shared with you soon. We encourage you to carefully consider the available options to choose the plan that best fits both your health and financial needs.
If you do not want to change health, dental, life or dependent coverage, your current elections will continue. Note: You must enroll or re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts each year.
Benefit Choice FY 2021 Changes
- Premiums for Health and Dental
- Full-time and part-time employee and dependent cost will increase for the first time since FY 2014.
- Health plan premiums will be based on your annual salary as of March 1, 2020, and the health plan you select during this Benefit Choice Period. See pages 3 and 11 of the Benefit Choice Booklet for premium information.
- A new salary band added for salaries $125,001 and above.
- New Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP), administered by Aetna, with an accompanying Health Savings Account (HSA).
- View the Benefit Choice Booklet for copayment and deductible changes on vision and health plans.
- Telemedicine under HMO and OAP plans is available for a reduced copayment.
- Telemedicine under QCHP and CDHP plans is available at the same coinsurance level; however, you will experience significant savings due to the reduced cost of the visit.
- Lower pharmacy copays for certain drugs.
- Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) plan year contribution limit is increasing from $2,700 to $2,750.
- Hearing instruments and related services: a $2,500 benefit is available every 24 months when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument.
- New Voluntary benefit options including accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance, legal services, identity theft protection, as well as pet health insurance.
Benefit Choice is your one chance per year (unless you experience a qualifying event) to make the following changes:
- Change State health and life insurance coverage
- Opt into the State group health insurance plan
- Opt out of the State group health insurance plan with documentation reflecting proof of non-state health coverage
- Opt into or opt out of the State dental plan
- Part-time employees may waive or elect coverage
- Add or drop dependents. (documentation is required when adding dependents)
- Enroll or re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Re-enrollment is not automatic! You must re-enroll in Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) and/or Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) to continue your pre-tax savings
- Your enrollment in DCAP and/or MCAP is for the period of July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021
Resources and Assistance
Reference materials including the Benefit Choice booklet are available on the Benefit Choice web page at https://go.uillinois.edu/BenefitChoice.
For State of Illinois (CMS) benefits and help with logging in, enrolling, or making changes, contact the MyBenefits Service Center. You can also make State benefit changes by phone if you do not have computer or Internet access. Bilingual customer representatives are available:
- Phone: 844-251-1777 or TDD/TTY 844-251-1778
- Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT Monday through Friday
For other benefits or questions about benefit eligibility, please review the information on the System HR Services website or contact University Payroll & Benefits.
