AT A GLANCE

• WHAT: Open enrollment for 2018
• WHEN: 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21 (two days before Thanksgiving)
• WHERE: Your computer (UC’s open enrollment website). If you need assistance or don’t have access to a computer, contact your benefits office:

Shared Services Center, 260 Cousteau Place, Suite 150, Davis — Call 530-752-1774 or drop in, 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Ticon III, 2730 Stockton Blvd., Suite 2300, Sacramento — Call 916-734-8099 or drop in, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Open enrollment is open! And we've got news that Human Resources will hold more help desk sessions than previously announced.

Help desk sessions begin next week on the Davis and Sacramento campuses, and there will be nine of them, Oct. 31 to Nov. 21, offering individual counseling on all of your open enrollment options, medical and nonmedical. See the schedule below.

In addition, the Health Care Facilitator Program will discuss medical plans only in four presentations next week. See the schedule below.

Western Health Advantage is still an option, and UC Davis members will continue to have access to UC Davis Health providers and facilities. There are some changes to WHA coverage, though. See your open enrollment booklet for details.

The rest of the health plan lineup remains the same:

• Preferred provider organizations (PPO) — Core, UC Care and UC Health Savings Plan
• Health maintenance organizations (HMO) — Health Net Blue & Gold, Kaiser Permanente and Western Health Advantage

UC Davis Health

PPO members have access to UC Davis Health, and members of Health Net Blue & Gold and Western Health Advantage can choose primary care providers in the UC Davis Medical Group.

“After several years of relatively limited capacity, most UC Davis Medical Group primary care providers at all sites around the region — including pediatricians and ob/gyn providers — are now accepting new patients,” UC Davis Health announced.

Premiums

As for medical plan premiums in 2018, most faculty and staff will see increases of less than $10 a month across all salary and coverage levels. UC Care patients, though, will see increases of $17 to $53 a month. You can see the new rates for medical plans here.

Dental and vision plans are still free for faculty and staff and their families, and the providers are the same. For dental coverage, you have your choice of Delta Dental PPO (which will expand coverage for fluoride treatments for patients 13 and up, instead of ending such coverage at age 12) and DeltaCare HMO. Vision coverage is by Vision Service Plan, or VSP.

The ARAG Legal Plan is another UC benefit you will see in your open enrollment information for 2018. Some years the plan is closed to new enrollments, but this year it’s open — so, if you’ve wanted to sign up, now’s your chance. Plan enhancements for 2018 include new coverage for family and real estate law.

UC also offers AD&D (accidental death and dismemberment) coverage. You can sign up during open enrollment or at any other time of the year using Form UPAY 850.

Getting it done

Open enrollment booklets were due to arrive at home addresses early this week. “Take a fresh look at all of your benefits choices to make sure you have the best coverage for your needs — keeping in mind how you use health care, and whether there have been any changes in your health or family situation,” the booklet states.

UC’s open enrollment website is up and running — look for the sign-in button, which will take you to At Your Service Online. Log in, then look for the “Open Enrollment” link in the “Health and Welfare” index. Once you're in, you can take the following actions:

• Enroll in or opt out of medical, dental and-or vision plans.
• Change your medical plan (and-or primary care provider).
• Change your dental plan.
• Enroll in the legal plan.
• Add or remove eligible family members to-from your medical, dental, vision and or legal plans.
• Enroll or re-enroll for flexible spending accounts (voluntary pretax contributions) for dependent care and-or health care.

If you have no changes to make, and if you don’t want a flexible spending account in 2018, then your open enrollment is simple: You don’t need to log in, you don’t need to do anything. Your elections (medical and dental plans, legal plan and AD&D) will carry over to 2018.

Note: If you have an FSA this year, and you want to continue it, you must take action during open enrollment. These accounts do not carry over automatically.

Presentations and help desks

MEDICAL PLAN PRESENTATIONS

No reservations required; first-come, first-seated. Feel free to bring your spouse or domestic partner. Narrated presentations will be posted on the Health Care Facilitator Program website shortly after the live presentations.

Davis campus

• Tuesday, Oct. 31 — 8-10 a.m., ballroom, Activities and Recreation Center
• Tuesday, Oct. 31 — 1-3 p.m., ballroom, Activities and Recreation Center

Sacramento campus

• Wednesday, Nov. 1 — 2-4 p.m., auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Thursday, Nov. 2 — 1-3 p.m., auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center

HELP DESKS

Take note of the locations, as some have changed. These are drop-in sessions (no appointments).

Davis campus

• Tuesday, Oct. 31 — 10 a.m.-noon, ballroom, Activities and Recreation Center
• Tuesday, Oct. 31 — 3-4 p.m., ballroom, Activities and Recreation Center
• Wednesday, Nov. 8 — 2-4 p.m., 182 HR Administration Building
• Tuesday, Nov. 14 — 2-4 p.m., 182 HR Administration Building
• Tuesday, Nov. 21 — 9-11 a.m., 182 HR Administration Building

Sacramento campus

• Thursday, Nov. 2 — 3-5 p.m., auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Tuesday, Nov. 7 — 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 2510 Broadway Building (4900 Broadway)
• Monday, Nov. 13 — 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 2510 Broadway Building
• Monday, Nov. 20 — 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 3010a ACC Building (4860 Y St.)

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