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Your Open Enrollment Questions Answered

Important information about signing up for health coverage

Every October, thousands of Duke employees update and alter a variety of health benefits during Open Enrollment. During this time, faculty and staff turn to Human Resources as a source of information to answer questions and provide context for important decisions.

During the Open Enrollment signup period, Duke Human Resources staff average about 700 calls a day.

“When employees set aside time to review the details of health plans and what benefits are available to them, there are always questions that come up,” said Deborah Daye, senior benefits analyst with Duke Human Resources. “It’s our responsibility to make sure we can serve anyone who may need more information.”

In preparation for Open Enrollment, Working@Duke asked the Duke Benefits team for some common questions, and here are answers to what employees ask most frequently.

Dental Coverage

The most common question Benefits staff receive is about a “late entrant” for dental coverage. If an employee doesn’t sign up for a dental plan within 30 days of hire, he or she must wait for Open Enrollment in October to enroll. If an employee waits until Open Enrollment, faculty, staff and dependents can only receive preventive services for the first year of coverage. That includes exams, cleanings, and for children under 19, one fluoride application. X-rays are not covered during that first year.

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Changing Coverage for Life Events

Whether it’s a marriage, divorce, birth of a child, or other life event, you don’t have to wait for Open Enrollment to change health benefits coverage. An online tool through the Duke@Work portal allows you to upload documentation and adjust coverage within 30 days of a qualifying life event.

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Reimbursement Accounts

You can sign up for health and dependent care reimbursement accounts during Open Enrollment to cover eligible  health care expenses, including costs of copays and dependent daycare. The maximum contribution for the Health Care Reimbursement Account will increase by $50 in 2017 to $2,600. Since the change was announced after the beginning of the Open Enrollment period, Human Resources will be contacting those who sign up for the maximum option to give them the opportunity to elect the new limit. The increase only applies to the Health Care Reimbursement Account. The maximum for the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account remains unchanged at $5,000.

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Voluntary Benefits

Faculty and staff can sign up for short or long-term disability coverage, supplemental life and personal accident insurance throughout the year, although underwriting may be required by the carriers when applying outside of the new hire/eligibility period. When Human Resources Information Center specialist Jennifer Frazier tells callers they can apply for coverage in these voluntary benefits any time – she says, “They’re often relieved to hear that,” Frazier said.

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