Staff and faculty at Georgia State will see an increase in insurance rates beginning in January 2009 after a recent Board of Regents (BOR) decision. The BOR held a special meeting on December 3, 2008 to address the challenging economic conditions.
At the meeting, the Regents approved a change that will result in premium increases. The plans affected include the Board of Regents (BOR) Indemnity, BOR PPO, Kaiser HMO, and BlueChoice HMO plans. The premiums for the HSA PPO (high-deductible plan) will not be affected.
As a result of the decision, the BOR has re-opened the Open Enrollment period to allow staff and faculty the chance to change or update insurance plans. The new open enrollment period will close at the end of business on Monday, December 15, 2008. This is limited to employees who have a current healthcare plan. Changes can only be made to medical plans and your flexible spending or health savings accounts.
One choice recommended by the Regents is to move to the high-deductible health insurance plan if appropriate. The employee contributes 10% of the total premium to the high-deductible plan and the employer pays 90%. The University is holding a special workshops, open to all staff and faculty, which will explain how the high-deductible health plans works with a health savings account, and how it has the potential to save money. These free workshops will be held:
December 8: College of Ed, Room 150, 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
December 10: College of Ed, Room 150, 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
December 12: College of Ed, Room 150, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
December 15: College of Ed, Room 150, 9:30 noon - 11 p.m.
For more info go to http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwhre/benefits/OpenEnrollment/SpecialOpenEnroll.html to access a letter from Chancellor Erroll B. Davis, Jr. regarding the change, and information on healthcare plan premiums.
For more questions, contact the Benefits office at 404-413-3330 or email them at benefits@gsu.edu.