The Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period, October 2-27, is the only annual opportunity you have to make changes to most of your benefits unless you have an eligible life event (family status or employment change) during the year. Changes made during ABE are effective Jan. 1, 2018.
Watch for emails regarding benefits changes and your enrollment opportunities. The emails will be sent beginning in mid-September from this address: UWSystemHR. You may also receive benefits-related emails from our office before and during ABE.
New this year, we are excited to introduce ALEX, an online personalized benefits counselor designed to simplify your ABE benefits election process. Through a series of easy, intuitive questions, ALEX will walk you through benefits options and suggest appropriate plans based on your answers. ALEX is in the final development stages, and the link will be released soon.
There are several things you can do now to prepare for ABE:
1. Review your current benefits (shown on your My UW System portal) and visit the ABE website for a preview of 2018 benefits changes: https://www.wisconsin.edu/abe/
2. Plan to attend the benefits fair on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Hamilton Room in the University Center. There, you will be able to meet with health plan representatives and other benefits vendors. See the list for other fairs throughout the UW System: https://www.wisconsin.edu/abe/download/2017-benefits-fairs.pdf
3. Plan ahead if you currently participate in a plan that requires re-enrollment each year to continue participation. Those plans include:
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) including Health Care FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, Dependent Day Care FSA
• Health Savings Account (HSA) requires that you enroll every year you are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
• State Group Health Insurance Opt-Out Incentive
If you have questions, please contact Human Resources and Diversity at hr@uww.edu.