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  • Benefits Enrollment
  • Open Enrollment 2021

Open Enrollment 2021

Need Help?

Open Enrollment representatives are available at (919) 684-5600 during the following times:

  • 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. weekdays, October 19 – 30
  • 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, October 24

Need to Find a Provider?

At Find a Network Provider page, you will find:

  • A directory of participating health care providers, and
  • Mobile apps for our medical plans.

Employees who are verifying participating network providers can contact the Aetna Member Service Center (800-385-3636) or the Blue Cross Blue Shield Open Enrollment Support Line (877-224-3305).

Open enrollment is your opportunity to review your medical, dental, vision, and reimbursement account benefit elections and make any changes necessary to ensure your choices continue to meet your needs.

If you wish to participate in the Health Care or Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts for 2021, you must enroll (or re-enroll). Participation in the reimbursement accounts does not automatically continue from year to year.

If you do not make changes to your medical, dental or vision coverage, your current medical, dental and vision coverage elections for 2020 will continue for 2021.

Duke's medical plans are considered "grandfathered" under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act).

Open Enrollment 2021: Oct. 19 at 12 p.m. - Oct. 30, 2020

  • Decisions to Make During Open Enrollment
  • 2021 Plan Highlights and Changes
  • What You Need To Know for Open Enrollment 2021
  • Open Enrollment Guide (PDF)

Decisions to Make During Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is the one time of year when benefit eligible employees can enroll in or change their medical, dental and/or vision insurance plans, and enroll in reimbursement accounts. Here's what you need to decide this year:

  1. Which medical plan best meets my needs and the needs of my covered family member? Duke offers four different medical plans. Carefully consider the network available, (particularly if your dependents live outside of the Triangle Area), a specific behavioral health provider that you see, or a need to cover dependent pregnancy.
  2. Will you cover yourself and/or dependents for dental and vision insurance? Duke offers three different dental plans and a vision plan that covers eye exams, lenses and frames.
  3. How much would you like to save on taxes? During Open Enrollment, you can sign up to participate in a Health Care Reimbursement Account and/or a Dependent Care Reimbursement Account. Both of these accounts allow you to put money aside before taxes to pay for health care costs and child or elder care costs, respectively. Since the money is taken out of your paycheck before taxes are calculated, you save about 30 cents of every dollar you put in the accounts.

Remember: If you take no action during Open Enrollment, the elections you made for 2020 for your medical, dental, and vision coverage will continue for 2021. To continue to use a reimbursement account, you must re-enroll for 2021.


2021 Plan Highlights and Changes

Medical Plans

  • Beginning January 1, 2021, behavioral health and substance abuse benefits will be administered by Aetna for Duke Select and Duke Basic, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will administer this coverage for Blue Care and Duke Options.
  • A virtual office visit with your regular healthcare provider is covered under your health plan, subject to your regular co-pay. This includes virtual office visits with your behavioral health provider.
  • Telehealth coverage through Duke Health Anywhere is provided for COVID-19 medical concerns.

Dental Plans

  • No change in co-pays, deductibles or premiums for any of the dental plans.
  • As a reminder, if you or a dependent are not currently enrolled for dental coverage through Duke and enroll for 2021, a "late entrant" provision will apply.

Vision Plan

  • No change in co-pays, deductibles or premiums for the vision plan.

Reimbursement Accounts

  • WageWorks, the reimbursement account administrator, is now HealthEquity.
  • Maximum annual contribution for Health Care Reimbursement Account is $2,750 (subject to IRS regulations). The annual carryover limit has increased from $500 to $550 per plan year.
  • Maximum annual contribution for Dependent Care Reimbursement Account is $5,000.

Benefits

  • Medical, Dental, & Vision Benefits
    • Medical Insurance
      • Plan Comparison (2021)
      • Premiums (2021)
      • HMO Plans
      • PPO Plans
      • Medical Benefits Abroad
      • Retiree Health Insurance
        • Duke Plus
        • Early Retiree Health Plans
      • Health Management Programs
      • Infertility Benefits
      • Bariatric Surgery
      • 1095-C Tax Form
      • Expanded Health Insurance Coverage for COVID-19 Medical Care
      • Expanded Health Insurance Coverage for Virtual Visits
    • Dental Insurance
      • Plan Comparison (2021)
      • Premiums (2021)
    • Vision Insurance
      • Plan Chart (2021)
      • Premiums (2021)
      • How to Use the Plan
    • Pharmacy Benefits
      • Covered Drugs
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Retail Pharmacy Vaccinations
    • Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Benefits
      • Providers
      • Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • Enroll/Make Changes
    • Coverage & Eligibility
    • Find a Network Provider
    • Privacy Practices
    • Required Notices
  • Reimbursement Accounts
    • Your Personal Account
    • Health Care Account
      • How to File a Claim
      • How to Manage Your Account
      • Health Care Card
      • Eligible & Ineligible Expenses
      • Orthodontia
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      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • IIAS-Compliant Merchants
    • Dependent Care Account
      • How to File a Claim
      • What's Covered?
      • Managing Your Account
    • How the Plan Works
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    • Vendor Registration Form
  • Retirement Plans
    • Enroll or Make Changes
      • Enroll in Your Duke Retirement Plan
      • Making Changes
      • Roth 403(b) Contributions
      • Vesting of Duke's Contribution
      • Transfer Funds
      • Request a Withdrawal or Loan
        • CARES Act Distributions and Loans
    • About Duke's Plans
      • Employees' Retirement Plan (Non-Exempt)
      • Faculty/Staff Retirement Plan (Non-Exempt)
      • Faculty/Staff Retirement Plan (Exempt)
        • Duke's Contribution
        • Service Requirement Waiver
        • Suspension of the Duke Contribution FAQ
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      • Target Date Funds
      • Your Default Investment Options
      • Self-Directed Brokerage Account (BrokerageLink®)
      • TIAA Traditional Annuity
    • Investment Carriers
    • Investment Performance
    • Retirement Planning Guide
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Retirement Enrollment Seminars
    • Retirement Appointment Request
  • Time Away From Duke
    • Holidays, Vacation & Sick Time (University)
      • Holiday Schedule (2020)
      • Holiday Schedule (2021)
      • Additional Days Off (Dec. 1, 2020 - Feb. 28, 2021)
    • Paid Time Off (DUHS)
      • How it Works
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      • Care for Injured Service Member (FMLA)
      • Qualifying Exigency (FMLA)
      • Leaves of Absence: Effects on Benefits
    • Paid Parental Leave
      • Paid Parental Leave Changes - August 3, 2020
    • Kiel Memorial Vacation/PTO Donation Program
      • Donations
      • Recipients
      • Important Timelines
      • Payment Process
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Other Work Absences
  • Educational Benefits
    • Employee Tuition Assistance
      • Eligibility
      • How to Apply
      • Reimbursement
      • Departmental/Manager Responsibility
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Children's Tuition Grant
      • How to Apply
      • Employee Eligibility
      • Child Eligibility
  • Family-Friendly Benefits
    • Lactation Support Services
    • Duke Child Care Partnership
    • Duke Camps
    • Duke Children's Campus
      • Part Time Childcare Procedures
      • Wait Pool Registration
    • The Little School at Duke
      • Wait Pool Registration
    • Choosing Child Care
    • Child Care Tuition Subsidy
    • Flexible Work Options
      • Flextime
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      • Abbreviated Schedule or Part-Time Work
      • 10- and 9-Month Arrangements
      • How to Introduce
      • Guidelines for Success
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Financial Security Benefits
    • Financial Fitness Week 2020
    • Plan Comparison
    • Disability Benefits
      • Duke Disability
        • Eligibility
        • When Am I Covered?
        • Filing for Benefits
        • Amount of Coverage
        • Benefits While Disabled
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Voluntary Disability
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        • Choosing Coverage
        • Enrollment
        • Cost
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Department Manager & Payroll Representative Info
    • Life Insurance
      • Basic Life Insurance
      • Supplemental Life Insurance
        • Supplemental Life Insurance Rate Table
      • Personal Accident Insurance
        • Eligibility
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        • Benefits
      • Business Travel Assistance
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      • Insurance Certificate
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    • Long Term Care Insurance
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    • Duke Credit Union
  • Benefits Unique to Duke
  • Employee Appreciation
    • Duke Appreciation 2019
    • Presidential Award
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  • Benefits Enrollment
    • Open Enrollment 2021
      • What You Need To Know
      • Medical Plan
        • Plans Comparison
        • Premiums
      • Dental Plan
        • Plan Comparison
        • Premiums
      • Vision Care
        • Plan Chart
        • Premiums
      • Pharmacy Benefits
      • Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Benefits
      • Health Care Reimbursement Account
      • Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
    • Information for 4th Quarter (Oct - Dec) New Hires
    • Contact a Plan Provider
    • When Can I Enroll?
    • Life Events Information
      • Getting Married
      • Getting Divorced
      • New Child
      • Death in the Family
      • Leaving Duke
        • COBRA Continuation Insurance
        • Eligibility for Retiree Health
        • Severance Overview
    • Same Sex Spousal Equivalent Information
      • Reimbursement Accounts
    • Benefits Payroll Deduction Schedule
  • Summary Plan Descriptions & Required Notices
    • Summary Annual Report for the Welfare & Fringe Benefits Plan
    • Summary Annual Report for Faculty/Staff Retirement Plan

Human Resources

Duke Human Resources
705 Broad St. Box 90496
Durham, NC 27705
Phone: (919) 684-5600
Have questions?

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