Open Enrollment for 2019 Benefits

TO:  Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers
FROM:  Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President for Administration
RE:  Open Enrollment for 2019 Benefits

In the coming weeks, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to review their needs and enroll or make changes in their medical, dental, vision and reimbursement account benefits for 2019.

The enrollment period this year will be from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2. This annual period is the only time faculty and staff can enroll or make changes to these benefits outside of a qualifying life event such as marriage or the birth of a child.

Our health plans now cover more than 70,000 employees and their family members, and we are projected to pay out about $325 million in health claims by end of year. Despite these staggering numbers, we’ve worked hard to minimize the cost of coverage. In fact, premiums will increase by only $1 to $6 per month for individual coverage, depending on the plan. There will be no changes to co-pays or deductibles for any of Duke’s four medical plans, and premiums for vision and dental coverage next year will remain unchanged from 2018.

In addition, we have made several enhancements to include waving of co-pays for many contraceptive drugs, implants, and procedures. We are also waiving co-pays and deductibles for breast cancer screenings at in-network providers, and Duke will extend 100 percent coverage for both diagnostic and screening colonoscopies at in-network providers.

Our experience is not as common at other employers where rates for coverage continue to increase at a faster rate, with more and more moving to high-deductible plans that place more of the financial burden on employees.

More information will be communicated in the coming weeks through articles in publications and websites and a guide that will be mailed home. You will find complete details in the Open Enrollment presentation. Please take time to review the presentation, and then share and discuss this important information with your staff. Thank you.

Open Enrollment Website: https://hr.duke.edu/enrollment2019