Open Enrollment for Benefits

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

The enrollment period this year will be from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3. 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.

While much is changing around us in the world of healthcare, we are very fortunate to find ourselves in the position that Duke’s insurance plans and premiums will change very little for 2018. Rates for coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace continue to reflect double-digit increases, and more employers are moving to high-deductible plans that place more of the financial burden on employees.

However, at Duke there will be no changes to co-pays or deductibles for any of our plans. The premium for Duke Basic will increase by just $1 per month for individual coverage, and Duke Select, the most popular plan among faculty and staff, will increase $2 per month for individual coverage. In addition, the premiums for vision and dental insurance will remain unchanged from this year.

This stability is remarkable given the instability in healthcare around us, and it reflects very good news for you and your family.

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 referenced below. Please take time to review the presentation, and then share and discuss this important information with your staff. Thank you.

Open Enrollment Presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/secret/47fpY37dCdOYGC