Online Benefits Enrollment Opened April 1

Full-time and 96-day employees will find a new tab on their Employee Dashboard between April 1-25, 2011. This will take you into the online benefit enrollment system, where you can make your benefit selections for the 2011-2012 plan year.

Full-time employees will be asked to enroll in health, dental and medical flex spending, and 96-day employees will enroll in medical flex spending. EyeMed vision insurance will no longer be offered, although a dental discount benefit through Delta Dental will be available at no charge.

This year is an open enrollment year, which means full-time employees may bring eligible family members on to their health and dental plans. Although you may bring family members on to your dental plan each year during the annual enrollment period, Heartland only holds open enrollment for the health plan once every three years. Family members not enrolled in the health plan before April 25, 2011 will not be permitted on the plan until the next open enrollment in 2014, without a life event (change of family status).

Due to the health care reform legislation (PPACA), dependent children, regardless of marital or student status, may now stay on their parent’s health and dental insurance plan without tax consequences, until the end of the month in which the dependent child turns 26 years of age. If you have a dependent child that is under the age of 26 and not currently covered, you may be eligible to bring them on to your health and dental plans during open enrollment. Dependents who are full- time students and unmarried may be eligible for coverage past the age of 26. Contact Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, if you have questions about the eligibility of your dependent child.

Reminder: voluntary benefit meetings will be held at the following locations:

• April 8, 2 – 4 p.m., Annunciation Parish Hall, 723 Elm Street, Coon Rapids
• April 11, 2 – 4 p.m., Newton Public Library, 100 N. 3rd Ave West, Newton
• April 13, 2 – 4 p.m., Conf. Rooms 3 & 4, Johnston Regional Education Center
• April 14, 2 – 4 p.m., Ames AEA office
• April 15, 2 – 4 p.m., Indianola AEA office
• April 22, 2 – 4 p.m., Conf. Room 13, Johnston Regional Education Center

If you’re not able to attend one of the benefit meetings, you will be able to review the changes to the benefit plan by checking the March 14 Connection article.

Online enrollment is available until 4:00 p.m. on April 25. Technical problems encountered during enrollment may be addressed to Lori Thelen, Information Systems Manager, at lthelen@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14669. Questions about your benefits or eligibility may be addressed to Kathy Martin, Benefits Specialist, at kmartin@aea11.k12.ia.us or ext. 14385.