Annual Enrollment 2021-2022
Each year, annual enrollment allows you to choose benefits or make benefit changes that will be effective on Jan. 1. The annual enrollment period for state and higher education employees is Oct. 1 – Oct. 15.
Even if you don’t make changes during this time, it’s good to review your enrollment selections each year.
Important for 2021
Health options and network options are changing.
You can now choose from four carrier networks for your medical care.
- Narrow Networks (remaining the same as last year)
- BlueCross BlueShield Network S
- Cigna LocalPlus
- Broad Networks (additional $65 for employee only and employee + child(ren) tiers and $130 for employee + spouse and employee + spouse + child(ren) tiers per month)
- BlueCross BlueShield Network P (new 2022 network option)
- Cigna Open Access Plus
Health premiums are changing for all plan members. Premium increases depend on the tier and plan you choose:
- State and higher education active employees in narrow networks premiums will increase $2-$16 per month
- State and higher education retirees in narrow networks – premiums will increase $2-$32 per month
- Voluntary products premium
- No premium increases for vision or dental DHMO (Prepaid Provider) plans.
- Dental DPPO (Preferred Provider) monthly premiums will decrease depending on the coverage tier you choose.
State/Higher Education members: Disability premiums will be lower.
State and higher education: During annual enrollment, state employees using health savings accounts MUST choose their election amounts. All state and higher education employees MUST choose flexible spending account election amounts if they want to put money in them for 2022. Important: 2021 into 2022, FSA and limited purpose FSA carryover rules are different.
2021 Vendor (insurance Carrier) Updates:
- DPPO plan carrier will change to Delta Dental.
- All other insurance carriers remain the same in 2022.
Your health, dental and vision choices are effective Jan. 1 until Dec. 31, 2022, subject to eligibility. After annual enrollment ends, you won’t be able to change plans or networks for 2022. You may be able to make changes allowed by the plan if you have a qualifying event. A provider or hospital leaving a network is not a qualifying event.
ENROLL HERE – IRIS portal
Enrollments, changes, cancellations and review of current insurance selections are made in the State’s Edison system. This year, UT employees can use a link in the IRIS portal to sign into the Edison system without having to remember your Edison ID and password. You can sign into the IRIS portal using your UT credentials and then click on the Edison folder on the top right area of the browser.
The State of Tennessee’s Annual Enrollment Newsletter gives you important information about your choices for benefit offerings. Information and videos can also be found on the Partners for Health website.
For help in Edison, please call 866-376-0104.
Benefit Improvements
Meet ALEX, the virtual benefits counselor!
The University of Tennessee System is excited to offer ALEX, a service that provides personalized guidance and education during annual enrollment and ongoing engagement throughout the year to make benefits decisions as easy and confusion-free as possible.
ALEX is available anytime through a smartphone, tablet or computer. Talk to ALEX to find out if you›re saving enough to cover your medical, dental and vision expenses—and see how much you could save on taxes by possibly changing plans.
Talk to ALEX to learn about your benefits and make the best choices for you and your family.
Exclusive Discounts for UT Employees
As a member of Partners for Health, UT employees qualify to take advantage of exclusive discounts from more than 900 merchants. We hope you enjoy the cost-saving and special benefit offerings that merchants have made available exclusively for UT employees.
Here’s how it works:
- Visit https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/member_discount
- Choose your plan – Higher Education
- Choose your agency – University of TN
- Input your employee email address
- The Employee Discount Program portal will be sent to your email with instructions for creating your PerkSpot account (if you do not receive an email right away, please check your spam/junk folder – please allow 24 hours to receive this email)
Once logged into PerkSpot, browsing all discount offerings will be available. You will be able to select from more than 25 savings categories, including tickets and entertainment, apparel, food, travel and more.
Please contact PerkSpot at 866-606-6057 if you have any questions.
Tags: Dental, Group Insurance, Health Insurance, Vision
