Open Enrollment runs Oct. 9-27
State Health Plan rates will not increase this year, but employees must act on any changes and tobacco attestation.
Employees will be able to make changes to benefit plans during the three weeks of Open Enrollment, Oct. 9-27. The changes made during this period will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024.
What to know about this year’s Open Enrollment:
- The State Enrollment Portal will only have the State Health Plan and Tobacco Attestation, while the UNC System Enrollment Portal will have all the other benefits.
- Everyone in the State Health Plan defaults to the 70/30 health plan for 2024; if you want the 80/20 health plan, you must take action to select enrollment in that plan.
- Make sure to fill out the tobacco use attestation during Open Enrollment or you will pay $60 more a month in premiums.
You will use two enrollment portals to make your benefits selections. Links to both portals are available online when you log in to Connect Carolina, select “Self Service” and go to the “My Benefits” section. On the left, select “Benefits Enrollment”; there you can select both enrollment portals for your open enrollment. You may also enroll or update by phone.
- State Enrollment Portal for only the State Health Plan and tobacco attestation (new this year – the other options that were in this portal last year have moved to the UNC System Enrollment Portal). To enroll by phone, call 855-859-0966.
- UNC System Enrollment Portal for all other benefits plans. To enroll by phone, call 833-862-1490.
Open Enrollment is the only time you can make changes to your benefits plans unless you experience a qualifying life event such as a change in your employment or marital status outside of the annual enrollment period.
Tobacco attestation
ALL employees must complete a tobacco attestation every year.
If you are a tobacco user, you can take action now to save $60 on your monthly premium credit for the 2024 State Health Plan.
Through Nov. 30, tobacco users can attend a free tobacco cessation counseling session at their primary care provider’s office to earn a wellness credit that will reduce the monthly premium for employee-only coverage under the State Health Plan. If you completed a session last year and have continued to use tobacco products, you must complete another session to earn the credit for 2024.
If you are not a tobacco user, you will simply need to attest to that online during Open Enrollment to save $60 on your monthly premium credit.
Find out more on the Tobacco Attestation Information page of the State Health Plan website.
Read more on the UNC Human Resources website.