News You Can Use!

Important Information for Employees of Oklahoma State University

Annual Enrollment Opportunities

Cancer and Critical Illness--Watch Your Home Mail!

Need A Computer?

Use Web for Employees for Annual Enrollment Changes

Need Access to Web for Employees?

Transitional $2.50 Dependent Life Premium Ends

Cancer and Critical Illness Meetings

Informational Sessions:  Life and Long-Term Care

Training Opportunities

Long-Term Disability Premium Changes

Annual Enrollment Check List

Annual Enrollment Opportunities

November 1 marks the beginning of the Annual Enrollment period to change your flexible benefits, long-term disability, and life insurance. In addition, this is an appropriate time to consider applying for long-term care coverage if you did not take advantage of the opportunity when you were first eligible.

A personalized enrollment form will be mailed through campus mail again this year. All paper enrollment forms must be received by Tuesday, November 30, 2004. Web for Employees enrollment will be open through Wednesday, December 15, 2004. Forms may be turned in to your Branch Campus Human Resources office, or Employee Services, 106 Whitehurst, Stillwater campus.

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Cancer and Critical Illness—Watch Your Home Mail!

OSU is offering two new optional insurance plans—cancer and critical illness coverage. Watch your home mail for information from American Fidelity about the opportunity to enroll in these new plans. Enrollment begins November 1 and runs through December 15. American Fidelity will assist employees one-on-one with enrollment and will provide OSU with premium deduction information—OSU will not maintain enrollment forms. All premiums will be tax sheltered unless you specifically request to pay the premium with after-tax dollars.

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Need a Computer?

Human Resources is making computers available for employees who do not otherwise have access. If you would like to take advantage of web enrollment and other computer resources, you may use a computer at the following locations:

• 106 Whitehurst (Employee Services Staff, 405-744-5449, can assist);
• Physical Plant (Joyce Altman, 405-744-3004, can assist).

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Use Web for Employees for Annual Enrollment Changes

Web for Employees will be available from Monday, November 1 through Wednesday, December 15, 2004. You may make the following changes on the web:
• Increase, reduce, or cancel your flexible benefits spending accounts;
• Reduce your long-term disability (LTD) coverage;
• Reduce, cancel, or increase supplemental life coverage for yourself and/or your spouse; and
• Reduce or cancel life coverage on children.

For most employees, no action is needed on your part unless you desire changes. Employees who had dependent life coverage grandfathered last year at the $2.50 premium will need to make a new election this year. See the accompanying article if this situation applies to you.

Enrollment for the first time in the LTD plan and increases in the life coverage greater than $5,000 will require evidence of insurability. Call your branch campus Human Resources office or Employee Services, (405) 744-5449, on the Stillwater campus, if you have questions or need the Evidence of Insurability form for either ING life or American Fidelity LTD.

If you enroll by paper, the deadline is November 30, 2004, whereas web enrollment will be open through December 15.

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Need Access to Web for Employees?

All employees are given a default PIN equal to their birth dates (mmddyy). When you log into Web for Employees for the first time, you will be required to change your default PIN to a new PIN. To access Web for Employees go to the OSU Home Page, select Human Resources, and then select Web for Employees. Type your Employee ID and your PIN.

If you need assistance with access, call (405) 744-5759. If you are able to access the system, but need help with the enrollment process, call Employee Services, (405) 744-5449.

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Transitional $2.50 Dependent Life Premium Ends

When OSU changed life companies from American Fidelity to ING effective January 1, 2004, ING agreed to allow employees paying the $2.50 premium for dependent coverage to continue for one year. As explained during the initial enrollment last fall, this transitional coverage will end on December 31, 2004. If you continued your family coverage at the $2.50 rate, you have an opportunity to enroll your family members for the standard ING coverage without providing evidence of insurability.

Enrollment forms, due Tuesday, November 30, 2004, are available on the web at www.okstate.edu/osu_per/benefits/benforms.html. Select the OSU Benefit and Election/Change form. ING Representatives will assist with enrollment while they are on campus (see the schedule in the accompanying article). You may also contact your Human Resources branch campus office or Employee Services, 106 Whitehurst, (405) 744-5449, for assistance. Failure to enroll will result in loss of dependent coverage.

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Cancer and Critical Illness Meetings

American Fidelity will give brief presentations to explain the new cancer and critical illness programs. Their representatives will then be available for one-on-one appointments to answer questions and assist with enrollment. Call Kellie Martin, 1-800-933-1853, ext 2116, to schedule a one-on-one appointment.
Please attend one of the following group sessions to learn more about these benefits—appointments are not required:

Branch campuses and colleges on the Stillwater campus will announce separate schedules for meetings and one-on-one appointments in those areas.

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Informational Sessions: Life and Long-Term Care

OSU recently added two new programs—ING Life, January 2004, and John Hancock’s Long-Term Care, July 2004. Representatives of the companies will be on the OSU-Stillwater campus, in room 106B Whitehurst, for group presentations, and will be available for questions and enrollment assistance after the presentations, as follows:

New hires and other employees who missed the John Hancock presentations earlier in the year will especially be interested in an opportunity to learn about long-term care benefits. To request an enrollment kit, please call John Hancock at (800) 482-0022. Employees who are paying the $2.50 monthly premium for dependent life coverage should make an effort to attend a life presentation and receive assistance with enrollment since that coverage is ending.

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Training Opportunities

For more information, or to register, refer to your 2004 Faculty and Staff Development Opportunities brochure, or go to www.okstate.edu/osu_per/hr/staff_dvpt04.htm, or call Training Services, (405) 744-5374.

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Long-Term Disability Premium Changes

OSU’s long-term disability plan continues to benefit employees who find themselves unable to work due to a debilitating accident or illness. While it is comforting to know that employees can protect their financial security through the long-term disability benefit insurance, it is a natural consequence to expect the claims experience to be reflected through premium adjustments.

Effective January 1, 2005, the 60% coverage will cost .42 per $100 payroll instead of .37, and the 70% coverage will cost .66 instead of .53. The cost for 50% level of coverage remains .20. Prior to July 2001, employees paid .66 for 60% coverage, so the current rates are still a bargain.

During annual enrollment, employees may choose a lower level of coverage through Web for Employees (through December 15) or by completing a paper enrollment form (due November 30). However, if you wish to enroll for the first time or increase your level of coverage, evidence of insurability is required. Contact your branch campus Human Resources office or Employee Services, (405) 744-5449, for assistance to add or increase coverage.

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Paper Enrollment Forms
Due Tuesday, November 30, 2004
by 5pm, 106 Whitehurst

Web for Employees
Available Monday, November 1, 2004
through Wednesday, December 15, 2004

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Annual Enrollment Check List

Do nothing, if:
o You do not wish to change your current coverage
Use Web for Employees (through December 15) or the personalized Annual Enrollment Form (due November 30) if you would like to:
o Change your Flexible Benefits reimbursement accounts;
o Reduce your long-term disability coverage;
o Reduce or cancel supplemental life on yourself, your spouse, or your children; or
o Increase supplemental life coverage by no more than $5,000 on yourself or your spouse.
Contact Employee Services, 106 Whitehurst, Stillwater, or your branch campus Human Resources office if you:
o Would like to add, increase or cancel long-term disability coverage;
o Would like to increase supplemental life coverage on yourself or your spouse by more than $5,000;
o Would like to add or increase life coverage on your children;
o Need assistance to complete life enrollment forms to avoid losing dependent coverage if you have been paying the grandfathered $2.50 monthly
premium; or
o Would like to change the tax sheltering status on premiums that you pay.
Meet with an American Fidelity Account Representative, if you:
o Are interested in the cancer and/or critical illness coverage
Meet with a John Hancock representative at Stillwater or contact John Hancock, 1-800-482-0022, www.jhancock.com/gltc, if you:
o Are interested in the long-term care coverage.

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OSU Human Resources developed this information for the convenience of OSU employees. It is a brief interpretation of more detailed and complex materials. If further clarification is needed, the actual law, policy and contract should be consulted as the authoritative source. OSU continually monitors benefits, policy and procedures and reserves the right to change, modify, amend, or terminate benefit programs at any time.