PEBA Update - August 25, 2020

August 25, 2020

Check out the BAW webpage

Due to COVID-19 and out of an abundance of caution, PEBA canceled the 2020 Benefits at Work (BAW) conference. While we will miss seeing you this year, we’ve created a webpage where you can find information that is typically presented at the conference, as well as links to applicable resources.

Visit the BAW page

Optional employers: remember to apply load factors for 2021

Optional employers are subject to experience rating of health insurance premiums. This means your employer contributions and subscriber premiums may be different than those appearing in our publications. Participating optional employers should apply the load factor to both the employer health contributions and subscriber health premiums beginning January 1, 2021. Health premiums for the 2021 plan year will be available by October 1, 2020, and premium reports in EBS will be available as soon as possible thereafter.

Experience rating letters were mailed to optional employers the week of March 9, 2020. To request a copy of your letter, email analytics@peba.sc.gov.

If your premiums are different than those published in PEBA’s publications, use the fillable monthly premium worksheet for optional employers to communicate your group’s premiums to subscribers. You can include health plan premiums impacted by the load factor or any health, dental and vision premium subsidies by your employer on this helpful worksheet.

Delivery of federally mandated notices

Federal laws require written notification of many of the notices prior to open enrollment; therefore, sending notices electronically does not comply with these federal laws. To assist employers with this requirement, PEBA will print the federally mandated notices and deliver them to employers to provide to all insurance-eligible employees in advance of open enrollment. You must provide a hard copy of the notices to your insurance-eligible employees by October 1, 2020.

Notices will be delivered in early September. Once the delivery time frame has been confirmed with the printer, we will notify employers via PEBA Update so you can prepare for the delivery.

Remember, the Insurance Summary and Insurance Benefits Guide will not be printed this year. You can read about the changes in the August 4, 2020, PEBA Update.

Open enrollment webpages live

As a benefits administrator, you play a vital role throughout the open enrollment process. This year, PEBA is making it even easier for you to prepare your employees to get their ducks in a row.

There’s an open enrollment resources webpage just for you!

Open enrollment is the time for employees to review their coverage and make changes for the following plan year. Employees will look to you for information about the upcoming open enrollment period. The open enrollment resources webpage, peba.sc.gov/oe-employers , is your hub for everything open enrollment. On the page, you will find:

Links to 2021 publications.
MoneyPlus and open enrollment worksheets.
Links to helpful Navigating Your Benefits flyers.
Marketing toolkit, including a video. We encourage you to use these ready-to-go materials to promote open enrollment.

Here are some reminders as you prepare for open enrollment.

Provide resources to employees so they can make educated decisions about their benefits. Encourage employees to visit the open enrollment webpage at peba.sc.gov/oe.
Encourage employees to review their current coverage in MyBenefits, even if they don't plan to make changes. If they are satisfied with their current elections, the only thing they need to do is re-enroll in MoneyPlus flexible spending accounts. All open enrollment changes take effect January 1, 2021.
Encourage employees to sign up for MyBenefits to make changes and upload supporting documentation online.

Standard Plan name changed for Medicare-eligible members

Beginning January 1, 2021, the Standard Plan for Medicare-eligible members will be referred to as the Carve-out Plan to align with how benefits are paid. There is no change to the actual plan itself. You’ll notice the name change in our 2021 insurance publications, starting with the 2021 Insurance Benefits Guide. Learn more about the carve-out method in the Insurance Coverage for the Medicare-eligible Member handbook.

2020 PEBA Partners announced

York County School District 3 has claimed the overall 2020 PEBA Partners award, presented annually to employers that demonstrate a dedication to promoting a physically, emotionally and financially healthier workplace.

This year’s other winners include The Citadel, the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice, CareSouth Carolina, Inc. and Lexington-Richland School District 5.

PEBA strives to recognize employers who are setting the bar for workplace well-being programs across the state. Congratulations to this year’s winners!