Annual Benefits Open Enrollment
The annual Benefits Open Enrollment for medical and dental coverage takes place every fall, usually in the last week of October and the first three weeks of November. The benefits are effective on January 1st of the following calendar year.
The annual open enrollment gives Flight Attendants the opportunity to select the benefits that are most suitable for their personal circumstances. Flight Attendants may choose among the Traditional Medical Preferred Provider Option (PPO) Plan; a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO); the Traditional Dental Plan, if available in your geographic area; or a Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO), if available in your geographic area; or "No Coverage" - the option to waive medical and/or dental coverage for the coming year.
If you are a new employee, your benefit coverage is effective on the day of your graduation from Flight Attendant training – but you must enroll in those benefits following graduation and within the first thirty days of your new career.
Life Changes in Family Status
Once your choices have been selected, they may not be changed unless there is a qualified "life change" in your family status during the Plan year. Life changes in family status include: marriage or divorce, adding a qualified domestic partner or terminating a qualified domestic partner relationship, death of a covered eligible and birth or adoption. United must be notified of these changes within 30 days through the United Benefits Service Center. If the change involves the death of a spouse/domestic partner or child, call the Benefits Service Center. If a relocation change qualifies you for different benefits, you will receive an enrollment worksheet allowing you to enroll for new benefits. The Benefits Service Center contact information is available on our "Useful Sites" web page.
Monthly Cost of Coverage
You will receive an Annual Benefits Personal Enrollment Worksheet from United prior to the fall Open Enrollment each year. The worksheet will have the monthly costs for the medical and dental benefits effective the following January 1st. These costs include the 20% employee contribution for the Traditional Medical PPO Plan. Our Contract Section 33.A.2. ensures that the Total Monthly Cost of coverage, on which the employee contribution is calculated, will not increase by more than 7% per year. In addition, the employees’ co-payment for the mail delivery prescription drug program (MEDCO) will not exceed 7% of the cost of the previous year rounded to the nearest dollar.
The cost of any HMO(s) available in your area is indicated on the worksheet sent to your home by United in advance of the enrollment period. Our Contract Section 33.A.2.f. provides that “the contributions for each month of coverage under an HMO is equal to the total monthly cost of the HMO minus the amount of the Company's contribution that would apply for such coverage tier for such month of coverage under the Medical PPO.”
Even if you are currently enrolled in an HMO program, it's important to review the terms and conditions of the HMO coverage for any changes in providers and/or benefits. During your review, be sure you are looking at the HMO schedule of benefits and providers for the upcoming coverage year. Should you select an HMO, keep in mind that it is the terms and conditions of the respective HMO that govern your medical benefits not Section 33.A. of the Agreement. If you are enrolled in an HMO that will no longer be offered in the following year, and no new election is made, the medical coverage defaults to the Medical PPO option.
Waiving Coverage and Coverage Considerations
If you decide to waive the United medical or dental coverage, you must indicate so during Open Enrollment. Under this "No Coverage" option you are not eligible to elect coverage outside Open Enrollment; unless a qualified life change occurs. Absent such an event, the next time you may enroll for coverage is during the following year’s Open Enrollment with coverage effective January 1 of the following year. The "No Coverage" option for either the medical and/or the dental plans means United will not be liable for any non-work-related medical and/or dental claims for the period in which you are not enrolled in United's medical or dental plans.
Note: To provide coverage for dependents, active employees must be enrolled in the medical and dental plans. An employee who waives medical or dental coverage also waives it for their dependents
If you and your spouse/domestic partner are both eligible and covered by an employer sponsored medical and dental plan, take the time to review both plans. It may make economic sense to opt out of one plan and choose the family option on another. United's medical and dental plans do not coordinate with any other insurance plan. If you and your spouse/domestic partner are both employed by United, you are considered "team members" and the special rules that apply are reviewed in the Open Enrollment information package.
If you fail to make new elections during open enrollment, your medical and dental coverage default to your current options and the coverage level is based upon the number of enrolled dependents listed on your following year’s Open Enrollment worksheet. If you lost or optioned out of the United Medical Coverage during the year, in order to have coverage you must make an election for coverage in the following year. Failure to do so will result in “no coverage.”
Flexible Spending Accounts
Open enrollment also offers an opportunity to sign up for the Health Care (and the Dependent Day Care) Flexible Spending Account (FSA). The respective FSA accounts provide the ability to make pre-tax IRS allowable contributions to pay for medical and dental costs not covered by a health plan. This includes medical expenses such as deductibles, co-payments, orthodontia expenses in excess of Plan maximums, vision related costs such as routine eye exams, glasses and contact lenses. Dependent Day Care costs include those necessary expenses that you spend on providers to care for your qualified dependents while you are working.
Estimate your FSA contributions carefully because Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules and regulations prohibit United from refunding the actual amounts remaining in the individual accounts at the end of the Plan year. After the Plan year is closed, amounts remaining, if any, in the accounts of all Flight Attendants are combined and distributed to participating Flight Attendants on a pro rata basis. If you fail to make an election for the Flexible Spending Account (FSA), the program will default to zero contribution.
Double Check Selections and Get Confirmation
Before finalizing your benefit selections, review the Open Enrollment information and your personalized worksheet. Double check to make sure that you made the correct selections, especially if you’re funding an FSA. Any errors or incorrect selections may be changed prior to the end of Open Enrollment. Be sure to print your Open Enrollment confirmation statement or receive a confirmation number.
