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2007 Open Enrollment

The 2007 Open Enrollment for medical and dental coverage effective January 1, 2007 begins on October 25, 2006 and ends on November 21 at 0400 CST.

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; 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 2007.

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 of the event either by completing the Family Status Change located on www.ualbenefits.com (Click on My Benefits and then Family Status Change) or by calling the United Benefits Service Center at 1-888-825-0188. 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) through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) by calling 1-888-825-0188 option 1.  International Flight Attendants outside the U.S. can reach the United Benefits Service Center through FLT-LINE or by calling collect at 1-515-457-9747.

Monthly Cost of Coverage

Your 2007 Annual Benefits Open Enrollment Personal Enrollment Worksheet will have the monthly costs for the medical and dental benefits effective January 1, 2007.  These costs include the 18% employee contribution increased from 2006's 16% for the Traditional Medical PPO Plan.  Flight Attendants’ employee contributions increase 2% a year until January 1, 2008 when it reaches and remains at the maximum contribution rate of 20%, as outlined in the Restructuring Agreement.  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 2007 employees’ co-payment for the mail delivery prescription drug program (MEDCO) will not exceed 7% of the 2006 cost rounded to the nearest dollar.

The cost of any HMO(s) available in your area is also indicated on this worksheet.  Even if you are currently enrolled in an HMO program, it's a good idea to review the terms and conditions of the HMO coverage for any changes in providers and/or benefits. You may review the 2007 HMO benefits by logging on at www.ualbenefits.com, which is also easily accessed through the link on our “Useful Sites” page on www.unitedafa.org.  During your review, be sure you are looking at the 2007 HMO schedule of benefits and providers. 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 as of January 1, 2007, and no new election is made, the medical coverage defaults to the Medical PPO option. See changes here >

At the time this article went to press, HMO providers or any new vendors for 2007 have not been finalized by United.  If you are currently covered by an HMO, be sure to verify that your HMO remains a provider option for 2007.

Waiving Coverage and Coverage Considerations

If you decide to waive the United medical or dental coverage for 2007, 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 2008 Open Enrollment with coverage effective January 1, 2008. 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 for 2007 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. Remember that 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 2007 Open Enrollment brochure.

Note: If you are covered by an Aflac policy, none of the Aflac benefits received by you or any family members “coordinate” with United (or other medical or dental) plans in any manner. Aflac benefits are always in addition to any medical and dental reimbursements.

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 2007 Open Enrollment worksheet.

*Default coverage – if you lost or optioned out of the United Medical Coverage during 2006, you must make an election for coverage in 2007. 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 allow you to use pre-tax money 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), there will be zero contribution.

Double Check Selections and Get Confirmation

Before finalizing your benefit selections for 2007, review the 2007 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 maybe changed prior to the end of Open Enrollment. 

Whether you enroll online at www.ualbenefits.com or by calling the United Benefits Service Center at 1-888-825-0188, be sure to print your Open Enrollment confirmation statement or receive a confirmation number.