When can I enroll in benefits?

New employees have 60 calendar days from the date of benefit eligibility to initially enroll in CSUMB's health, dental, Flex Cash, voluntary group term life insurance, dependent and health care reimbursement plans. Please call HR for information on the application and enrollment periods for other benefit plans.

Benefit eligible employees can also enroll in benefits during the annual open enrollment period held in September/ October for a January 1st effective date.

When is coverage effective?

Effective dates of new enrollments, additions, deletions, and plan changes are explained in each benefit section found on the "Plans and Programs" page of the HR website.

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Can I still enroll in benefits if I missed the 60-day enrollment deadline?

Yes.
Medical and Dental Insurance: There are two options. Depending on the circumstances (qualifying event), you may be granted a late enrollment extension. A 90-day waiting period would apply starting from the date Benefits receives the enrollment request. The effective date would be the first of the month following the completion of the 90-day waiting period. Otherwise, you will be able to enroll in benefits during the annual Open Enrollment period for a January 1st effective date.

All other benefits: Any enrollments and/or changes to benefits can be made during the annual Open Enrollment period, usually in September/ October for a January 1st effective date.

Can I cover my dependents?

Eligible dependents include the employee's legally married spouse or registered domestic partner and unmarried dependent child (ren) under the age of 23.

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What is considered a Domestic Partnership and how do I register my domestic partner with the state??

Per the State of California, a Domestic Partnership is defined as a committed same sex relationship or a committed opposite sex relationship where at least one partner is at least 62 years or older. Specific requirements and further information on how to register your domestic partner with the State are listed on the Declaration of Domestic Partnership form and the California Secretary of State website.

Can I add or delete my dependents at any time?

Dependents may be added to your plan within certain time frames and under certain circumstances. However, this is never automatic. It is your responsibility to request additions, deletions, or changes in enrollment in a timely manner and to stay informed about plan changes and eligibility requirements. Enrollment forms must be submitted to HR according to specified timelines. Please review the CalPERS health plan guide for general information about dependent changes that you may make.

NOTE: "Retroactive transactions" can happen when your eligibility status, or the eligibility of one of your dependents changes (i.e., divorce, death, marriage of your child under age 23, etc.), and those changes are not reported in a timely manner. That means there is an "overpayment" of your premiums - by you and your employer - which can be reimbursed; however, there is only a time period of six months from the event date that the reimbursement covers. Certain penalties may apply.

To learn more, choose one of the options below.

Not Making Timely Changes Costs Everyone - Find out how limited reimbursement of retroactive health premiums can impact you.

FAQs - Retroactive Health Premium Reimbursements- You'll find answers to questions on retroactive reimbursement of health premiums.

To make an addition or deletion request for health and/or dental, fill out the Add/ Delete Worksheet and the Dental Enrollment Form. Both forms can be found on the "Forms" page of the HR website.

When adding or deleting a spouse or other dependent, additional documentation may be required. Please contact Benefits for more information.

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How do I find out my group numbers for medical, dental, and vision?

All benefit contact information, including group numbers can be found on the "Benefit Contact Information" page of the HR website. Medical group and ID numbers can be found on your medical ID card mailed directly to you from the carrier.

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What can I do if I'm a new employee and have not received my medical ID card yet?

1. Verify that HR has your correct address by logging on to CMS Student/HR (directions on how to do this are listed in the following question). The carrier may have sent it to the wrong address.

2. If your address is incorrect, please update it in CMS Student/HR . Detailed instrustions are available in this Job Aid.

If your address is correct, go to step 3.

3. Contact the carrier and ask for a new card to be reissued or call Benefits at x4426 for assistance.

4. It usually takes 2 weeks from when Benefits receives your enrollment form for the medical enrollment to be processed and the carrier to issue ID cards. If you need medical attention or need a prescription filled and have not received your ID card, contact Benefits for assistance. You may need to pay out of pocket initially and submit a claim to the carrier at a later date for reimbursement.

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How can I find out what benefits my family and I are enrolled in and if HR has my correct address and emergency contact information?

You are now able to view your health plan enrollment and dependent coverage information online in the CMS Student/HR software. Please sign in to verify your medical, denta,l & vision coverage. Should you find any discrepancies, please contact Benefits at x4426.

You may review and update your address and emergency contact information in CMS Student/HR as well.

For assistance signing in, please visit the CMS website.

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How can I request a new medical ID card if I've lost/ misplaced my original one?

There are two ways you can do this.

First, you can request a new card online by going to the medical carrier's website and register as a user. Once you've created a username and password, you should be able to request a new ID card and even print out a temporary one.

Second, you can call the carrier directly and request a new ID card be sent to you. Please verify they have your correct address.

Are ID cards issued for dental insurance?

Delta Dental does not issue ID cards. When making an appointment, the dental office will need your group number and employer information to verify eligibility with the carrier. Group numbers can be found on the "Benefit Contact Information" page of the HR website.

PMI DeltaCare does issue ID cards, which are mailed directly from the carrier. If you have enrolled in PMI DeltaCare and have not received your ID card, please call the carrier directly.

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This is my first time using my benefits. What do I need to be aware of?

Verify eligibility. Have the doctor's office verify your eligibility with the insurance carrier PRIOR to your actual appointment. If there is an issue with your eligibility, please contact Benefits at x4426 for assistance.

Make sure you have your ID card issued by the carrier. The doctor's office and pharmacy may request a copy. ID cards are issued for medical and PMI DeltaCare enrollees.

Know your group numbers. The doctor's office will need to know them for billing purposes. Group numbers can be found on the "Benefit Contact Information" page of the HR website.

For further tips, please visit the "Using Your Benefits" page.

What can I do if I tried to make an appointment and the doctor's office said I and/or my dependents were not eligible?

1. Contact the carrier directly and explain the issue
-OR-
2. Contact Benefits at x4426 for assistance. We will verify eligibility and if necessary, contact the carrier and have them update your information in their system.

For 403(b) accounts, when is the last date I can add, change, or delete my Salary Reduction Agreement (SRA) to be effective for the current tax year?

The 403(b) tax year is from December of last year to November of this year. For any adds, changes or deletes to be effective for the current year, SRA forms need to be received by Benefits no later than the end of October since it takes a month to process. SRA forms received in November and December will count towards the following tax year. The form can be found on the "forms" page of the HR website.

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If I separate from CSU employment, what happens to the money that is taken out each month for retirement?

As part of the clearance process, a benefits exit consultation is offered to inform you of when your benefits will terminate, COBRA rights, and the options available to you regarding your retirement contributions as well as address specific benefit questions you may have.

CalPERS Members - Should you leave employment with the CSU prior to retirement and are a CalPERS member, you can opt to do one of the following:

 

1. You can request a refund of your contributions and interest. However if you elect a refund, there is a mandatory 20 percent federal withholding (other tax consequences may apply). You can avoid this by requesting that your refund be directly rolled over into a qualified defined contribution plan or an IRA. If you withdraw your portion, you will lose CalPERS membership. If you ended up obtaining another CalPERS eligible job, you would be considered a new CalPERS member. Your prior years of service could be bought back. However, it can be costly.

2. You can retire from CalPERS when you reach age 50. If you retire more than 120 days from your separation from the CSU, you will not be eligible for retiree health and dental.

 

3. You can leave your contributions on deposit with CalPERS and maintain your CalPERS membership. If you leave CSU employment, are vested, and maintain membership, you could come back to work for a CalPERS employer and later retire from CalPERS . If that job is not with the CSU, be aware that vesting requirements are different at other CalPERS agencies, where some require 10 or 20 years of service credit to be considered "vested" for retiree health and dental benefits. If you maintain your CalPERS membership, your contributions continue to earn interest at the current interest crediting rate. You can always apply for a refund later. Your retirement allowance will be based on your highest wage in a 12-month period, your age, and service credit.

PST Members - If you are a member of the Part-time, Seasonal, Temporary (PST) Retirement Program and leave CSU employment, you may request that 100 percent of your account balance be directly rolled over to another entity (401[k], IRA, 457 plan, or 403[b] Tax Sheltered Annuity) as long as the entity sponsoring the plan accepts 457 funds.

You may also elect to receive your entire account balance as a direct payment. This payment will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service as ordinary income. If your account balance is less than $200, federal and state income taxes will not be withheld. There will be a mandatory 20% withholding for federal income taxes on amounts of $200 or more. Please visit the Savings Plus Program website for more information.

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What does it mean to be vested?

As a CSU employee, if you are a CalPERS member, you can become vested in the CalPERS Retirement Plan after five years of full-time equivalent service with the CSU. Vested members are eligible for service retirement as early as age 50. To be eligible for lifetime medical and dental benefits, employees must meet the CSU vesting requirements and retire within 120 days of their separation date with the CSU.

CalPERS vesting requirements vary for each CalPERS employer. The employer you retire with determines the vesting requirements you are subject to, regardless if you are considered vested by CSU standards. For example, should you be vested with the CSU and resign, yet prior to retirement regain CSU employment, you would still be considered vested by CSU standards and would be eligible for CSU service retirement benefits.

Vesting eligibility can vary for each individual, as there are many factors involved. It is recommended that you contact HR for specific information as it relates to your situation.

 

Posted on Sep 07, 2010 -