Last Thursday, October 5, the Minnesota Legislature’s Subcommittee on Employee Relations did not approve the state employee labor contracts, negotiated by MMB earlier in the year. Open Enrollment 2018 is still moving forward, but we will be reverting back to current 2017 benefits for next year.

What that means for you:

• For now, we cannot offer the expanded dental benefit set that was bargained this summer. Thus, 2017 dental benefits will continue into 2018-19, the employee share of the single dental premium will remain at $5, and the employee share of the family dental premium will rise just slightly above 2017 rates. You can find the exact amounts in the updated electronic version of the Open Enrollment brochure, which employees received in the mail last week. 
• On the medical side, we cannot eliminate the copayment for convenience clinics and online care, which will remain at $10 for 2018-19. That is the only change to medical benefits. Medical premiums will rise 2.85%, unchanged from what we communicated in the mailed Open Enrollment brochure.
• Every benefit (including short-term disability and supplemental life) will still be available during Open Enrollment, which runs from October 26 to November 8.

What you can do to prepare for Open Enrollment:

• Read the updated Open Enrollment brochure.
• Attend an in-person employee meeting (through October 20th ) with SEGIP staff and vendor representatives.
• Review the 2018 clinic directory, now available online. Your primary care clinic may be changing cost levels, so this information helps you know your potential out-of-pocket responsibility in 2018 (through copays, deductibles, and so on). You also should check whether your primary care clinic will be available at a lower cost level through a different medical carrier.