Time is winding down to review your benefit selections for 2022.
Open Enrollment for U-M benefits ends Friday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m. Benefits-eligible faculty, staff, retirees and graduate students can change their health, dental, vision and legal plan benefits. This is also the time to add eligible dependents and enroll in a flexible spending account.
This year, you have a one-time opportunity to enroll in the university’s Optional Life Insurance plan or increase your coverage level without having to provide a health statement of insurability for limited coverage increases.
All benefits-eligible employees and retirees should review their benefits plans, options and 2022 rates. Benefits changes and new rates take effect Jan. 1, 2022.
No Action Required to Keep Current Benefits, Except FSAs
If you want to keep your current benefits plans with no changes, no action is required on your part as long as you maintain your eligibility. The exception is flexible spending accounts, which the Internal Revenue Service regulates. Unlike other benefits, the IRS does not allow FSA enrollments to continue from one year to the next. Even if you were enrolled for 2021, you must re-enroll for 2022.
Look Ahead if Planning to Retire in 2022
If you plan to retire in 2022, think about the future now by using this Open Enrollment period to enroll in the benefits and coverage you want in retirement.
Benefits coverage for the employee and eligible dependents enrolled in the U-M health, dental, vision and/or legal plan at the time of retirement automatically continues as long as eligibility is maintained.
Interactive Tool Can Help Compare Plans
New this year: Benefits Mentor, an interactive comparison tool open to faculty, staff and retirees.
With users’ permission, Benefits Mentor accesses actual health care claims to compare U-M’s plans and analyze which best suits your needs. If you opt out of allowing access to personal data, Benefits Mentor will utilize benchmark data. Based on your responses, you’ll get a health care plan recommendation.
However, using Benefits Mentor doesn’t automatically enroll you in a health plan. And you don’t have to select the plan suggested by the Benefits Mentor tool. If you want to change your benefits or enroll in an FSA, you must complete the traditional Open Enrollment process.
To use the new tool, go to Wolverine Access and search “Benefits Mentor.”
More Tools to Inform, Compare
Several tools are available to offer a deeper dive into U-M benefits:
Health plans
Dental plans
Health Care FSAs
Enroll or Change Benefits through Wolverine Access
Make your changes online through Wolverine Access benefits self-service. All changes must be completed and submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29. Your changes are complete when you receive an online confirmation statement.
Retirees may make changes online by 5 p.m. Oct. 29, or with the enrollment form included in the Open Enrollment book. The Benefits Office mailed these to home addresses in early October. Completed forms may be mailed or faxed, and must be postmarked or received by Oct. 29.
Complete benefits plan and enrollment information is available on the Human Resources Open Enrollment website.
For questions, call the SSC Contact Center at (734) 615-2000 or (866) 647-7657.
