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Open Enrollment for non-GIC eligible state employees

 

Annual Enrollment

Annual enrollment will take place April 14 - May 16, 2008 for changes effective July 1, 2008, gives you the opportunity to review your benefit selections and make changes if you desire, or to enroll in benefits if you are GIC eligible. 

See your Benefit Decision Guide, mailed in April 2008, for any important changes.  Active state, housing authority and planning council employees will receive their guide at their agency.  Current retirees and survivors will receive their guide at home. New municipal and planning council employees and retirees will receive their guide through their benefits office and Retired Teachers from Gill-Montague, Holbrook, Millis and Winthrop will receive their guide at home.

If you want to keep your current GIC health plan (and you are not a Retired Teacher from Gill-Montague, Holbrook, Millis and Winthrop), you do not need to fill out any paperwork.  Your coverage will continue automatically.  During annual enrollment, we encourage you to take the opportunity to think about what you and your family need in the way of health care and other benefits.  Once you choose a health plan, you cannot change plans until the next annual enrollment, unless you move out of your health plan’s service area. 

Use the many tools on this site, your Benefit Decision Guide, and the GIC health fairs to become informed about your options.

State employee options
Retired state employee options
Municipality employee and retiree options
Retired Municipal Teacher options - Note: Doesn't apply to participating municipalites
New Employees
Form Submission deadline
Open Enrollment for Pre-Tax Benefits - active state employees only
Open Enrollment for Non-GIC eligible state employees in HR/CMS Agencies and UMass

During annual enrollment, eligible state employees, housing authority and planning council employees may:

  • Change health plans
  • Apply for Long Term Disability (LTD) – you may also do this anytime during the year
  • Apply for optional life insurance or increase coverage – you may also do this anytime during the year
  • Apply for the buy-out option
  • Apply for reduced non-smoker optional life insurance rates if you have optional life insurance as a smoker and have been tobacco-free for at least 12 months
  • Enroll in GIC Dental/Vision or change dental plans if you are eligible (primarily Managers, Legislators, Legislative staff and certain Executive Office staff)
  • Opt in or out of pre-tax premium basic life and health insurance deductions

NOTE: Open enrollment for the other GIC pre-tax benefits, including the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) takes place in the fall. Non-GIC eligible state employees in HR/CMS Agencies and UMass may be eligible for Connector coverage.

State, Housing Authority and Planning Council Retirees and Survivors may:
 Change health plans
Enroll in the GIC Retiree Dental Plan
Apply for the buy-out option

See your GIC Benefit Decision Guide for Plan information and eligibility details. Also be sure to attend a GIC health fair and refer to the annual enrollment news highlights.

Enrollment forms are will be due on May 16, 2008 for changes effective July 1, 2008.

If you are a Retiring Municipal Teacher, you do not need to enroll for the first time during the GIC's annual enrollment period. Similarly, if you are not yet age 65 or retired from state or participating municipality service, you do not need to change plans during annual enrollment.

City of Springfield, Town of Saugus, and new participating municipality employees, retirees and survivors and retired teachers from Gill-Montague, Holbrook, Millis and Winthrop may:

  • Enroll in or change health plans

Form Submission

Current Enrollees

  • Active employees: return completed forms to your GIC Coordinator
  • Non-Medicare retirees and survivors: return completed forms to the GIC and send the HMO application (only if NHP Care selected) to the Plan
  • Medicare retirees and survivors: write to the GIC and return completed Medicare HMO application (if selected) to the Plan.

    New Municipal Enrollees and Retired teachers from Gill Montague, Holbrook, Millis and Winthrop

    Return completed forms to your municipal benefits office

    New Employees

    If you are a new GIC-eligible employee, you can enroll in GIC benefits within 10 calendar days of your first date of employment. GIC benefits begin on the first day of the month following 60 days or two full calendar months of employment, whichever is less. For State employees, GIC benefits can include basic life, basic life and health, optional life insurance, Long Term Disability, Pre-tax Health Care Spending Account (HCSA), Pre-Tax Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), and dental/vision. For participating municipalities, GIC benefits include health benefits. See the corresponding sections of our website and your GIC Coordinator for eligibility details.

    Retiring Municipal Teachers (RMTs)

    If you are a Retiring Municipal Teacher (Non-Municipality Program), you can enroll in GIC benefits before you retire. You do not need to enroll during the GIC's annual enrollment period. See your benefits department and the RMT section of this site for more information.

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