{"id":17660,"date":"2023-10-11T14:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T18:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=17660"},"modified":"2025-12-09T16:16:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T21:16:33","slug":"your-top-open-enrollment-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=17660","title":{"rendered":"Your Top Open Enrollment Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period takes place in October each year and is your annual opportunity to enroll in, change, or cancel your benefit selections for the upcoming year. As you review your options for the 2024 plan year, take note of the following answers to the most common questions we\u2019ve received so far from benefits-eligible employees. As a reminder, MSU Human Resources staff will be available at the <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/benefits-fair.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSU Benefits Fair<\/a> this week on <strong>October 12<\/strong> and at <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/site-labs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HR Site Labs<\/a> on <strong>October 18, 24, and<\/strong> <strong>31<\/strong> to help with enrollment and questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Do I need to do anything during Open Enrollment?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This depends on your family\u2019s benefit needs for the coming plan year. Please review the true\/false statements on <strong>page 6<\/strong> in the appropriate open enrollment guide to help you determine if you need to take any action during the Open Enrollment period. <em>If you answer true to any of the statements, you must take action by October 31.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/documents\/2024-SS-OE-Guide.pdf#page=6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Support Staff Open Enrollment Guide &#8211; Page 6<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/documents\/2024-FAS-OE-Guide.pdf#page=6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Guide &#8211; Page 6<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Did I do Open Enrollment correctly?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Completing Open Enrollment Online<\/strong>: Most employees will <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/instructions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">complete Open Enrollment online through the EBS Portal<\/a>. After completing enrollment, you will receive an email confirmation statement. Review the confirmation statement to validate that your plan elections are correct. If your elections look correct, you have completed open enrollment successfully. If you would like to make any changes, you can go back through the open enrollment application in the EBS Portal until October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Completing Open Enrollment via Email\/Mail<\/strong>: If you submitted an enrollment\/change form via email or mail, you can log in to the <a href=\"https:\/\/secportal.ebsp.msu.edu\/\">EBS Portal<\/a>, select My Benefits on the top navigation, click on Current Benefit Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate your plan elections. If your elections look correct, you have completed open enrollment successfully. If you would like to make changes, you can submit a new enrollment form by October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes. <em>Please allow 3\u20135 days for the delivery of the U.S. mail. Once received, your enrollment elections will be completed within 7\u201310 business days.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is there anything new for the 2024 benefit plan year?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes! Please review <strong>page 5<\/strong> in the appropriate Open Enrollment guide to learn what\u2019s new and notable for the 2024 plan year:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/documents\/2024-SS-OE-Guide.pdf#page=5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Support Staff Open Enrollment Guide \u2013 page 5<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/documents\/2024-FAS-OE-Guide.pdf#page=5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Faculty\/Academic Staff Open Enrollment Guide \u2013 page 5<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is the Spouse\/Other Eligible Individual (OEI) Affidavit and why do I need to complete this?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you wish to cover a spouse\/OEI on your benefits for the 2024 plan year, you MUST complete the affidavit as part of the Open Enrollment process in October. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/instructions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find instructions to complete the affidavit as part of Open Enrollment<\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Spouse\/OEI Affidavit is a form of documentation that states whether your spouse\/OEI has access to health care coverage through their own current or former employer that is at or under an annual premium threshold. The premium threshold for the 2024 plan year is $1,500. This means if your spouse\/OEI has access to single-person coverage for $1,500 or less annually from their own employer, they must enroll in their own employer&#8217;s health coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may still cover your spouse\/OEI on your MSU health plan as a dependent, but the coverage through MSU will be considered secondary and their employer&#8217;s coverage will be primary. This is done through a process called &#8220;coordination of benefits,&#8221; which allows a person to be covered by two different health care plans. <em>Please note that not all health plans coordinate, and you must reach out to each health care vendor to confirm coordination.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about what \u201ccoordination of benefits\u201d means, why MSU requires a spouse\/OEI affidavit, and how to complete the affidavit correctly on the <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Open Enrollment FAQ webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Did I complete the Spouse\/OEI Affidavit correctly?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Completed Affidavit Online:<\/strong> Most employees will complete the Affidavit online as part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/instructions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Open Enrollment process in the EBS Portal<\/a>. After you complete enrollment, you will receive a benefit email confirmation statement. <em>You must complete and save all the Open Enrollment prompts in the EBS Portal to receive a confirmation statement; you cannot simply answer the affidavit and exit the portal<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/instructions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find instructions to complete Open Enrollment online.<\/a> To verify you have completed the affidavit successfully, review the affidavit reply date on your benefit email confirmation statement under the Health Plan Affidavit section. If the date listed is within the Open Enrollment period (October 1-31), you have completed the affidavit successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Completed Affidavit via Email\/Mail:<\/strong> If you were mailed the open enrollment guide and you submitted the affidavit via email or mail, you can log in to the EBS Portal, select My Benefits on the top navigation, click on Current Benefit Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate the affidavit reply date. If the date is not updated, please contact the HR Solution Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free 800-353-4434) to verify receipt. It may take 7-10 business days to show an updated affidavit reply date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How do I answer the Spouse\/OEI Affidavit if my spouse\/OEI also works for MSU?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your Spouse\/OEI works for MSU in a benefit-eligible position, you are not required to complete the spouse\/OEI affidavit since eligibility is already in our system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Please note:<\/strong> MSU only allows coverage under one health care plan per eligible employee. You have two options if you and your spouse\/OEI both work at MSU:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>You can both have your own plans OR<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can have one plan with one of you listed as a dependent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You may wish to cover the entire family on one plan to reduce your employee premium contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Should I enroll in the new Delta Dental PPO Premium plan option? Which dental plan is the best option?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your Open Enrollment guide (<a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/documents\/2024-SS-OE-Guide.pdf#page=23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">support staff<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/documents\/2024-FAS-OE-Guide.pdf#page=23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">faculty\/academic staff<\/a>) will give you an overview of the 2024 plan year dental options, coverage charts, and monthly premiums to help you determine which plan is right for your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also encourage you to attend one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/benefits-fair.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Delta Dental presentations during the MSU Benefits Fair<\/a> to learn more and ask questions about the new plan. Delta Dental will be presenting on October 12 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and again from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/benefits\/dental\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dental page on the HR website<\/a> to find more information and resources, including a Delta Dental Cost Modeler tool to help you determine which Delta Dental plan is more cost-effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>I don\u2019t see my vision coverage on my MSU email confirmation statement. How do I enroll in, make changes, or cancel voluntary benefits, such as vision, legal, or critical illness insurance?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Voluntary benefits \u2013 such as vision, legal, and critical illness insurance, among others \u2013 are administered directly through a vendor called MSU Benefits Plus (not MSU) and so do not appear on your MSU benefit email confirmation statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may enroll in voluntary benefits through the <a href=\"https:\/\/msubenefitsplus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSU Benefits Plus website<\/a>. You will receive an email confirmation statement from MSU Benefits Plus after completing enrollment. If you are already enrolled in voluntary benefits (such as vision) and wish to continue your coverage, no action is needed. If you wish to add new coverage, make changes, or cancel existing coverage, please visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/msubenefitsplus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSU Benefits Plus website<\/a>. You may also log in to the <a href=\"https:\/\/msubenefitsplus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSU Benefits Plus website<\/a> to confirm which benefits you are already enrolled in. Please contact MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575 with any questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope this helped to answer some of your Open Enrollment questions! Please visit the HR website to find all <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/\" target=\"_blank\">Open Enrollment information and resources<\/a>, including additional <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/faq.html\">Open Enrollment FAQs<\/a>. We hope to see you at the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/benefits-fair.html\" target=\"_blank\">MSU Benefits Fair<\/a> on October 12 from noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Breslin Student Event Center, or at an <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.msu.edu\/open-enrollment\/site-labs.html\" target=\"_blank\">HR Site Lab<\/a> on October 18, 24, or 31.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period takes place in October each year and is your annual opportunity to enroll in, change, or cancel your benefit selections for the upcoming year. As you review your options&hellip; <a class=\"continue\" href=\"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/?p=17660\">Continue Reading&#8230;<span> Your Top Open Enrollment Questions<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":17669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0},"categories":[2],"tags":[16,792,174],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/oe-top-questions.jpg?fit=2500%2C1313&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb1fcA-4AQ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17660"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17660"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19557,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17660\/revisions\/19557"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcelive.hr.msu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}