Your Annual Enrollment checklist

Annual Enrollment for 2023 benefits is set for Wednesday, Oct. 12, through Friday, Oct. 28, and will be a good opportunity to take a fresh look at your options.

The university encourages you to take the time to review your current coverage and to take advantage of the enrollment resources available to help you make any updates to your benefits. Even if you're not planning to make changes, now is a great time to use ALEX, a virtual benefits counselor, and other available resources and tools so that you can make sure that you're choosing the plans that are best for you.

If you do not enroll during the Annual Enrollment period, your current medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment, and short-term disability insurance, and voluntary benefits (legal, critical illness, and accident insurance; pet insurance; and identity theft protection) elections will carry over into 2023 at the new rates. Remember, you must enroll in the health care/limited purpose and dependent care flexible spending accounts, as well as reset your health spending account contributions, each year during Annual Enrollment to participate.

Also, be sure to apply or reapply for the Child Care Voucher program if you want to participate in 2023. Through this program, you have the opportunity to apply for tax-free assistance to help pay for child care for your pre-kindergarten children under age 6. In addition, increased JHU scholarships are available for the three centers that are Johns Hopkins partners: Homewood Early Learning Center, Bright Horizons, and the Weinberg Early Childhood Center. These scholarships can be used in addition to vouchers and are available to full-time employees of the university, postdoctoral students, full-time doctoral and medical students, residents, and house staff. Visit the Benefits & Worklife website for more details, including eligibility criteria.

Before you enroll, you can take advantage of these five online tools and resources to help with your decision-making:

• Attend a virtual town hall in October to hear what's new and for a refresh of benefits for 2023.
• Visit the virtual Benefits & Worklife Fair. This interactive experience will allow you to access benefits information and visit vendor booths. Access the fair on the Benefits & Worklife website starting on Monday, Oct. 10.
• Visit the Benefits & Worklife website in October to see an overview of what's being offered at enrollment and to learn more about your medical plan options.
  • Log in now to ALEX, JHU's virtual benefits counselor, to learn more about your plans and watch educational videos; then revisit the site in October for individualized expert advice about choosing the medical plan that is best for you.
• Use Securian's online benefits decision tool, Benefit Scout, to learn more about your life insurance benefits. By answering a few simple questions, you can determine the coverage that meets your needs and budget. Visit lifebenefits.com/jhu for more information.
• Take this time to explore the voluntary benefits available to you, such as identity theft protection and legal, pet, critical illness, accident, and auto/homeowner's insurance. You can learn more about these benefits at jhuvoluntarybenefits.com.

Finally, as you plan for Annual Enrollment, it's a good time to think about your financial well-being as well. As part of the university's retirement plan transition to TIAA in July, you were expected to update your retirement plan beneficiaries and complete a new spousal waiver, as no prior designations or waivers were transferred to the new TIAA accounts. If you have not already updated the information, you should log in to TIAA as soon as possible to do so. Watch for information about upcoming educational sessions, hosted by TIAA representatives, to learn about JHU's retirement plans.

Contact the Benefits Service Center at 410-516-2000 or email the Benefits team at benefits@jhu.edu if you have questions about your benefits or 2023 Annual Enrollment.

Additional enrollment information will be coming soon.