The Missouri State Employees’ Cafeteria Plan for 2012 opens October 1, 2011. This year the enrollment period ends at midnight on December 1, 2011. Enrollment in the Cafeteria Plan this year will again be done online.
Complete information may be found in the Cafeteria Plan Booklet at www.mocafe.com and at http://www.missouristate.edu/human/3434.htm or available upon request in the Human Resources Office. The booklet contains instructions for online enrollment. We remind employees to be sure to complete all steps in the online enrollment process, otherwise, you may not be properly enrolled for 2012.
Enrollment can be done either at work or at home. Computers are available in one of the various computer labs on campus. Labs are located in:
- Cheek Hall – Room 150
- Meyer Library – 2nd Level
- Strong Hall – Room 107
- Glass Hall – Rooms 228, 229, 234, & 235
Additionally, Human Resources staff will be available to assist you with the online enrollment process during the open enrollment period. Contact a member of the Benefits team at 836-6616.
Before you begin to enroll online, remember:
- December 1, 2011 is the deadline for enrolling. No extensions are permitted!
- You do not have to re-enroll in the cafeteria plan in order to keep your medical and dental insurance coverage. Enrolling in the cafeteria plan is not about “signing up” for your insurance. Enrolling in the cafeteria plan is about paying insurance premiums and non-covered medical or dental expenses, or dependent care costs on a pre-tax basis. Therefore, only employees who anticipate having medical or dental expenses not covered by our insurance, or who elect Missouri State University medical or dental insurance for a family member(s) and want to pay the insurance premiums on a pre-tax basis, or who have dependent care expenses should consider enrolling in the cafeteria plan.
ENROLLMENT RULES
- You do not have to re-enroll for 2012; enrollment is automatic for your insurance premiums if you currently pay premiums through the cafeteria plan and want to continue.
- If you paid your insurance premium(s) on a post-tax basis in 2011 and wish to continue this option for 2012, you must elect the post-tax option again. If you do not follow the instructions to stop participating, your insurance premiums will be paid pre-tax through the cafeteria plan for all of 2012.
- If you do not want to participate (or continue to participate) in the flexible medical benefits and/or dependent care assistance option in 2012, simply do nothing and your participation will automatically end on December 31, 2011.
- To have a Flexible spending or dependent care accounts, you must enroll on-line.
FLEXIBLE MEDICAL ACCOUNT
If you wish to participate in the flexible medical option, it is important to estimate the amount of money you want to be redirected from your salary to your Cafeteria Plan account for medical expenses. Any funds left in your account at the end of 2012 will be kept by the State of Missouri. Therefore, it is important to estimate your anticipated expenses. In determining how much money to have withheld from your monthly salary and deposited into your flexible medical expense account, it is helpful to review your medical expenses incurred in 2011.
(1) Deductibles: Medical deductible remains $800 (individual) and $1,600 (family) if the medical services are provided in-network. For out-of-network, the 2012 deductible is $1,600 (individual) and $3,200 (family). Remember: For services performed at Taylor Health & Wellness Center there is no annual deductible applied.
(2) Out-of-Pocket Maximums: The annual maximum out-of-pocket amounts (deductible + co-insurances) are $2,800 per person or $5,600 per family if medical services are from Taylor Health & Wellness Center or a St. John’s hospital, clinic or healthcare provider. However, if medical services are from a hospital, clinic, or healthcare provider other than Taylor Health & Wellness Center or who isn’t in the St. John’s network, then the annual maximum out-of-pocket amounts are $5,600 per person and $11,200 per family. A directory of St. John’s hospitals and network health care providers is available at: http://www.missouristate.edu/human/3876.htm
(3) Prescription Medication Expenses: Your prescription benefit remains a 30% co-pay. Each time you fill a prescription, you must pay 30% of the price for the medication; our insurance pays the balance of 70%. Your co-pay increases to 50% if you purchase a brand name medication when a generic equivalent is available and your physician has approved the generic medication.
Each time you fill a prescription at Taylor Health & Wellness Center, you must pay 20% of the price for the medication; our insurance pays the balance of 80%. Your co-insurance increases to 50% if you purchase a brand name medication when a generic equivalent is available and your physician has approved the generic medication.
Throughout 2012, as you get prescriptions filled, you will continue to pay the co-pay until you have paid a total of $1,500 out of your pocket. Once you have paid $1,500, our insurance pays 100% of the cost for every prescription you get for the remainder of the 2012 calendar year. Remember, please use generics whenever possible to save your health plan extra costs. Employees are reminded that the $1,500 out-of-pocket amount for prescriptions is in addition to the medical deductible and out-of-pocket amounts discussed in paragraphs (1) and (2) above.
The Cafeteria Plan Booklet contains a partial listing of expenses that are eligible for reimbursement from your medical flexible spending account. Examples of ineligible expenses are also cited.
Please note: Due to new federal legislation effective January 1st, 2011, all claims for over-the-counter medicines must be accompanied by a prescription from the doctor such as allergy medication, aspirin, antacids etc. Other items such as contact lens solution, bandages etc. are still eligible without a prescription. Previously, all over-the-counter drugs and medicines that were purchased to treat an existing or imminent medical condition qualified as a covered medical expense without a prescription. Refer to the Plan booklet for more complete information.
DEPENDENT CARE ACCOUNT
You may also use the Cafeteria Plan to pay for dependent care costs on a pre-tax basis. The rules for use of the dependent care assistance option are explained in the booklet. CAUTION: These rules differ from those for medical or dental expense reimbursements.
The Cafeteria Plan will send an email confirmation if you:
- Elect to participate in the Medical Flexible Spending Account or Dependent Care Assistance options for calendar year 2012, or
- Opt-out of pre-tax insurance premiums.
Remember to keep the confirmation number you receive when your online enrollment has been completed.
Claim forms for flexible medical benefits and/or dependent care assistance option are available in the Office of Human Resources, at www.mocafe.com, or at the Human Resources web page http://www.missouristate.edu/human/HumResForms.htm For questions, please call a member of the Benefits team at 836-6616.