Open Enrollment for AlaskaCare and Optional Benefits Begins Today

Open Enrollment Begins Today!

It's time to review your current selections and covered dependents under the AlaskaCare Health Plan and State of Alaska Optional Benefits. Now is the time to make changes that will become effective January 1, 2014. Visit Alaska.gov/drb/OpenEnrollment to enroll online.

Changes for 2014

January 1 will bring important changes to the AlaskaCare Employee Health Plan, including a new benefit year schedule, new partners, and improved options for dental and vision plans. Please take time to become familiar with these upcoming changes.

Benefit Year:

Beginning January 1, 2014, the AlaskaCare Employee Health Plan will operate on a calendar year. The benefit year will begin on January 1 and end on December 31. 

New Partners:

Beginning January 1, 2014, Aetna will administer all medical and pharmacy claims for the AlaskaCare Health Plans and Moda Health/Delta Dental of Alaska will administer all dental claims. Aetna will also administer the Health Flexible Spending Account and the Dependent Care Assistance Plan through PayFlex, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aetna. Our new partners bring a variety of enhanced services, including expanded medical and dental networks. Be on the lookout for your new AlaskaCare medical and dental ID cards before the new year.

Changes to Your Benefits:

Vision Plan

The standard vision plan currently offered by AlaskaCare will be eliminated on December 31, 2013, and members will be able to elect vision coverage through the VSP-managed care plan. This plan provides high-value benefits with lower premium rates and no annual benefit maximum. Members in the standard vision plan will be automatically enrolled in the enhanced VSP-managed care plan unless a different election is made during open enrollment. The two-benefit-year limit on changing vision elections will be waived during this open enrollment period. To learn more about the VSP-managed care plan, please visit Alaska.gov/drb/OpenEnrollment.

Dental Plan

• Preventive plan: Members receiving non-preventive services from an in-network provider will be protected from overbilling and will not pay more than Delta Dental of Alaska’s negotiated rate for a procedure.
• Standard plan: Orthodontia and restorative coverage will be added to the standard dental plan. This gives more people access to these services while avoiding the higher monthly costs associated with the premium dental plan.
• Premium plan: The premium plan will be eliminated on December 31, 2013, as members have access to expanded services under the standard plan for a reduced monthly cost.

Members in the premium dental plan will be automatically enrolled in the standard dental plan unless a different election is made during open enrollment. The two-benefit-year limit on changing dental elections will be waived during Open Enrollment. To learn more about the enhanced dental plans, please visit Alaska.gov/drb/OpenEnrollment. You can also call Moda Health/Delta Dental of Alaska at (855) 718-1768.

Precertification Requirements

Beginning January 1, 2014, expanded precertification requirements will take effect. The full listing of services that will require precertification is available in the Summary of Benefits and Coverage available at Alaska.gov/drb/OpenEnrollment.

Optional Benefits

Remember, as of July 1, 2013, the following changes have been made to your Group Life and Optional Benefits:

• Basic Life: Pays $2,000 for employee’s death ($10,000 for employee’s death for General Government, Supervisory, Confidential, and Excluded units and employees in the Exempt and Partially Exempt services). Please note, due to IRS regulations, if a member selects a Supplemental Life option that, when combined with Basic Life, amounts to life insurance coverage exceeding $50,000, the portion of the premiums for the coverage over $50,000 is taxable.
• Travel Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Pays $100,000 to your beneficiary if you die accidentally ($200,000 for employees in the General Government, Supervisory, Confidential, and Excluded units and employees in the Exempt and Partially Exempt services).

Enroll Today

Visit Alaska.gov/drb/OpenEnrollment to enroll.

You will need your Retirement Identification Number (RIN) to enroll. You can easily find your RIN through the Get My RIN button in the left column of any Division Web page or by clicking on the following link: Alaska.gov/drb/Your_RNB/Employee/RIN.

Learn More

View answers to frequently asked questions or attend a seminar to learn more about Open Enrollment for AlaskaCare and State of Alaska Optional Benefits.