Open Enrollment

August 29, 2024
Categories: Spotlights

For the 2025 Plan Year

Insurance Open Enrollment Period: Sept. 30 – Oct. 25, 2024

All benefits-eligible employees must take action.

Effective date of changes: Jan. 1, 2025

Page updated: August 29, 2024. More information will be added as it becomes available.

During Open Enrollment, eligible employees will be able to enroll in or update their benefits.

Find a Provider Tool for Health Insurance

With the change to Aetna as the State Health Plan’s third-party administrator, effective Jan. 1, 2025, employees can now use the “Find a Provider” tool to see if their current providers are in network and available as a Clear Pricing Project provider. Providers had to re-sign with Aetna as a CPP, so their status may have changed.

Find a provider
Step-By-Step Guide On Using The Find A Provider Tool

Note: Make sure to select the NC State Health Plan network for Aetna 2025 when you search for your provider.

Aetna Health Concierge will be available to answer any questions you may have. Contact their customer service by calling 833-690-1037.

Flu Shot Information

Flu vaccine clinics will be held on campus during the month of October. Learn more on the Niner Nation Cares website.

A note for State Health Plan members who are tobacco users:

Employees who are tobacco users and want to earn their monthly premium credit for 2025 don’t have to wait until open enrollment this fall. They can take action now to save money throughout the year!

Effective July 1, 2024, tobacco users can attend a tobacco cessation counseling session at their primary care provider’s (PCP) office for free to earn a lower premium for 2025. They have until Nov. 30, 2024, to take action. (Note: If employees combine their tobacco cessation visit with another service, there may be a copay.) This convenient employee option means there’s no need to wait for Open Enrollment in October to secure their monthly premium credit for 2025.

Here’s how it works:

  • After employees visit a PCP for their tobacco cessation session, the provider will submit a claim on their behalf. To ensure they receive credit for their visit, employees can upload their office visit summary to the “Document Center” located in eBenefits, the State Health Plan’s enrollment system. They should make sure to request a copy of their summary during their visit.
  • During open enrollment, they will need to attest during the online enrollment process. This step is critical to ensure employees receive the lower premium for 2025.
  • This action is ONLY for tobacco users who want to reduce their monthly premium by $60 per month in 2025. If employees are NOT tobacco users, they will simply attest to that online during Open Enrollment, Sept. 30 – Oct. 25, 2024.
  • More information on tobacco attestation.

When open enrollment begins, you will use two enrollment platforms.

eBenefits (BenefitFocus)

You will need to log in to this platform to enroll/make changes to your elections for:

  • Health through the State Health Plan

In addition, you will go here to answer your tobacco attestation if you elect to enroll for health coverage under the State Health Plan and want to receive the wellness premium credit.

Once you log in to the site, select “Get Started” on the home page and follow the prompts. After you make your choices, and they are displayed for you to review and print, you must scroll down to the bottom and click “Save Changes” or your choices will not be recorded.

Using a preferred browser (Chrome or Firefox), click the button below and enter your NinerNET credentials. 

Log Into eBenefits

UNC System Benefits (Empyrean)

You will go here to enroll in/make changes to your elections for:

  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Accident
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • UNC Life Insurance
  • UNC Voluntary Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
  • UNC Supplemental Disability
  • Cancer and Specified Disease
  • Critical Illness
  • TRICARE Supplement coverage

Once you log in to the site, you will see a pending event (i.e., Open Enrollment). Click “Continue” and follow the prompts. After you make your enrollment choices, and they are displayed for you to review, you must scroll down and click “Submit My Elections.” One last pop-up message will appear and you must click “Accept” or your choices will not be recorded.

Log Into UNC System Benefits

Resources

Questions?

  • eBenefits (BenefitFocus): 
    • Employees can complete their enrollment over the phone.
    • Call the eBenefits Eligibility and Enrollment Support Center at 855‐859‐0966.
    • Open Enrollment extended hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. EST, and Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST.
  • UNC System Benefits (Empyrean): 
    • Employees can also complete their enrollment over the phone.
    • Call the Empyrean University Benefits Service Center at 833-862-1490. The hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. (EST).
  • Aetna Health Concierge (Customer Service): 
    • Call the Eligibility and Enrollment Support Center at 855-859-0966. The extended hours during Open Enrollment are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
    • Call the Aetna Health Concierge (Customer Service) at 833-690-1037. The extended hours during Open Enrollment are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Additional Questions: Contact the UNC Charlotte Benefits Office: Benefits@charlotte.edu or 704-687-8134