Open Enrollment
The Open Enrollment period for 2025 benefits was Sept. 30 – Oct. 25, 2024.
More information will be added to this webpage as it becomes available.
2025 Plan Updates
What’s New?
Third-Party Administrator Change
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, the State Health Plan Third-Party Administrator services will transfer from Blue Cross NC to Aetna.
Designate Your Primary Care Provider
As result of the State Health Plan transitioning to Aetna on January 1, 2025, you will need to log in to eBenefits (Benefitfocus) to designate your Primary Care Provider under Aetna to continue to enjoy lower copays when visiting that provider in 2025.
New ID Card
Enrolled members will receive a new ID card in late November-December. The cards will include all new Aetna information.
Important: Beginning Jan.1, 2025, the 2024 Blue Cross NC ID cards will no longer work at provider offices or pharmacies.
“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.
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.
Dental Rate Changes
MetLife Dental rates for all coverage options will increase in 2025. Review the 2025 employee cost and coverage details.
Prescription Coverage
The formulary (drug list), which determines what medications are covered and what tier they fall under, changes on a quarterly basis, so there is a possibility that employees will have changes in prescription coverage in 2025. Please refer to your Benefit Book for full coverage details.
Additional New Services
- New expanded disease and case management programs
- New 24/7 nurse line
- New virtual care services through Teladoc
- New LifeMart discount program
What hasn’t changed?
Health Insurance
- There are no premium increases, with no increase in copays or deductibles.
- The same plan options are available – Base PPO Plan (70/30) and Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20).
- Members who select a Clear Pricing Project Provider as their Primary Care Provider will continue to enjoy a $0 copay.
- Members will continue to enjoy a reduced copay when visiting a Clear Pricing Project Specialist.
- Preferred and non-preferred insulin continues to have a $0 copay for a 30-day supply.
- Preventive services remain covered at 100% – no copay or deductible – on either plan.
Review the plan summaries on the State Health Plan’s website for the most up-to-date plan details.
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.
Important: After making your elections, you must scroll down to the bottom and click “Save Changes” or your choices will not be recorded.
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
Important: 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.
For more information about these two platforms and logging into the systems, please refer to this webpage.
State Health Plan
The State Health Plan will maintain its current employee premium rates for the 2025 plan year and will continue to offer two Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans administered through Aetna — the Base PPO Plan (70/30) and the Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20).
NCFlex
NCFlex will maintain its current benefit offerings for the 2025 plan year; however, some plans may have experienced rate changes.
NCFlex Updates and Reminders
- Dental: MetLife Dental rates for all coverage options will increase in 2025. Review the 2025 employee cost and coverage details.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): The Health Care FSA maximum annual contribution is increasing to $3,200. The rollover balance is $640. To view your current FSA balance, log into the NCFlex P&A Admin site.
- Dependent Care FSA: The Dependent Care FSA annual limit will remain the same at $5,000.
- Cancer nor Critical Illness Plans: Neither the Cancer nor Critical Illness plans require evidence of insurability to enroll.
Resources
- UNC System Employee Benefits Website
- State Health Plan Third-Party Administrator Switch to Aetna and FAQs
- State Health Plan Comparison Chart
Contact Information for Questions
eBenefits (Benefitfocus):
- Call the eBenefits Eligibility and Enrollment Support Center at 855‐859‐0966.
UNC System Benefits (Empyrean):
- Call the Empyrean University Benefits Service Center at 833-862-1490.
Aetna Health Concierge (Customer Service):
- Call the Eligibility and Enrollment Support Center at 855-859-0966.
- Call the Aetna Health Concierge (Customer Service) at 833-690-1037.
UNC Charlotte Benefits Office:
- Contact the UNC Charlotte Benefits Office: Benefits@charlotte.edu or 704-687-8134