A first-time opportunity to carry over flexible spending account funds, a minor increase in medical premiums and unchanged vision and dental coverage highlight changes in the 2021 benefits package offered to University of Nebraska employees.

The annual NUFlex open enrollment period is Oct. 26 to Nov. 13. It is the only time university employees can make benefits changes during the calendar year.

“In these unprecedented times, we’re pleased to continue offering our employees a strong benefits package with minimal changes over the current year,” said Chris Tran, director of benefits and risk management for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. “I encourage all employees to complete the voluntary Wellstream Health Risk Assessment to receive enhanced benefits.”

For the first time, employees who use a health care flexible spending account will be allowed to carry over up to $550 — the maximum allowed by the Internal Revenue Service — into the 2021 benefits year. In previous years, all flexible spending account funds had to be spent within a calendar year or were lost.

Premiums for coverage remain virtually unchanged. Medical premiums will increase by 5% in 2021, while long term disability premiums will decrease by 20%. Vision, dental and all other insured benefits remain the same as 2020.

Enhanced benefits for employees who complete the Wellstream assessment include a $400 allowance for annual preventative care; no co-pay for flu shots administered at an in-network pharmacy; no co-pay for generic prescription drugs through the CVS Caremark mail service program; and 100 percent coverage for a routine preventative colonoscopy once every 10 years beginning at age 50.

“Employees are also strongly encouraged to complete the tobacco and nicotine designation, making sure it is on your final confirmation statements,” Tran said. “If you fail to complete it, employees automatically pay tobacco user premiums on voluntary life insurance policies.”

Enrollment, which is available online, must be completed by 5 p.m. Nov. 13.

Other steps employees should complete include reviewing details in the NUFlex newsletter; review current benefits; enroll in flexible spending accounts; provide dependent verification if adding dependents to coverage; complete life insurance forms if enrolling in or increasing coverage; and review the NUFlex Benefits confirmation statement to verify selections are correct.

A complete overview of the NUFlex Benefits Enrollment period, including specific outlines of premium increases, is available online. Benefits enrollment help is also available online.

For more information, contact the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Benefits Office at benefits@unl.edu or 402-472-2600.