Open Enrollment has entered its final week, and benefits-eligible George Washington University employees have until Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. to review their options and make selections for 2015.
Due to recent health care reform, high-cost plans like GW’s In-Network Only Premium health care plan will be subject to a 40 percent excise tax beginning in 2018. The university will terminate its premium plan Dec. 31 to allow sufficient time to make subsequent changes if needed in advance of the implementation of the excise tax provisions.
Employees currently enrolled in the premium plan who do not actively elect a new plan for 2015 will be automatically enrolled in the Choice-Plus Medium plan, which offers comparable coverage for lower per paycheck contributions.
The termination of the plan is not a termination of the network and employees will be able to keep their doctors, according to Sabrina Ellis, vice president for human resources. The medium plan includes a deductible, however, only certain services are subject to the deductible. In-network office visits (primary care and specialists) and urgent care visits will have the same copays as the premium plan. The pharmacy plan and copays are also the same. For details, please refer to the plan comparison chart.
