Open Enrollment for your 2019 DC Government employee benefits began Monday, November 12, 2018 and ended Monday, December 10, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your current benefit elections and make any necessary changes. If you are satisfied with your current benefits and have no new dependents to add, then you do not have to take any action this year. Your elections will carry over to the 2019 plan year; however, the costs will reflect the 2019 contribution amounts.
Please Note: If you have Aetna CDHP with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA), you must re-enroll as these elections do not roll over. When you make your elections online, you will see your 2019 per-pay-period costs and can plan accordingly.
Coverage Effective Dates
- For employees who are paid biweekly, changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective January 6, 2019.
- For employees who are paid semi-monthly (some DCPS and UDC), changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective January 1, 2019.
Open Enrollment 2019: What You Need to Know
What's New for 2019
Find out what you need to know about the 2019 benefits changes before enrolling in or changing your benefits this year.
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2019 DC Employee Healthcare Benefits Providers (DCEHBP) Employee Premium Costs. As health care costs across the nation continue to rise, so do the costs in the District of Columbia Government. Therefore, your costs for coverage will increase again in 2019. The District will take on the majority of this increase, but some of this cost will be shared with employees. We can work together to help keep cost increases at a minimum by using network doctors, wellness resources and generic instead of brand-name prescription drugs.
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Increased 2019 457(b) Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan Contribution Limits. The 2019 elective deferral limit for 457(b) plans increased to $19,000. This is a $500 increase from 2018. The 2019 Age 50 Catch-Up Limit is $25,000 and the Pre-Retirement Catch-Up Limit is $38,000.
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Increased 2019 Pre-Tax Contribution Limit for Health Care FSAs. The 2019 pre-tax contribution limit for Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts is $2,700. This is a $50 increase over the 2018 limit. This limit is effective January 1, 2019.
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Increased 2019 Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit Limits. The maximum monthly pre-tax limit for mass transit and parking will increase to $265 in 2019. BRiWeb enrollment will automatically be updated to reflect the updated limits in 2019.
Enrollment Resources
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Open Enrollment Checklist. This checklist takes you through each action item in the enrollment process to ensure your enrollment is complete. Includes important dates, what to review and consider pre-enrollment, HSA and FSA setup, beneficiaries, eligibility, qualifying life events, and more.
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Open Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions. Answers to common questions about Open Enrollment, including plan changes and highlights, important dates, where to enroll, DCHR contacts, paycheck deductions, and more.
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DC Government Employee Benefits at a Glance. This resource is a comprehensive, high-level overview of your DC Government employee benefits. Includes summary information for all available employee benefits and perks.
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DC Government Benefits Enrollment Instructions. A step-by-step, how-to guide for enrolling in your DC Government benefits through Employee Self Service (ESS). The guide features ESS screenshots for each step; information on how to enroll in benefits that are not available through PeopleSoft; and a Dependent Eligibility Verification section, which includes a list of relevant dependents and corresponding verification documents, submission instructions, and contact information.
ALEX, The Virtual Benefits Counselor
ALEX® is an easy-to-use online tool that will help you select the best-fit employee benefit plans for you and your family. ALEX will ask you a few questions about your health care needs (your answers remain anonymous, of course), crunch some numbers, and help to educate you the plans that best fit your personal needs. It’s that easy! Visit ALEX during Open Enrollment at www.myalex.com/dchr/2019.
How long does it take go through ALEX? Going through the entire ALEX experience and clicking every possible button can take about 30 minutes or so, but the actual duration of your experience will depend on your needs. Most users spend about 7 minutes with the tool. Also, you can always save your place in ALEX and return later simply by providing your email address.
How can I make the most of my ALEX experience? ALEX is best experienced on a desktop computer with sound (either headphones or speakers), but you can also use it on an Android or iOs (Apple) mobile device.
Will I need to do anything to prepare? Using ALEX is very simple. You won’t have to dig through your insurance records or anything like that, but if you’d like to prepare for the questions about your medical needs, here’s what you’ll be asked about your maternity care needs and expected number of:
- Doctor Visits (Primary Care and Specialists)
- Hospital Stays
- ER visits
- Surgeries (Inpatient and Outpatient)
- Prescriptions (Occasional and Ongoing)
How does ALEX calculate recommendations? ALEX estimates the total yearly out-of-pocket costs (a combination of your premium contributions and the costs for the services you plan to use) for each plan and educates you on the plans with the lowest overall cost to you based on your personal preferences. ALEX’s cost data is based on health insurance plan design features and average procedure cost data.
2019 Medical Premiums
2019 Medical Premium Costs for Employees Hired Before October 1987
Please visit the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Health Care Plan Information page for 2019 medical premiums. In addition to the biweekly and monthly premiums, you can also find the total premiums, the amount the government pays, and the change in your portion of the premium compared to last year.
2019 Medical Premium Costs for Employees Hired On or After October 1, 1987*
Please Note: The information on this page is valid through December 31, 2019. Click here for 2018 rates. In the event the plan rates listed here do not match the provider's listed rates, always default to the rates listed with the provider.
Aetna CDHP Plan
Aetna CDHP Health Plan Summary 2019
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Biweekly Premium | 2019 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | HM1 | $44.46 | $96.33 |
| Self + 1 | HM2 | $87.40 | $189.36 |
| Family | HM3 | $128.48 | $278.38 |
Aetna PPO Plan
Aetna PPO Health Plan Summary 2019
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Biweekly Premium | 2019 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | AP1 | $96.12 | $208.26 |
| Self + 1 | AP2 | $188.95 | $409.38 |
| Family | AP3 | $277.77 | $601.83 |
Aetna HMO Plan
Aetna HMO Open Health Plan Summary 2019
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Biweekly Premium | 2019 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | AH1 | $94.88 | $205.57 |
| Self + 1 | AH2 | $186.50 | $404.08 |
| Family | AH3 | $274.17 | $594.04 |
For more information, please visit Aetna's DC Government Microsite.
Kaiser Permanente HMO
Kaiser Permanente Plan Summary 2019
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Biweekly Premium | 2019 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | KP1 | $73.42 | $159.08 |
| Self + 1 | KP2 | $140.23 | $303.84 |
| Family | KP3 | $215.12 | $466.08 |
For more information, please contact Kaiser Permanente Member Services or visit Kaiser Permanente's DC Government Microsite.
UnitedHealthcare Choice Nationwide
UnitedHealthcare Choice Plan Summary 2019
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Biweekly Premium | 2019 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | MD1 | $88.91 | $192.63 |
| Self + 1 | MD2 | $169.81 | $367.93 |
| Family | MD3 | $260.50 | $564.41 |
For more information, please contact UnitedHealthcare Member Services or UnitedHealthcare's DC Government Microsite.
2019 Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) Premiums
Download 2019 TCC Enrollment Form
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|
Aetna CDHP |
Aetna PPO |
Aetna HMO |
|||
|
Type |
Enrollment Code |
2019 Monthly Premium |
Enrollment Code |
2019 Monthly Premium |
Enrollment Code |
2019 Monthly Premium |
|
Self Only |
HM1 |
$393.04 |
AH1 |
$849.71 |
AP1 |
$838.73 |
|
Self + 1 |
HM2 |
$772.59 |
AH2 |
$1670.28 |
AP2 |
$1648.67 |
|
Family |
HM3 |
$1135.80 |
AH3 |
$2455.48 |
AP3 |
$2423.70 |
| Kaiser Permanente | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Monthly Premium |
| Self Only | KP1 | $649.04 |
| Self + 1 | KP2 | $1239.79 |
| Family | KP3 | $1901.74 |
| UnitedHealthcare Choice | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2019 Monthly Premium |
| Self Only | MD1 | $785.95 |
| Self + 1 | MD2 | $1501.15 |
| Family | MD3 | $2302.80 |
* TCC rates shown were those provided by the carriers where possible; otherwise they are assumed to equal the active rates with a 2% load.
2019 Vision & Dental Premiums
Vision Plan
Vision coverage is available at no cost to eligible employees. DC Government pays 100 percent of the premium. There are three coverage tiers available: Self, Self Plus One and Self Plus Family. For more information, please see the 2019 Vision Summary Plan Description.
Dental Plans
Cigna Dental HMO: The District pays for 100 percent of the premium costs for the DHMO benefit. For more information, please see the 2019 Cigna Dental HMO Patient Charge Schedule.
Cigna Dental PPO: The District pays a portion of premium costs for the DPPO benefit. For more information, please see premium rates below or the 2019 Cigna Dental PPO Benefit Summary.
2019 Cigna DPPO Premium Rates
| Type | 2019 Biweekly Premium | 2019 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $27.02 | $58.53 |
| Self + 1 | $38.33 | $83.05 |
| Family | $49.81 | $107.72 |
Benefits You Can Enroll In 2019: Through & Outside of PeopleSoft
| Benefit | Options | Who Pays | How to Enroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Insurance |
|
PeopleSoft | |
| Dental Insurance |
|
PeopleSoft | |
| Vision Insurance |
|
PeopleSoft | |
| Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) |
*You must be enrolled in the Aetna CDHP to be eligible. |
|
PeopleSoft |
| Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) |
|
|
PeopleSoft |
| Indemnity Insurance |
|
|
PeopleSoft |
| Disability Insurance |
|
|
PeopleSoft |
| Retirement Plans |
|
PeopleSoft | |
| Commuter Benefits |
*Only Union Compensation Units 1 and 2 are eligible for SmartBenefits |
|
*may enroll anytime |
| Savings Plans |
|
Outside of PeopleSoft | |
| Employee Assistance Plan |
|
Contact the DCHR Benefits & Retirement Administration
The DCHR Benefits and Retirement Administration can be reached Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the following:
- Phone: 202.442.7627
- Email: [email protected]
- In Person
1015 Half Street, SE, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20003
Metro: Navy Yard/Ballpark, Green Line
Call volumes are highest during the first and last week of the Open Enrollment period. Call volumes are lowest early morning (8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) or late afternoon (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) Tuesday through Thursday.
Payroll Concerns & Questions
For issues regarding payroll or paychecks, please contact the Office of Pay and Retirement Services.
- Phone: 202.741.8600
- In Person
One Judiciary Square
441 4th Street, NW, Suite 410 South, Washington, DC 20001
Metro: Judiciary Square Station, Red Line