Please Note: Open Enrollment for 2021 employee benefits is now closed. Open Enrollment ran Monday, November 9, 2020 through Monday, December 14, 2020.
Open Enrollment for 2021 employee benefits will run from Monday, November 9, 2020 through Monday, December 14, 2020. 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 2021 plan year; however, the costs will reflect the 2021 contribution amounts.
Please Note: If you have a Flexible Spending Account, you must re-enroll as these elections do not roll over. When you make your elections online, you will see your 2021 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 3, 2021.
- For employees who are paid semi-monthly (some DCPS and UDC), changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective January 1, 2021.
Open Enrollment 2021: What You Need to Know
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Live Open Enrollment Benefits Webinars
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Week 1: November 9-13
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What's New for 2021
Find out what you need to know about the 2021 benefits changes before enrolling in or changing your benefits this year.
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457(b) Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan Contribution Limits: The 2021 elective deferral limit for 457(b) plans is $19,500. The 2021 Age 50 Catch-Up Limit is $6,500 ($26,000 total) and the Pre-Retirement Catch-Up Limit is $19,500 ($39,000 total). Deductions start with the pay period that begins on December 20, 2020.
- Health Care FSA Contribution Limit: The 2021 pre-tax contribution limit for Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (HCFSA) is $2,750. Deductions start with the pay period that begins on December 20, 2020.
- Commuter Benefit Contribution Limit: The 2021 maximum monthly pre-tax contribution limit for mass transit and parking is $270. Deductions start with the pay period that begins on December 20, 2020.
- Health Savings Account Contribution Limit: For participants enrolled in the Aetna CDHP with HSA, the 2021 pre-tax contribution limit for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) is $3,600 for individual coverage and $7,200 for family coverage. Please see the Aetna CDHP with HSA plan documents page for more details.
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/2021.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.
2021 Medical Premiums
2021 Medical Premium Costs for Employees Hired Before October 1987
Please visit the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Health Care Plan Information page for 2021 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.
2021 Medical Premium Costs for Employees Hired On or After October 1, 1987*
Please Note: The information on this page is valid through December 31, 2021. Click here for 2020 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 with HSA
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | HM1 |
$35.21
|
$76.29 |
| Self + 1 | HM2 |
$69.21
|
$149.96 |
| Family | HM3 |
$101.75
|
$220.45 |
Aetna HMO
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | AH1 |
$96.04
|
$208.10 |
| Self + 1 | AH2 |
$188.79
|
$409.05 |
| Family | AH3 |
$277.54
|
$601.34 |
Aetna PPO
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | AP1 |
$92.17
|
$199.71 |
| Self + 1 | AP2 |
$181.19
|
$392.58 |
| Family | AP3 |
$266.36
|
$577.12 |
For more information, please visit the Aetna DC Government Microsite.
Carefirst HMO
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | - |
$86.60
|
$187.64 |
| Self + 1 | - |
$170.61
|
$369.65 |
| Family | - |
$250.28
|
$542.27 |
Carefirst PPO
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | - |
$97.80
|
$211.90 |
| Self + 1 | - |
$186.80
|
$404.72 |
| Family | - |
$286.55
|
$620.85 |
Kaiser Permanente HMO
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | KP1 |
$77.18
|
$167.22 |
| Self + 1 | KP2 |
$147.41
|
$319.38 |
| Family | KP3 |
$226.12
|
$489.93 |
For more information, please contact Kaiser Permanente Member Services or visit the Kaiser Permanente DC Government Microsite.
UnitedHealthcare Choice Open Access
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | MD1 |
$92.02
|
$199.38 |
| Self + 1 | MD2 |
$175.76
|
$380.81 |
| Family | MD3 |
$269.62
|
$584.17 |
For more information, please contact UnitedHealthcare Member Services or the UnitedHealthcare DC Government Microsite.
2021 Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) Premiums
|
|
Aetna CDHP
|
Aetna HMO
|
Aetna PPO
|
|||
|
Type
|
Enrollment Code
|
2021 Monthly Premium
|
Enrollment Code
|
2021 Monthly Premium
|
Enrollment Code
|
2021 Monthly Premium
|
|
Self Only
|
HM1
|
$311.26
|
AH1
|
$849.03
|
AP1
|
$814.82
|
|
Self + 1
|
HM2
|
$611.82
|
AH2
|
$1668.92
|
AP2
|
$1601.71
|
|
Family
|
HM3
|
$899.45
|
AH3
|
$2453.48
|
AP3
|
$2354.66
|
|
|
Carefirst HMO
|
Carefirst PPO
|
||
|
Type
|
Enrollment Code
|
2021 Monthly Premium
|
Enrollment Code
|
2021 Monthly Premium
|
|
Self Only
|
-
|
$765.56
|
-
|
$864.54
|
|
Self + 1
|
-
|
$1508.16
|
-
|
$1651.27
|
|
Family
|
-
|
$2212.48
|
-
|
$2533.09
|
| Kaiser Permanente HMO | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Monthly Premium |
| Self Only | KP1 | $682.25 |
| Self + 1 | KP2 | $1303.23 |
| Family | KP3 | $1999.06 |
| UnitedHealthcare Choice Open Access | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Enrollment Code | 2021 Monthly Premium |
| Self Only | MD1 | $813.46 |
| Self + 1 | MD2 | $1553.69 |
| Family | MD3 | $2383.40 |
* TCC rates shown were those provided by the carriers where possible; otherwise they are assumed to equal the active rates with a 2% load.
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 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 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 Cigna Dental PPO Benefit Summary.
2021 Cigna DPPO Premium Rates
| Type | 2021 Biweekly Premium | 2021 Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Self Only |
$27.19
|
$58.90 |
| Self + 1 |
$38.58
|
$83.59 |
| Family |
$50.03
|
$108.30 |
Available Benefits for 2021 & How to Enroll
For additional plan resources and details, please visit our 2021 Open Enrollment On-Demand Resources page.
| 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 |
|
|
*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]
Payroll Concerns & Questions
For issues regarding payroll or paychecks, please contact the Office of Pay and Retirement Services.
- Phone: 202.741.8600