The Benefits Office reminds employees and early retirees that the annual open enrollment period ends Sunday, November 14 at midnight.
You do not need to do anything if you want to maintain your current elections for 2000 unless you wish to continue participation in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Your FSA contributions will not automatically continue into 2000. You must re-establish your FSA account(s) each year.
This also is a reminder of the December 3 deadline for enrolling in MIT's new long-term care insurance plan offered to employees and retirees through John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. The plan offers coverage to will provide benefits for most long-term care expenses at group rates.
As part of the initial plan offering, eligible actively-at-work employees will automatically be accepted into the plan regardless of health status. Spouses or spousal equivalents of eligible employees will be subject to modified underwriting. They will be required to answer not more than five health questions during the enrollment process. All others, including retirees, must provide evidence of insurability by completing a health questionnaire.
After December 3, all eligible participants (including actively-at-work employees) will be required to provide proof of good health to apply for coverage.
John Hancock and MIT Benefits Office representatives will be available to answer questions about the plan at the following meetings:
- Wednesday, Nov. 10 -- Lincoln Laboratory, Auditorium, 10am and 3pm
- Monday, Nov. 15 -- Student Center Mezzanine Lounge, 9am and 11am
- Tuesday, Nov. 16 -- Student Center Twenty Chimneys, 10am and 2pm
Anyone with questions or who needs additional enrollment materials may call the John Hancock Customer Service Center at (888) 453-2030, Monday through Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm or visit the Long-Term Care web site for MIT employees (username mit, password jhancock). For other benefits questions, e-mail benefits-www@mit.edu or call x3-0500. The Lincoln Laboratory Benefits Office is at (781) 981-7055.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on November 10, 1999.
