Enrolling In and Making Changes to Your Benefits
Benefits Open Enrollment 2012–2013
Your annual opportunity to make changes to your healthcare elections is here. The 2012–2013 Benefits Open Enrollment period will run from April 9–April 20. Click here for complete details.
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When Can I Enroll In or Make Changes to My Benefits?
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How Do I Enroll?
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Dependent Eligibility
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Payroll Deduction Schedule
For many of Penn’s benefit options, you can only enroll and/or make changes during the new employee eligibility period, the annual Open Enrollment period, or when you experience a qualifying life event.
New Employee Eligibility Period
As a new employee, you’ll receive a packet of information regarding your benefits options. You’ll have 30 days from the date your benefits become effective to make your elections. Once you register for and receive your PennKey and password, you can enroll in your benefits online or contact the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENN-BEN (1-888-736-6236) to make your elections.
Open Enrollment
This is your annual opportunity to make changes to your benefit elections. Open Enrollment takes place in April, and any changes made during this period become effective for the following plan year (July 1–June 30). Detailed information about the 2012–2013 Open Enrollment period is available here.
View the 2012-2013 Benefits Enrollment Guide for complete details on benefit options for the 2012–2013 plan year, medical plan comparison charts, premium rates and more.
Qualifying Life Event Changes
If you experience a change in family status or employment status, you may be eligible to make changes to your benefit elections outside of Open Enrollment. Examples of qualifying life events include:
- a change in marital status
- a new child
- death of a covered dependent
- change in spouse's/same-sex domestic partner’s employment status
- change in health insurance eligibility due to a relocation of residence or workplace
You have 30 days from the date of the event to make changes to your benefits. You can make life event changes online or contact the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENN-BEN (1-888-736-6236).
You can enroll in benefits, make changes to your existing elections, and view a summary of your benefits online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using Penn’s online benefits enrollment site. If you have questions about enrolling in your benefits online, contact the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENN-BEN (1-888-736-6236).
When you make your benefits elections, you may also have the opportunity to enroll your eligible dependents in your coverage. But you'll need to provide proof of eligibility when you do so. Shortly after you enroll your dependent(s), you'll receive a letter at your home address asking you to submit specific documents demonstrating that your newly-enrolled dependent(s) are eligible to receive benefits coverage under Penn’s plan rules. The letter will also explain how to provide this verification. Click the links below for more details.
Dependent Eligibility Verification Process
Acceptable Documents for Verifying Dependent Eligibity
Summary Plan Description
Most of your benefit contributions are deducted from your paycheck one month in advance of when your benefits are effective (e.g., deductions from your February paycheck pay for your March benefits). However, contributions for the Health Savings Account, Pre-Tax Expense Accounts and Long-Term Care Insurance are deducted in the current month.
If You’re Newly Eligible for Benefits
If you were hired on or before the 15th of the month, your medical, dental and vision benefits are effective the first day of the following month. If you were hired on or after the 16th of the month, those benefits are effective the first of the month following thirty days of employment.
For example, let’s say you’re hired on February 12. Your benefits begin on March 1 and you have until March 31 to make your elections. Since most benefit deductions are taken one month in advance, you’ll have two months of deductions taken from your March paycheck (for your March and April benefits coverage).
If you have questions about your benefits contributions, please contact the Penn Benefits Center at 1-888-PENNBEN (1-888-736-6236).