Preparing your health & wallet for the new plan year

The new plan year starts July 1! You can expect to start receiving frequent communications from Blue Cross of Idaho, Navia (if you signed up for Flexible Spending), Office of Group Insurance and your HR office highlighting new and continuing programs and benefits. All communications are intended to promote your “Benefits IQ” and show you how to put your premium dollars to good use.

---

Keep in mind that if your insurance needs or personal situations change throughout the year, there are mid-year actions you can take to adjust your benefit elections. See the chart below for a very high level overview of acceptable changes. More detailed information can be found throughout the Office of Group Insurance website: https://ogi-webdev.idaho.gov

	When can I make changes?	Is this change limited to Open Enrollment?
Medical	You can add/drop coverage for yourself and your dependents at any time during year.	No (exceptions for dependent dental)
Dental	You can drop dependent coverage at any time.	Adding previously declined dependent dental is limited to Open Enrollment EXCEPT when you are adding a newly eligible dependent to coverage; in this case previously declined dependents may enroll under a “tag along” provision.
Health Care FSA	You can increase/reduce your contributions after a qualifying life event.	Yes, unless you have a qualifying life event. To continue FSA, you must re-enroll every year during open enrollment.
Day Care FSA	You can enroll/increase/reduce your contributions after a qualifying life event.	Yes, unless you have a qualifying life event. To continue FSA, you must re-enroll every year during open enrollment.
Basic Life	You can change your beneficiaries at any time.	No
Voluntary Term Life (VTL)	You can enroll/increase/decrease your coverage any time. However, outside a life event you will be required to submit proof of insurability to be approved for coverage.	No

---

Don’t have a Primary Care Physician (PCP) or Dentist? You can find a searchable list of in-network providers on the Blue Cross of Idaho Member Portal, members.bcidaho.com. Keep in mind the provider you select will determine your out of pocket costs. For instance, ChoiceDocs PPO medical providers and PPO dental providers have lower copays and/or co-insurance than other contracting providers.

Haven’t set up your Blue Cross of Idaho member portal account? Have your Member ID handy and visit members.bcidaho.com.

You can always ask your agency’s HR office for information about enrolling in the medical and dental benefits if you are not currently enrolled or if you would like to add/delete dependents.

Questions? Contact the Office of Group Insurance in person, by telephone or email.