Last chance this year to make changes in benefits

Several important changes in University benefits will take effect Jan. 1, including a re-design of the Maroon Plan to eliminate dental coverage and the introduction of a new, separate dental plan. Open Enrollment for changes in various benefit plans is being held this month. The final dates are Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 9 and 10, when Open Enrollment will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Cloister Club of Ida Noyes Hall.

During this time, employees may change health and dental plans, add eligible family members to their health and dental coverage, select the optional Long-Term Disability Plan without a medical review, or set up medical and/or dependent-care Flexible Spending Accounts for 1997. Open Enrollment is the only time when these changes may be made. Changes in health-plan and dental-plan enrollment will take effect Jan. 1, 1997.

The most significant of the changes to University benefits is the re-design of the Maroon Plan to eliminate dental coverage. This change will allow the purchase of separate medical and dental coverage and also has allowed for the creation of a new dental plan, the Indemnified Dental Plan. Beginning next year, the Maroon Plan will offer only medical coverage. Employees currently participating in the Maroon Plan who wish to maintain dental coverage in 1997 must enroll in either the Indemnified Dental Plan or the First Commonwealth dental HMO during Open Enrollment.

Several other changes in benefits will take effect Jan. 1, including:

_ A reduction in employee premiums for the University of Chicago Health Plan (UCHP)

_ The addition of U of C physicians to the HMO Illinois network

_ A decrease in personal accident insurance rates, along with expanded benefits coverage

_ A 7 percent increase in long-term disability insurance rates

For more information, see the Nov. 21 Chronicle or contact a Benefits Counselor at 702-9634 or at benefits@uchicago.edu.