Select Benefits (endowed and contract college faculty and staff members)

• The deadline to enroll in a Select Benefits Medical Care or Dependent Care Reimbursement Account is Dec. 31, 2008.
• You must enroll each year to participate in the coming year.
• All recipients of a Cornell Child Care Subsidy Grant for 2009 must enroll in a Select Benefits Dependent Care Reimbursement Account for 2009.
• You can only enroll by using a paper form at this time, available here: http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/whatsNew/whatsNewBenefits/whatsNewBenefitsOE.html.
• All forms must be postmarked by Dec. 31 or hand-delivered to Benefit Services, 130 Day Hall, by 5 p.m. Dec. 24, 2008, or Benefits will be required to reject the form under federal rules.
• Contract college employees please note: The deadline for Select Benefits is Dec. 31, 2008, even though the option transfer period for health care plans ends Jan. 5, 2009.

Contract college staff and faculty health plans

• New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) premium rates for the annual option transfer period can be found here: http://www.ohr.cornell.edu/whatsNew/whatsNewBenefits/whatsNewBenefitsCCOption2009.html.
• You will receive an option transfer packet from Cornell early next week.
• The option transfer period permits employees to change from the Empire Plan to an HMO (or change from one HMO to another), change from an HMO to the Empire Plan, voluntarily cancel your coverage or change from family coverage to single coverage. Changes during the option transfer period are effective Jan. 1, 2009.
• The option transfer period runs until Jan. 5, 2009.
• The New York State Health Transaction Form (PS404) must be signed and postmarked by Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, and returned to 130 Day Hall. Forms requesting option transfer changes will not be accepted after Jan. 5, 2009.
• You must sign up for Select Benefits before the end of the year, Dec. 31, 2008, to participate in Select Benefits.

Endowed staff and faculty health plans

• The open enrollment extension period runs through Dec. 31 if you wish to enroll in or change your endowed health or dental plan or coverage.
• Remember: During the extension period, you may only enroll by using a paper form. All forms must be U.S. postmarked by Dec. 31 or hand-delivered to Benefit Services, 130 Day Hall, by 5 p.m. Dec. 24, 2008.

If you have any questions, give Benefit Services a call at 607-255-3936. Remember: Benefit Services and the university are closed Dec. 25, 2008, through Jan. 2, 2009.