Thread regarding Intel Corp. layoffs

So what is the deal with the 2017 Annual Enrollment Guide for Intel Retires?

It shows an open enrollment period of Nov. 7th through Dec. 2.

I too did my 2017 enrollment before Oct. 28th (thanks again to the original poster) and did get a confirmation email.

But if I log in to the "My Benefit" page on the Hewitt site, there is an "Action Needed" red popup to "Make your anual enrollment choices"

Is that for retires that are not part of the latest ERP?

Correcting my typo. Deadline is 11:59pm PST this evening (10/28).

Thanks again to the OP for his informative & timely post!!

-4tkj & -dpe

Nice to hear 4tkj!

OP here, I forgot to mention about the vision plan, I had upgraded mine as well. Definitely glad I posted this, hopefully save some folks a few bucks. Honestly I almost couldn't believe it at first, it's only for a year of course, but a fine year indeed :) Oh, I also went for Providence, copay was cheaper than Cigna and we have one right down the street.

Just got off the phone with GoMyBen and made changes to my COBRA. Turns out the Providence PCP is a whole lot cheaper out of pocket than their HDHP (which I was forced into last year). All free to me.

Also, speaking of free to me.... I upgraded my Vision from the basic plan to the enhanced plan at no charge to me. There are a few more benefits to this offering such as they'll pay more for my frames than the basic plan so I upgraded since it's no cost to me.

Deadline is 11:50pm PST tonight so if you need to make changes do it now!!! (COBRA folks only, everyone else starts in November).

I also informed the rep about the confusing postcard sent out to COBRA folks (again) saying we either shouldn't get that card, or they should change COBRA folks open enrollment dates to the same as everyone else to stop the confusion.

I also brought up about the email from Hewitt that had past dates for me to reimburse myself from SERMA. Doubt they'll do anything (thinking it will fall into the big black hole) but at least they've been told multiple times now.

Lucky ERPers i guess. For us the younger ones that did not qualify for ERP, if we switch from HDHP to copay we pay around $550 more per month which at the end ends up being very similar as meeting the yearly deductible.

We also called and changed from BCBS HDHP to Connected Care Co-pay plan. We were also under the impression that we had to stay with the plan we were on in 2016. We also upgraded to a higher level vision plan, also at no additional cost. The open enrollment mailings were very confusing and we are very grateful for this posting. Saved us ALOT of $$$ in 2017, Thank you!

I just changed and chose the Cigna PCP plan and switched from the Cigna HDHP. I called and talked to the rep and they said it showed $0 with Intel picking up the entire cost. The ERP was a wise choice...

R u sure about having to use IRMP? I read it that the $ amount put in was based on 2016 IRMP costs but that did NOT limit what plan you applied it to

Don't rock the boat @1vfp. lol

I've been appeylying for YSA reimbursements for non-Intel coverage (Medicare) and they are taking the money out of the SERMA adder that supposedly is for IRMP only..I'm afraid to call and ask in case that jinxes it.

I think you're fine, OP, especially since you have confirmation. I'd think you could contest it if you were suddenly charged.

I had no payroll deductions so I'm not the person to ask. It would be interesting to see what someone with deductions says as you said.

-xdl

xdl, well I hope I am right. This morning I switched my plan for my wife and 3 kids from Cigna HDHP to Providence PCP and again, it showed my cost as $0. I got my confirmation email and all so I'm remaining optimistic. What would be nice to know is if someone who took ERP had a plan with payroll deductions, did Intel pick those up for the remainder of this year?

That was one of my other posts you read about the adder. :)

I had the same thought as you did when looking and seeing every single option with zeros when that's not how it was when I was employed, some cost me more thru payroll deductions than others. I too figured it had to be a mistake with all zeros. hmmmm....

-xdl

xdl,

Yep, I learned about the adder only being for IRMP from this site actually :) I haven't done the math myself either but it shouldn't be too hard. If there is another plan that costs less than half you'd be saving in the long run, right? Of course you also have to factor in the quality of care and out of pocket expenses. Hate the idea of just leaving that money sitting though ... I assume also that if we don't use it we'd loose it.

I'm also still a little in shock about the coverage for 2017. I keep thinking someone is going to come on and post that no no, you have to pay the difference. But, I got a mailer listing several plans, all showed my cost as $0, I initially thought it's a mistake. I went online and it showed the same thing, even the most expensive Cigna plan, $0. So, I called and they said the same - actually they were only looking at the same thing I do online and the guy said yep, it looks like they (Intel) are covering it all, otherwise there would be a value shown under my monthly cost. So I'll keep my fingers crossed. I mean I was all set to use the HSA and stick with high deductible but if I don't have too, that $10 copay is looking pretty nice.

Wow, I did not know about the whole enchilada, OP. lol I should probably take a look myself then. Maybe there's a cheaper plan for me if I go to the Dr (which is very infrequently, thank goodness).

Did you realize the 1/2 year adder can ONLY be used if you use the very expensive IRMP plan? We're not allowed to buy on the open market with that money. I found that out when I called asking why that amount was it's own line item/bucket and not dumped into SERMA. I still haven't totally wrapped my head around that yet. If they are only paying for 6 months, and I have to pay the other 6 months out of my pocket. at a much higher cost... (or use SERMA actually, but still...).. is it better to do that or skip using that adder since the last 6 months on IRMP will be very expensive? I need to do the math at some point.

-xdl

xdl, OP here and I agree with all you mention, great info. The dates were certainly a cause of confusion so I'm very happy I took a look this morning.

I wasn't too surprised at being able to switch, the surprising part was how much Intel was going to pay. As mentioned I had been on a high deductible plan for several years and with that plan nothing is deducted from ones paycheck. When Intel said they were going to pay for health insurance for a year and a half, (plus the 1/2 year adder), I had just assumed they meant the portion they always cover, meaning if I chose a different plan that I would have to pay the remainder, (the part that might be normally deducted from ones pay check).

So, I was incredibly surprised to find that wasn't true, Intel covers the whole enchilada so to speak. I've now switched to a plan with a small co-pay, it's more money for Intel but will save me a bundle.

I think you may have misunderstood the info being presented to you @dpe. I read all the literature, and attended the medical presentation, and at no time did I walk away thinking that I was locked into what I had for FUTURE years. Where we were locked into what we had was at the time we opted to take COBRA for the remainder of THIS year. Being offered COBRA is NOT considered a "qualifying event" according to the IRS so you were locked into whatever you had Jan-Jun for the remainder of the year.

However, when Open Enrollment opened up for 2017, THAT is when you're allowed to change what you had. This is NO different than when you were employed. You could NEVER change options mid-year unless you had a "qualifying event". You always had to wait for enrollment for the upcoming year. No exceptions.

Again, being retired/on COBRA is absolutely NO different than when you were employed. The ONLY difference is the timing of our (COBRA folks) open enrollment which almost tripped a few people up, me included. I thought it opened up when it did for employees (11/7 or thereabouts), but apparently it opened something like 10/10 through 10/28 so... if you want to make changes for 2017 you'd better do it by eod this Friday.

Unsure why COBRA dates are earlier but I brought this issue up to both Intel and the IRO (Intel Retiree Organization). Intel should not have sent recently COBRA people the normal postcard for open enrollment (Nov-Dec signup) as it caused us some confusion since as I said above, it opened around 10/10 and closes 10/28.

Out of everything that has gone smoothly with the ERP process (for me at least) up till that point, this was the only issue/mistake I saw them make. I made them aware that they either should have the same open enrollment dates for COBRA folks, or do not send us the postcard telling us dates that won't work for us.

Sounds like this is good news for you @dpe, if you wanted to change next year. :)

one more - based on all the presentations we were locked with whatever we had for 2016.. I guess things changed, or lied to...

Great.. Just changed!