This is an active open enrollment so employees must take action, to select benefits and make certifications to avoid surcharges. There are also several changes to existing programs.  

Oct 03, 2023

Each year benefits-eligible employees have the opportunity to make changes to health care selections and this two-week period called open enrollment is fast approaching. Options selected between October 23 to November 3, will be effective for 2024. 

This year there are significant changes coming to available benefits and programs offered by the USG. Below we have listed an overview of those changes and ways to learn more before making your selections. 

USG Open Enrollment is October 23 through November 3 

Benefits-eligible employees can begin learning about your 2024 benefits by using one of the following resources: 

Make Your Tobacco and Working Spouse Certifications to Avoid $150 Surcharges 

If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, you are required to complete certifications each year during Open Enrollment. You must certify whether you (and your covered family members age 18+) use tobacco and whether your spouse has access to coverage through their employer.  

To learn more about the $150 tobacco use and working spouse surcharges and when they apply, click here to learn more. 

Donate to the Shared Sick Leave  

During Open Enrollment, Georgia Tech faculty and staff can donate sick leave hours to a pool benefiting those who need them. 

Each year during Open Enrollment, faculty and staff have an opportunity to participate in Georgia Tech’s Shared Sick Leave program, which Tech has offered since 2010. The Shared Sick Leave Program allows employees to donate unused sick leave to a pool where it can be used by other Georgia Tech employees who have used all of their accumulated paid leave but are experiencing serious health conditions. 

Understanding 2024 Benefit Changes 

To see the full list of 2024 changes visit benefits.usg.edu/open-enrollment/2024-benefits-for-active-employees and read this article. Changes include premium updates, and changes to well-being programs.  

Here are a few highlights of the changes for 2024: 

  • Increases in deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, co-insurance, and co-pays for all of the USG offered plans. 
  • Customer service and healthcare support for the Anthem/BCBSGa plans (Consumer Choice HSA, Comprehensive Care, and BlueChoice HMO) will be moved from Accolade to Anthem’s Total Health, Total You program. 
  • Weight Loss support will be offered through Weight Watchers for employees enrolled in the USG healthcare plans (Virtual option only for the Anthem plans and virtual and in-person options for Kaiser HMO plan). 
  • A Well-being Credit of up to $100 will be available for healthcare enrolled employees and their enrolled spouses. The new program year will begin January 1, 2024 – Activities will now be provided through your healthcare provider (Anthem or Kaiser). 
  • The Livongo diabetes management and prevention programs will be sunsetting at the end of the year. 
  • Programs will be offered through the healthcare providers and/or through institutional based programming. 
  • Employee premiums increase by 6.9% in the Consumer Choice HSA and Comprehensive Care Plans, 10.9% in the BlueChoice HMO plan, and 10% in the Kaiser Permanente HMO plan. 

Here is a summary of the approved plan design changes and premiums. 

Learn more about all benefit options at benefits.usg.edu.