The annual Open Enrollment Period for insurance benefit changes begins Monday, May 15, 2023 and continues through Tuesday, June 06, 2023. During this time you may make changes to your benefit plan elections. In many cases, the next opportunity to modify your benefit coverage will be July 1, 2024. Please review the following information carefully and submit any change requests through WorkDay by June 06, 2023. Please visit the following links, most relating to the open enrollment, for more information.
| 2023 Amherst College Benefits Guide PDF | 2023 Guía de los Beneficios PDF |
| 2023 Amherst College Benefits Guide Flipbook |
2023 Guía de los Beneficios Folleto Animado |
Need Help Choosing Your Benefits? Use ALEX, the official Amherst benefits counselor, who will walk you through the process of picking your best benefits and provides easy-to understand explanations for any questions you have along the way. Visit https://www.myalex.com/amherst/2023 to give ALEX a try.
Enrollment Meetings
Please join us at one of the upcoming benefit enrollment meetings, where you will have the opportunity to gather information and to discuss any benefits issues or changes you may be contemplating.
- Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM in Lewis-Sebring Conference Room
- Wednesday, May 24, 2023 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM in Lewis-Sebring Conference Room
Register to attend an Open Enrollment Meeting
Submitting Changes
As it was last year, all open enrollment changes at Amherst will be submitted through WorkDay. Paper change forms will not be accepted.
Information of how to use WorkDay to make open enrollment changes:
Health and Dental Information
| Health Plan Information -- the SBC, the Summary of Benefits and Coverage is detailed, good for side-by-side comparisons. The Summary of Benefits is a readable, succinct guide to the plan. | ||
| HMO Blue New England | SBC | Summary of Benefits |
| HMO Blue New England $500 Deductible | SBC | Summary of Benefits |
| Blue Choice New England | SBC | Summary of Benefits |
| Blue Care Elect Preferred (out-of-state residents, only) | SBC | Summary of Benefits |
| Blue Care Elect Saver 90 (high deductible plan) | SBC | Summary of Benefits |
| Dental Plan Information | |
| Dental Blue Freedom | Summary of Benefits |
| Dental Blue Freedom with Orthodontics | Summary of Benefits |
A word about networks
Our health plans use the terms in-network and out-of-network to describe coverage. For three of our health plans, HMO Blue, HMO Blue Deductible and Blue Choice, the network has historically been the HMO Blue network, limited to doctors and facilities in Massachusetts. This year, we are switching to the HMO Blue New England network, which covers most of the doctors and facilities in the New England region. Urgent and emergency care is covered anywhere in the world with these plans, but conventional coverage is considered in-network when it is provided within the HMO Blue New England network. The high deductible plan, Blue Care Elect Saver Plan 90, uses the PPO or EPO network, which is much larger. In-network with this plan means participating doctors and facilities nationwide.
Find a Dentist, Doctor or Other Practitioner in the Blue Cross Networks
Medication Lookup (choose the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Formulary)
Dental Maximum Rollover Amounts
Sliding Scale Consideration
Applying for sliding scale will be done by zoom meetings or by arrangement with a Human Resources representative. Eligibility will be determined by the total income line, line 9 on your 2022 IRS 1040 form or the equivalent line on other tax returns. Please note, W-2s cannot be used to document income.
Sliding Scale Virtual Sessions:
- Friday, May 19th, 2023, 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
- Monday, May 22nd, 2023, 09:30 AM - 10:30 PM
Register for a virtual sliding scale appointment
Amherst Plan (Flex Spending) Information
Flex spending may be elected at Open Enrollment. Please note, that if you are currently participating in flex spending, you must make a new election to continue your participation in the new fiscal year -- this is not automatic.The limits this year are $3,050 for health care flex spending account and $5,000 for a dependent care flex spending account.
The Amherst Plan Summary Plan Description
A list of eligible items and services for the Health Care FSA
IRS Publication 502 -- Allowable Medical Expenses
IRS Publication 503 -- Allowable Dependent Care Expenses
Vision Insurance Information
Note: Blue Cross medical plans come with one free basic vision exam per year. EyeMed provides one free vision exam (including a contacts exam), and co-pay benefits for glasses and contacts at participating vendors.
Life and Long Term Disability Insurance Information
At Open Enrollment, an employee may elect up to one step of optional coverage without providing evidence of insurability. That is, if you have basic life coverage, you can elect 1x optional life coverage. If you have 1x, you can elect 2x and so on.
You may elect more than one step of optional coverage at any time by completing the Prudential Evidence of Insurability form and returning it to Prudential. They may require additional information. Once approved, your changes will be entered by an HR benefits partner.
At Open Enrollment, you may elect child coverage and/or spouse coverage. Spouse coverage is available in the amounts of $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000. Please note that the $50,000 level requires that your spouse submit an Evidence of Insurability form to Prudential and be approved.
Summary of Benefits - Life and Long Term Disability Insurance
Prudential Evidence of Insurability Form
Retirement Plan Elections
You may change your election to your 403(b) plan at any time -- but not through WorkDay. Visit TIAA by going to:
There, you will find directions on how to change your elections and the single sign-on link to TIAA, which will log you in automatically. The changes you make at TIAA will be transmitted to WorkDay.