Chugach-OE-Benefit-Guide 2027 POSTING

Open Enrollment Highlights

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts will be available through WEX.

Healthcare Savings Account (HSA): Pre-tax payroll contributions to an HSA are available for those enrolled in qualified high-deductible health plans.

Commuter Benefits: You may now save pre-tax funds for qualified mass transit, rideshare, and work-related parking expenses.

Voluntary Group Benefits: Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity plans are available to offset expenses due to accidents, illness, or hospitalization.

Eligibility

Employee Eligibility

As an exempt or non-exempt employee of Chugach, you are eligible to elect coverage if you fall under one of the following categories:

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Full-time employee

Part-time employee (certain circumstances apply, please direct questions to your HR representative)

Employee on a temporary appointment who is expected to work 130 hours or more per month for at least 90 days

Employee on a seasonal schedule who will be working a schedule of less than six months per year and is expected to work 130 hours or more per month for at least 90 days

Intermittent employee who is expected to work 130 hours or more per month for at least 90 days

Coverage for Dependents

The FEHB plans offer three tiers of coverage options. You may enroll in employee only, employee + one (spouse or child), or employee + family coverage.

The dental and vision plans offer four tiers of coverage options. You can enroll in employee only, employee + spouse/domestic partner, employee + child(ren), and employee + family.

Eligible family dependents include:

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A spouse, including same-sex couples who are legally married, as defined by the Tribal Guide

A domestic partner, for the dental and vision plans only (domestic partners are not eligible under FEHB)

Children under age 26 (including adopted children, recognized natural or stepchildren, or foster children living with the employee in a parent-child relationship)

Children age 26 or older who are incapable of self-support, if the disability began before age 26

Chugach requires documentation of dependent status to enroll a dependent in the plan. If you are enrolling a dependent, you will need to submit verification in the form of a birth, adoption, or marriage certificate. These documents must be submitted to Human Resources along with your enrollment form. Please see the table on the next page for more information.

Dependent Documentation

The following is a list of required dependent documents:

FEHB & MetLife

MetLife Only

MetLife Only

Spouse

Domestic Partner

Medical Coverage

Our medical benefits are offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, which is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The FEHB Program offers a wide variety of medical plans and coverage, including prescription drug coverage, to meet your health care needs. We provide an array of health plans to choose from, including:

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Fee-for-Service plans and their Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs);

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) for those who live within the plan’s geographic area; and

Consumer-Driven and High Deductible health plans that offer catastrophic coverage with higher deductibles, health savings or reimbursement accounts, and lower premiums. Some of these plan designs have built-in Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs).

Read more about each plan type on the OPM website.

Dental Coverage

Did you know good dental care improves your overall health? Our dental plan, through MetLife Dental, helps you maintain a healthy smile through regular preventive dental care and offers coverage to fix problems early.

Each year, during Open Enrollment, you can enroll in or waive coverage, and add or remove dependents from your plan.

Vision Coverage

Regular eye exams help keep your vision clear and your eyes in good health. The vision plan offers an extensive network of optometrists and vision care specialists.

*For out-of-network benefits, please refer to the MetLife Vision Summary or contact Customer Service.

**Ultraviolet (UV) coating, standard polycarbonate (child up to age 18), progressive standard, progressive premium/custom, standard polycarbonate (adult), scratch-resistant coatings, anti-reflective, photochromic and blue light filtering: covered in full. Tints and other enhancements may be subject to additional copays.

*Employee contributions have increased slightly for the 2027 plan year. Dental and vision must be elected as a packaged benefit.

Learn More About Your Health Care Benefits

If you are ready to begin enrollment or need more information, visit the OPM website at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/tribal-employers.

Learn more about how the medical plans work by visiting www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information, then navigating to Plan Types.

You can look up unfamiliar words or terms in the Insurance Glossary, and review frequently asked questions and answers in the Insurance FAQs section.

Note: Certain Federal plans referenced in the FAQ, such as retirement benefits and dental or vision coverage, may not be available to Tribal Employees. Please contact your HR team if you have any questions.

Voluntary Benefits

Supplemental Medical

Effective January 1, Lincoln is offering pre-tax voluntary supplemental insurance to fill financial gaps that medical plans don't cover.

Accident

Accidents can happen anytime. This coverage can help offset the impact of a covered accident by paying a set amount for emergency room care, dislocations, fractures, hospital admissions, and even accidental death.

Critical Illness

If you or a covered family member are diagnosed with a serious illness, you would receive a lump sum cash benefit to use whatever way you wish.

Hospital Indemnity

This pays scheduled amounts for hospital admission, daily hospital stays, intensive care admission, and annual health screenings.

Spending Accounts

Employees may now elect to participate in IRS Section 125 & 132 tax-free benefit programs administered by WEX.

Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

A Healthcare FSA allows you to set aside pre-tax funds from your paycheck to pay for expenses related to medical, prescription, dental, vision, or approved over-the-counter devices and products.

A Dependent Care FSA allows you to set aside pre-tax funds from your paycheck to pay for childcare or certain eldercare expenses while you work.

These accounts run on an annual basis, must be actively elected each year, and are a use-it-or-lose-it benefit, meaning funds may not be rolled over year to year.

Healthcare Savings Account (HSA)

HSAs allow individuals enrolled in an HSA-eligible high-deductible health plan to save and pay for qualified medical expenses, such as deductibles and coinsurance. The balance can earn interest and rolls over every year, even if you change plans, retire, or leave your employer. It is yours to keep. Available only if you enroll in an HSA-qualified FEHB high-deductible health plan.

Commuter Benefits

Use pre-tax funds to pay for qualified work-related parking and mass transit/rideshare expenses. Commuter benefits do not require a yearly commitment. Contributions may be adjusted month-to-month depending on your needs.

Enrolling in Coverage

To enroll in a medical plan, download the FEHB Health Benefits Election Form (2809). Complete, print, sign, and return the form to your HR Benefits representative before the end of Open Enrollment. You will also need to complete the Chugach enrollment form.

Before enrolling, ensure everyone you want to cover on your policy is an eligible dependent (see page 3).

You’ll need the full names, addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers of any eligible dependents you wish to cover under your medical plan. Be sure to gather this information before completing the election form.

If you are enrolling a new dependent, you will need to submit dependent verification in the form of a birth certificate, adoption certificate, or marriage certificate. Email the documents, along with your enrollment form, to Human Resources by the end of Open Enrollment.

Which enrollment forms do I need?

If you are adding or removing dependents, or changing your medical or dental/vision selections, find your situation below.

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FORM 2809

2027 CHUGACH HEALTH ENROLLMENT FORM

Changing your FEHB medical plan? Complete both Form 2809 and the 2027 Chugach Health Enrollment Form.

Not changing your FEHB medical plan? Complete only the 2027 Chugach Health Enrollment Form.

Qualifying Life Events

The medical coverage you select during this enrollment period will remain unchanged until the end of the next plan year unless you experience a qualifying life event such as marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, or gain or loss of other coverage. If you encounter a qualifying life event, you may be able to make certain changes to your coverage during the year. To understand what circumstances are considered qualifying life events, review the Life Events section of the OPM website.

Life & Disability Coverage

You and your dependents will be provided an opportunity to enroll in and/or increase your existing voluntary coverage through Lincoln Financial. This is a unique opportunity to provide additional financial protection to yourself and your loved ones. If you previously declined coverage or are currently enrolled but want to increase the amount, you will need to complete an Evidence of Insurability (EOI) form, which is subject to approval by Lincoln. Please see your HR representative for details.

Mark Your Calendar!

Beginning November 9, access the employee portal at ChugachBenefits.org. Until that date, please take time to learn about the benefits available to you and how to enroll. We're proud to offer a benefits package designed to support you and your loved ones. As you review your options for enrollment, please take time to consider the plans that best fit you and your family's health care needs and budget.