USC benefits-eligible employees have a chance to re-enroll in benefits during this year’s open enrollment sign-up period, which begins Oct. 25 and runs through Nov. 8.

By enrolling during the open period, employees have access to health assessment discounts, can open a Flexible Spending Account and can waive the spousal surcharge, all in the new, easier-to-use dashboard in Workday. These are the only two weeks in which employees can make changes to their 2022 health plan and benefits elections, aside from a qualifying life event like getting married or having a baby.

What’s new for 2022

After 2020 put a focus on protecting health, 2021 has brought up many ways in which to nurture overall well-being. For the 2022 enrollment period, the focus is on primary and preventive care, and updates vary across health plans, benefits and incentives.

Some elections do not carry over, such as Flexible Spending Accounts. The Spousal Surcharge is automatically added for those employees covering a spouse or registered domestic partner. If the surcharge does not apply, employees will need to waive it. Flu shots are a fully covered benefit and USC makes them conveniently available on site. And a new, free tobacco cessation program offers steps toward a healthier, nicotine-free life for 200 faculty and staff.

The Workday Benefits Enrollment module received a facelift. Employees will be prompted to review and make elections from tiles on the webpage, such as dental, vision and medical. A video overview shows the new look and feel, and a quick reference guide shows the steps to enroll.

In the absence of Benefits Fairs, USC is offering a variety of webinars on open enrollment topics like what to expect this year and what’s changing from the current benefits. There will also be virtual events, with details on specific services, from vendors like Gympass and Power of Vitality.

USC’s health assessment incentive deadline has been extended to Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 for earning the incentive for the remainder of 2021 and 2022. Employees who have already completed the health assessment and qualify for the savings in 2021 will be automatically enrolled to save $480 on the 2022 medical plan. In 2022, the health assessment screening requirement can be provided only through the employee’s primary care physician. Starting Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, onsite screening events and LabCorp options will no longer be available. Since visiting the doctor will take more time, employees will have the entire 2022 calendar year to complete the health assessment steps to qualify to earn the $480 credit for 2023.

Helpful links

• The Open Enrollment site has a what’s new for 2022 page.
• The Review your benefits section is the heart of this site, where a dropdown menu shows each type of benefit action possible during open enrollment.
• What to do and when includes the nuts-and-bolts of how to prepare for and complete open enrollment, as well as important dates to remember.
• The find help fast page provides quick links to necessary resources, while the series of printable factsheets and summaries can be found in one place.

For help with current or next year’s benefits, contact the HR Service Center at (213) 821-8100 or uschr@usc.edu. Representatives are available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

All new plans and rates take effect Jan. 1, 2022. The 2021 benefits and rates are effective through Dec. 31, 2021.

For employees represented by Local 11 or USC Verdugo Hills Hospital employees

For USC Verdugo Hills Hospital employees or those represented by Local 11, there is different benefits and open enrollment information, so some of the information above does not apply. Details include:

• Employees represented by Local 11 only use USC open enrollment to enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts, enroll/change supplemental disability, or enroll in the MetLife insurance options.
• Employees at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital — including those represented by CNA — participate in open enrollment but benefits differ. See the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital employee page or the CNA Verdugo Hills page.
• Employees at Las Vegas Healthcare Center participate in open enrollment but benefits differ. See the Las Vegas Healthcare Center page.

CNA Keck/Norris, NUHW Keck/Norris, and NUHW Ambulatory employees

If you’re enrolled in the Anthem HMO plan, you must take action:

• Per the new union collective bargaining agreement, the Anthem HMO plan will no longer be available to affected union employees as of January 2022. Employees who take no action will be automatically moved to the Anthem MyChoice HMO plan.
• For those who are currently enrolled in the Anthem MyChoice HMO, USC PPO, USC EPO, USC EPO Plus, or Kaiser HMO (as applicable) plans, employees will be re-enrolled in current plans, covering the same dependents as now. A $100 Spousal Surcharge is automatically added for those covering a spouse or registered domestic partner. If it doesn’t apply, employees will need to change it to “Waive.”