Post Docs Open Enrollment Benefits Overview
2025 Open Enrollment Period: October 7 - 25, 2024
Dear George Washington University Community,
Welcome to the 2025 Benefits Open Enrollment season! Open Enrollment begins on Monday, October 7, 2024, and ends at 8 p.m. (ET) on Friday, October 25, 2024.
Open Enrollment provides an annual opportunity to reflect upon your current benefit elections and make any needed changes for the upcoming 2025 calendar year, including adding or removing eligible dependents. Any changes to your health and welfare plans must be completed during the 2025 Open Enrollment period*, with changes going into effect on January 1, 2025.
If you choose not to take action, your existing coverage options from 2024 will roll over into 2025.
Open Enrollment Fests and Virtual Events
This year’s Open Enrollment period will offer both in-person and virtual opportunities for support. We invite you to join us for our annual OE Fest experience. Activities differ among each Fest and range from a dental pop-up clinic, complimentary vision screenings, and vaccine clinics to massages, art therapy, fitness classes, and more! You can also stop by the Fests to meet GW’s benefit vendor partners, ask questions, and receive assistance with the enrollment process. Virtual webinars, led by our vendor partners, will be offered throughout OE to provide details about the 2025 benefit programs.
Please mark your calendar and be on the lookout for chances to win exciting prizes and swag this Open Enrollment season.
1:1 Appointments
Have questions? Register for a 10-minute appointment with a GW Benefits’ vendor partner. Appointments are one-on-one and offer you a chance to ask questions specific to your situation.
Our Benefits Call Center and our team are always here to help you along the way.
Be well,
GW Benefits
*Changes requested outside of Open Enrollment must be accompanied by a Qualified Life Event.
Online Enrollment via the new GW Benefits Enrollment System
During the Open Enrollment season, employees will elect benefits through the GW benefits enrollment system, which has a single-sign-on capability. When you are logged into your GW computer with your UserID and password, you will automatically be able to enter the enrollment system to elect and/or make changes to benefits for 2025. When logging in to the enrollment system from a non-GW computer, you will be required to enter your GWID and DOB (MMDDYYYY).
Benefits Call Center
The Benefits Call Center is here to support you as you review your benefit elections and make your Open Enrollment decisions. As you elect benefits via the GW benefits enrollment system, benefits counselors are available to help answer questions along the way. The service is available M - F, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET. Please have your GWID available.
On the Go? Download the mobile app, enter our company code GWbenefitscenter, along with your GWID and password (date of birth in MMDDYYYY format), and take your GW benefits with you wherever you go.
We are Here to Help
Email any questions to [email protected]. Or, call the Benefits Call Center at (833) 698–0324. Follow @gw_benefits on X (formerly Twitter) for the latest Open Enrollment information, updates, and reminders.
Reminder: Give your address a checkup!
Each year, take some time to review and confirm your campus, check & W-4, and work location* addresses in GWeb to ensure you receive timely information. Log in to GWeb at banweb.gwu.edu and access the Employee Information tab to confirm and/or update your address information.
*Work Location is defined as the physical location where you are working more than 50% of your time.
Benefits Overview
It is important to prioritize your health and well-being goals. Open Enrollment 2025 provides the opportunity for you to reevaluate your current benefits and make intentional choices for the year ahead that will allow you to maximize your health and well-being.
Please take a moment to review this summary of what’s changing and what’s staying the same for the upcoming year. Join us for a virtual Coffee Chat where we will provide an overview of your 2025 benefit offerings including our new vendor partners and benefit programs, introduce our 2025 Open Enrollment Guide, highlight important features of the GW Benefits enrollment system, and recap well-being programs available to you and your family.
NEW! Vendor Change: SupportLinc for the GW Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Beginning January 1, 2025, GW will partner with SupportLinc to provide the GW Employee Assistance Program
At some point in our lives, each of us faces a problem or situation that we can use help to resolve. When these instances arise, the employee assistance program can help. The GW EAP powered by SupportLinc will continue to provide confidential support to help address life’s challenges and demands that come with balancing home and work. All previous EAP services will be offered, including work-life solutions, financial, legal, and identify theft resource referrals as well as confidential counseling but with enhanced capabilities and technology. You choose how you access care from in-the-moment support via phone and live chat to email, video counseling, textcoach, and in-person support. SupportLinc also provides online appointment scheduling in real time, vetted work-life referrals/resources, and more! We invite you to join an upcoming session with SupportLinc to learn more! Details will be forthcoming on our Open Enrollment Events calendar.
2025 Medical Plan and Contribution Overview
Beginning January 1, 2025, the Postdoc PPO will include the following changes and expanded coverage:
- $0 copay for kids' PCP office visit copays.
- In compliance with the new District of Columbia Infertility Mandate, infertility will be a covered benefit including ovulation induction, insemination procedures, assisted reproductive technologies, and pharmaceuticals.
- The limitation of cognitive rehabilitation therapy only being covered if medically necessary following a post-traumatic brain injury or stroke is removed.
The Postdoc Medical Plan contributions will increase by 5.5% in 2025. The monthly full-time postdoc contribution increase will range from approximately $2 to $9, depending on your coverage level.
*Please note: UnitedHealthcare will continue to be the medical insurance provider for the GW Postdoc PPO. OptumRx will continue to be the prescription benefit provider.
Did you know?
Good news — your health plan comes with a way to earn up to $300 and you can use it however you want. UnitedHealthcare Rewards is included in your health plan at no additional cost. Personalize your experience by selecting activities that are right for you — and look for new ways of earning rewards to be added throughout the year. Eligible members can earn dollars for taking small steps towards creating a healthier lifestyle. Members can choose from a variety of reward activities including: sleep tracking, fitness tracking, completing biometrics and / or a health survey, going paperless, and more. Get started by signing into myuhc.com and selecting UHC Rewards.
2025 Vision Contribution Overview
Vision coverage contributions will increase by about $1 or less per month depending on your coverage level. Under the plan, the frame allowance will increase from $130 to $150. The vision plan will continue to be offered through UnitedHealthcare (UHC).
Your UHC Vision plan includes express vision exams (some state restrictions apply), a broad pediatric vision benefit, expanded benefits for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and a hearing discount.
2025 Dental Contribution Overview
Dental contributions for the Low PPO and High PPO dental plan options will increase between about $2 and $6, depending on your plan and coverage level. There will be no contribution changes for the GW DMO dental plan.
*Please note: The DMO, High PPO and Low PPO plans offered through Aetna will continue to be offered and there will be no changes in coverage.
What's Staying the Same for 2025
The programs below will continue for 2025.
Health & Well-Being Benefits
- Family Care Benefits from Bright Horizons
- Health Advocate
- Headspace
- SimpleTherapy
- Capital Bikeshare
- Quit for Life
- Critical Illness
- Hospital Indemnity
- Legal Resources
- Castlight
- Active & Fit Direct
- Life and AD&D
- Disability Insurance (Basic LTD)
- Group Home and Auto Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Identity Theft
Tip: Try Health Advocate
Receive personalized, prompt, and reliable expert help in navigating the healthcare maze, while saving time and money, with Health Advocate. Need assistance understanding your medical bills, or looking for more information about treatment options? Health Advocate can help you and your family members at no cost. For details, visit hr.gwu.edu/health-advocate.
Tools, Information, and Services Available to You
The annual Open Enrollment period is a time of opportunity. As you review the 2025 benefit programs and changes, you are welcome to include your family in the planning process, if applicable.
Several resources and information sessions are made available to you during the weeks leading up to and during Open Enrollment. We encourage you to attend our open enrollment events, including in-person Fests* and virtual Postdoc Coffee Chat to ask questions as you choose plan(s) and benefits that are the best fit for you and your family.
*Register for the dental pop-up clinic held at the 10/9 Fest by visiting go.gwu.edu/2025oeevents.
View the Open Enrollment Events
Virtual Coffee Chat with Benefits
Join GW Benefits and Gallagher Benefits for an upcoming virtual coffee and chat session as we provide an overview of your 2025 benefit offerings including our new vendor partners and benefit programs, introduce our 2025 Open Enrollment Guide and enrollment deadlines, highlight important features of the GW Benefits enrollment system and recap well-being programs available to you and your family.
Grab a coffee on us! Registrants for each session will be entered into a coffee gift card raffle.
- Friday, September 27, 2024 | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET
Webex registration information is available at go.gwu.edu/2025oeevents.
Flu and COVID Vaccines
In partnership with the Medical Faculty Associates (MFA), flu and COVID vaccine clinics will be held at the Foggy Bottom Campus and Virginia Science and Technology Campus (VSTC) during October including on the open enrollment fest dates. Those who wish to receive their vaccines(s) at one of the clinics are strongly encouraged to register in advance. Insurance Information will be collected during the registration process. GW Postdocs enrolled on a GW medical plan, please have your UHC ID card available when registering. For more details and appointment scheduling, visit 2024 GW Flu and COVID Vaccines Services.
Postdocs covered by a GW medical plan can also visit area pharmacies and convenience care clinics to receive a flu shot at no cost. If visiting one of these, please present your UHC ID card.
If you are not covered on a GW medical plan, please verify costs with your health insurance company. Most plans will cover the full cost of seasonal flu shots.
Please note: If you require a high dose flu shot, generally recommended for those over age 65, please consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacy in advance regarding availability.
Tip: Be Kind to your mind with Headspace
Headspace, the mindfulness app, is available at no cost for Postdocs. The app includes guided meditations, sleep programs, exercises and more. Kids programs include themes such as calm, kindness, and bedtime.
The GW Benefits Enrollment System
Beginning October 7, 2024, Postdocs may log in to the GW benefits enrollment system to review, change or select your benefits options. You are allowed to log in to the enrollment system and make changes as often as you would like during the three-week Open Enrollment period.
The deadline to make changes is 8 p.m. (ET) on October 25, 2024. Please remember that most changes made during the Open Enrollment period become effective January 1, 2025.
Tip: Add Dependents and Keep Beneficiary Information Up-To-Date
If adding a new dependent to coverage during Open Enrollment, supporting documentation (e.g. copies of birth or marriage certificates) must be received by Benefits by Friday, November 1, 2024. You can submit documentation two ways:
- You have the ability to upload documents in your Employee Profile on the confirmation page (at the top of the screen, click My Profile, then click Employee File) after making your benefit elections in the benefits enrollment system; or,
- You may submit your supporting documentation via email at [email protected] or fax at (571) 553-8385. If emailing, please be sure to send via secure email.
Each year it is also good practice to review your life insurance beneficiaries during open enrollment. While Beneficiaries can be changed at any time during the year, this may be a good time to review and update the information if necessary. Visit go.gwu.edu/enroll4benefits to review.
In the coming weeks:
- You will receive more detailed information regarding 2025 Open Enrollment.
- The 2025 Open Enrollment Guide will be available prior to the Open Enrollment period and linked as a quick reference in the enrollment system.
- If you have any questions in advance of the 2025 Open Enrollment period, please contact the Benefits Call Center at (833) 698-0324 or email [email protected].
Reminder: 1095-C Tax Form Electronic Consent for Postdoc Associates
Did You Know that you can receive your 1095-C form electronically? Save time, support sustainability, and keep things secure. Login to go.gwu.edu/enroll4benefits to complete your online consent form to receive your 1095-C electronically. Once available, your form will be securely posted and stored to your employee file.
What is a Form 1095-C?
Eligible employees will receive a Form 1095-C tax document annually, which reports information about your medical coverage.
While you will not need to include your 1095-C with your tax return filing, or send it to the IRS, you may need information from your 1095-C to help complete your tax return. Think of it as your “proof of medical insurance” for the IRS.
Please contact the Benefits Call Center at
833-698–0324 with any questions
you have in advance of the Open Enrollment period.