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Benefits Report for IBEW Core and Yellow Contract – October 2024
The Annual Enrollment period for AT&T Employees begins on Monday, October 21th and will continue through Friday, November 8th. Enrollment content and information is available for review starting on Tuesday, October 15th on the AT&T Benefits website.
Your benefit options for 2025 will be the same as 2024, but with changes to cost sharing.
Medical Benefits:
You will keep and use you current ID card, unless you change plans or are a new enrollee.
Monthly Contributions, Deductibles, and Annual Out-of-Pocket Maximums are changing as per the contracts.
The PPO, HCN, and ONA bargained plans are available as either Option 1, Option 2, or Option 3.
Option 2 and Option 3 are high deductible health plans (HDHP) and those who enroll in Options 2 and 3 can contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) via payroll deductions. For new HSAs you must set up your account with Fidelity after completing open enrollment to have funds deducted in January 2025. Keep in mind that if you contribute to an HSA and a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), your FSA will be limited to Dental and Vision expenses. The maximum annual contributions for HSAs are increasing for the 2025 plan year. Details are available in the Annual Enrollment Content on the AT&T Benefits Website.
Deductibles count toward your Out-of-Pocket Maximum, and with Option 2 and 3 plans the Deductible and the Annual Out-of-Pocket Maximums are integrated with the prescription drug plan.
Tobacco Surcharge to Medical Plan Contribution and How to Avoid it!
Everyone must take action and go through the enrollment process to complete a Tobacco User Attestation in order to avoid higher costs. A $75 per person Tobacco User Surcharge will be added to Medical Monthly Contributions for employees and/or spouses who are tobacco users. If you do not complete the Tobacco User Attestation during the enrollment process, your status will default to Tobacco User and the surcharges will apply. The Tobacco User Attestation and the Tobacco Use Surcharge apply to both the employee and their covered spouse. If you and/or your spouse are tobacco users, as defined by the plan, you must enroll and complete the company designated Tobacco Cessation Program offered by Pelago Health, before the end of 2024, to avoid the $75 monthly Tobacco User Surcharge in January 2025.
The Tobacco User Attestation will also be used to determine Smoker status and rates on the Supplemental Life Insurance and Critical Illness Insurance benefits. The higher Smoker rates will continue to apply through the plan year if you attested to being a Tobacco User, regardless of completion of the Tobacco Cessation Program. If you remain a non-Tobacco User after completing the Tobacco Cessation Program, then you can change your attestation for future years and get the lower non-smoker rates.
Medical plans available to you can change based on your zip code, because doctors and facilities may not renew their contracts with BCBS. So, check and confirm that the plan you are currently enrolled in is still available for 2025. If your current plan is not offered in 2024, you will automatically be enrolled in the lowest-cost self-insured option available to you unless you actively enroll. This means that you will likely be enrolled in an Option 3 High Deductible Plan unless you take action during the Annual Enrollment Period.
FSA and HRA change
FSAs and HRAs will have a New Administrator effective January 1st, called Smart-Choice Accounts. The last day to submit a 2024 reimbursement claim to the current administrator, Your Spending Account (YSA), is December 31st, 2024. There will be a Blackout Period for 2024 reimbursement claims from January 1st – January 14th for vendor transition. Claims for 2024 can be submitted to Smart-Choice Accounts effective January 15th, 2025 and through March 15th, 2025. Claims for 2025 reimbursements can be submitted to the new vendor effective January 1st, 2025.
It is important that you review your current coverage and available options. Don’t assume that you will default to your current coverage if you make no changes. Your current plan may not be an available option! You can review your available options and Health Plan Comparison Charts online at att.com/benefitscenter.
If you do not complete the enrollment process and the Tobacco User Attestation, you will default to a Tobacco User status and be charged an additional Tobacco Surcharge.
Enrollment can be completed online (att.com/benefitscenter), by phone (1-877-722-0020) or from your mobile device
Taking a moment to review your options and confirm your elections now can prevent unnecessary grief in the future.
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