In accordance with the 2023-2026 PEF/State Agreement, dependents up to age 26 will be eligible for dental and vision benefits, regardless of student status, effective Jan. 1, 2024. The State has advised PEF of the following implementation process:

1. The Department of Civil Service (DCS) will auto-enroll eligible dependents for the January 1, 2024 effective date, on November 22, 2023.
2. DCS will send out notices to PEF members advising of dependents who have been automatically enrolled or re-enrolled, starting the week of November 27, 2023.
3. If a PEF member with an eligible dependent up to age 26 has not received a notice from DCS by Dec. 15 that the dependent was auto-enrolled, then the member will need to reach out directly to the agency Health Benefit Administrator (HBA/HR Department) to complete the necessary enrollment paperwork for the January 1, 2024 implementation date.  Please do not reach out to your HBA/HR Department prior to December 15 regarding this enrollment.

Please note, the current eligibility rules still apply to dependents until January 1, 2024.  Until January 1, 2024, dependent children ages 19 through 25 are still required to be full-time students to be eligible for Dental and Vision benefits.

The 2024 Open enrollment for the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) has begun and will run through December 11, 2023. 

PEF allows PEF members to exchange accrued annual leave or personal leave in return for a biweekly credit that reduces an employee’s share of the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) premium. 

For 2024, employees at salary grade 17 and below can use additional days to receive a credit up to $1,600. Employees in grades 18-24 are allowed a credit up to $1,500. For the Teacher’s PEP, the same salary grade restrictions apply. Teachers are also able to use floating holidays and compensatory days (if applicable) for PEP as well.  

Additionally, both the PEP benefit and the Teacher’s PEP benefit no longer expire at the end of the PS&T 2023-2026 contract. Your agency’s attendance and leave office must first review your eligibility, prior to forwarding to the agency Health Benefit Administrator (HBA) for entry into NYBEAS. 

Agencies must coordinate with the personnel office and the Health Benefit Administrator (HBA) to distribute and retain all enrollment forms. Agencies also are responsible for certifying the accrual adjustments and initiating the credit on the New York Benefits Eligibility and Accounting System (NYBEAS). 

The 2024 PEP credit begins with the first health insurance premium deduction in 2024. Credits for part-time employees will be prorated based upon payroll percentage. PEP credits will never exceed the employee’s biweekly NYSHIP premium.

For additional information about PEP, please click here.

The 2024 open enrollment period for Dependent Care Advantage Accounts (DCCA), Health Care Spending Accounts (HCSA), and Adoption Advantage Accounts runs from November 1 to December 11, 2023. 

These flexible spending accounts are state employee benefits that allow payment for certain expenses with pre-tax dollars.  

HCSA 

This account lets you set aside any amount from $100 up to the maximum contribution of $3,200 for the 2024 plan year to pay for health care expenses that are not reimbursed by health insurance or another benefit plan. Only medically necessary medical, hospital, dental, vision, hearing, and prescription medications for you, your spouse, and eligible dependents can be reimbursed or paid for by your HCSA. The account provides carryover, allowing you to use the remaining balance, up to a maximum of $610, from your 2023 account toward eligible expenses in 2024. 

DCAA 

This account allows you to set aside pre-tax money up to $5,000 or $2,500, based on your tax filing status, to pay for eligible childcare, elder care, or disabled dependent care expenses while you are at work. Eligible employees can enroll without setting aside their own money and still be eligible to receive the contractual employer contribution. 

If you file Married Filing Jointly, the IRS $5,000 maximum contribution rule is applied. If both you and your spouse participate in a DCAA, the total household contribution is limited to $5,000. If you file Head of Household, the maximum contribution is $5,000. 

If you or your spouse earn less than $5,000 annually, you cannot put more money into the account than your income or your spouse’s income — whichever is less. If you file Married Filing Separately, the IRS limits contributions to $2,500 and if you file Single, the limit is $2,500. 

The program provides a grace period of two-and-a-half months, or until March 15, 2024, to incur expenses that can be reimbursed from your 2023 balance. 

“PEF successfully negotiated for the state to increase its employer contribution level by $200 per participating employee, starting in 2023, and this increase continues for the 2024 program year,” President Wayne Spence said. “Amid high inflation, every penny saved counts.” 

Adoption Advantage Account 

This account allows you to pay for expenses related to the adoption of an eligible child with pre-tax dollars, up to a maximum of $16,810. 

Click here to access the PEF memo on these flex spending accounts. You can view full plan details here. Enroll online, by telephone at (800) 358-7202, or by scanning the QR code on the memo. You will need your NYS EMPLID number, located on your paystub, to enroll. 

— Kate Stickles