Frequently Asked Questions

Open/Switch Enrollment is the period of time each Fall during which eligible employees may elect, for the employee and eligible dependents, to:

• Enroll or dis-enroll in one of the medical, dental, and/or vision plans offered by APS. A two-year lock-in rule applies to dental and vision coverage.
• Enroll or dis-enroll in one or both of the Flexible Spending Account plans. Healthcare Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Flexible Spending.
• Add or drop eligible dependents on the medical, dental, or vision coverage. A two-year lock-in rule applies to dental and vision coverage.
• Change medical and/or dental plan options. A two-year lock-in rule applies to dental coverage.
• If you are currently enrolled for Additional Life Insurance and wish to enroll your child or children for Dependent Life Insurance, that must be done during Open/Switch Enrollment.
• Please note that no other life insurance or long-term disability insurance enrollments will be accepted during Open/Switch Enrollment. If you are not currently enrolled in Additional Life Insurance or Long-Term Disability Insurance, you may apply for these benefits (subject to Evidence of Insurability), at any time during the year except between September 20 through October 31. 
• If you currently have Additional Life Insurance and want to apply for more coverage or apply for spouse life insurance, you may do so at any time during the year (subject to Evidence of Insurability) except between September 20 through October 31.

Enrollment will be online using the Winocular Workspace system, which is the same system you use to renew your contract each year.  Benefit-eligible employees will receive emails starting October 2 from hr@aps.edu with information and links to Winocular.

The Benefits Department will not accept paper enrollment or change forms. Detailed instructions, in-person information sessions, and assistance will be available to help employees through the online enrollment process at the Employee Wellness Fair.

If you will be adding an eligible dependent to your medical plan, dental plan, vision plan, or adding child life to your existing Additional Life Insurance during Open/Switch Enrollment, you will need to submit supporting documentation (marriage certificate to add a spouse, birth certificate(s) to add a child or children, completed Domestic Partner Affidavit and required documents to add a qualified domestic partner.

If you need assistance enrolling or making a change to your benefits, the Benefits Department will be hosting the Employee Wellness Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 3 and Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Laptop stations and enrollment assistance from our Benefits Specialists will be available. To allow for plenty of parking this event will be held at the Berna Facio Professional Development Center (southwest corner of Louisiana and Comanche NE).

If you will be adding an eligible dependent to your medical plan, dental plan, vision plan, or adding child life to your existing Additional Life Insurance during Open/Switch Enrollment, bring supporting documentation with you for enrollment assistance (marriage certificate to add a spouse, birth certificate(s) to add a child or children, completed Domestic Partner Affidavit and required documents to add a qualified domestic partner).

Review your 2023 Benefits Statement, which will be sent to your APS email on October 2-3. Please keep in mind not everyone will receive the email on the same day. Emails are sent in batches because of the size of our employee base. 

Yes. Medical plan premiums increased 9.8% for the 2024 calendar year. The dental and vision premiums remain unchanged.

The vision plan has a frame allowance increase from $110 to $150 and a contact lens allowance increase from $115 to $150. 

For 2024, APS will offer three medical plan options — An EPO plan with Presbyterian Health Plan and PPO plans with BlueCross BlueShield and Cigna (see more information below). 

In 2023 APS enhanced our dental plans with the addition of Preventive Care Security (PCS). PCS assures that all members can receive cleanings and diagnostic and preventive dental services each year.

Yes, if you do not actively enroll for benefits (or have not done so in the past), then you will not be covered. If you have waived coverage in the past, that election will continue for 2024. 

Or, if you choose to drop your current coverage starting January 1, 2024, you must complete the Open/Switch Enrollment process to specify AND submit any changes to Employee Benefits, including to 'waive coverage', on the Enrollment Change Form

Please carefully consider your options before you submit your enrollment in Winocular Workspace. Once the Open/Switch Enrollment period ends, you will not be able to make a change to your benefits until open enrollment in 2024 for the year 2025, unless you qualify for Special Enrollment or have a mid-year change event.

If you submit your open enrollment form and change your mind before October 17, 2023, email your Benefits Specialist. 

There are premium increases to the 2024 medical plan options. There are also enhancements to the vision plans effective January 1, 2024. We highly recommend that all benefit-eligible employees attend the APS Employee Wellness Fair and Benefits Information Sessions to learn more about their benefits for 2024. If you do not wish to change medical/insurance plan options or participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts, you do not need to enroll again.

You will be automatically re-enrolled with your current insurance plan for 2024 except for flexible spending. If you want to participate in the health care or dependent care Flexible Spending Account plans for the calendar year 2024, you must enroll or re-enroll during Open/Switch Enrollment. 

No. If you have been enrolled for coverage with Presbyterian Health Plan, Cigna, or BCBS and do not make a new election during the Open/Switch Enrollment period, you will be automatically reenrolled and retain the same medical coverage for you and your enrolled eligible dependents during 2024. Since there are changes to the medical plan premium contributions for 2024, it will be assumed you are aware of those changes in the premium contributions for the new plan year.

Employees will have three medical plan options to choose from for 2024. Each of the medical plans includes prescription drug coverage through Express Scripts. 

Presbyterian Health Plan is an EPO, or Exclusive Provider Organization, type of health plan that offers a local network of doctors and hospitals for you to choose from, with few to no out-of-state or out-of-network options. If you choose to get care outside of your EPO plan’s network, it usually will not be covered. The exception is in the care of emergency/ER circumstances and a copay will apply. However, other charges may apply if out of state and admitted to a hospital facility.

PPO plans with BlueCross BlueShield and Cigna Healthcare will offer in-network and out-of-network benefits. These plans feature slightly lower premiums with more out-of-pocket costs at the time of service. (PPO means Preferred Provider Organization, which means that employees who elect these plans will have the option of receiving care from any licensed medical provider, however, will save money if they utilize providers contracted with the health plan they select.)

More specific information, including a chart that shows a comparison of benefits between the plans, is available on the 2024 Medical Plan Cost Comparison Grid. 

Prescription drug coverage is included with each of the medical plan options. For most employees, there will be no changes to the prescription drug plan for 2024.

Remember that our prescription drug plan is a coinsurance plan; if the cost of the drug you or a family member is taking increases (or moves from preferred formulary to non-preferred formulary) your cost may increase. Refer to the Express Scripts Summary of Benefits for more information on the APS Human Resources Benefits page or go to express-scripts.com/apsnm for more information.

For employees and their family members who are taking one of approximately 80 specialty medications in 13 therapy classes, APS is continuing the SaveOnSP program. SaveOnSP is a copay offset savings program, which will reduce copays for a select group of specialty drugs for members who are enrolled in the SaveOnSP program. 

The medical plan best for you and /or your family is a very personal decision. Your choice may be based on how much health care you and your family members expect to need, family circumstances and finances, whether you have a current doctor or specialist you would like to continue to see or have a preferred hospital, and other factors. To assist our employees in making this decision, we strongly suggest employees attend the Wellness Fair and information sessions. The sessions will include presentations by BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna Healthcare, Presbyterian Health Plan, Delta Dental, and Davis Vision. Express Scripts (pharmacy benefit) and ASI-Flex, your flexible spending account vendor, will also be at the wellness fair to answer questions.

If you wish to participate in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) in 2024 you must enroll each year — your current FSA election will not roll over to 2024. (Even if you just enrolled in the FSA as a new employee.)

The Employer Code for FSA Online Enrollment is “APS”

You may apply for Additional Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance anytime during the year, except during Open/Switch Enrollment.

APS does not allow employees to submit applications for Additional Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance between September 20 - October 31. The only exception is UNLESS you are currently enrolled for Additional Life Insurance and wish to enroll your child or children for Dependent Life Insurance, which CAN ONLY be done during Open/Switch Enrollment. 

If you are not currently enrolled in Additional Life Insurance or Long-Term Disability Insurance, you may apply for these benefits (subject to Evidence of Insurability), at any time during the year other than between September 20 through October 31.

If you currently have Additional Life Insurance and want to apply for more coverage or apply for spouse life insurance, you may do so at any time during the year (subject to Evidence of Insurability) other than between September 20 through October 31.

Benefits you elect during Open/Switch Enrollment in October will begin January 1, 2024.