Open Enrollment 2024

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What You Need to Know

For 2024, we’ve enhanced our robust benefits menu to offer even more of what employees have told us they want: additional plan choices, more paid time off, support for childcare, and resources that make it easier to balance life’s financial demands.

You’ll have an opportunity to take advantage of these new and enhanced benefits when Open Enrollment begins on Wednesday, Oct. 18. You must make your elections by 11:59 p.m. MT (10:59 p.m. PT) on Monday, Nov. 6.

Enroll here!

Resources to Help You Choose

Informational Videos:

Open Enrollment Information Sessions:

  • Oct. 16 (Noon – 2 p.m. MT): Overview Presentation | Onsite in NM and livestreamed for all employees
  • Oct. 24 (3 – 4 p.m. MT): Q&A with Sandia Benefits | Virtual
  • Oct. 26 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m. PT): Overview Presentation | Onsite in CA and livestreamed for all employees
  • Nov. 1 (11 a.m. – Noon MT): Q&A with Sandia’s Benefits Vendors | Virtual
  • Nov. 2 (6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. MT): Presentation for Sandia Spouses | Virtual

Frequently Asked Questions:

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Medical and Prescription Drug Coverage

Your medical plan options will not change for 2024; you can choose the Health Savings Plan or the Total Health PPO Plan.

What’s New for 2024 Open Enrollment

  • Behavioral and mental health covered at 100% after deductible. For both the Health Savings Plan and the Total Health PPO Plan, in-network behavioral, mental health and substance abuse benefits will be covered at 100% after you meet your annual deductible.
  • Vision plan reimbursement increase. For all three vision plans, out-of-network reimbursement will increase by $10 for eye exams, frames and lenses.
  • New autopay feature and vendor for the HRA and HCFSA. Beginning Jan. 1, participants in the Total Health PPO Plan with BCBSNM or UHC will have a new vendor, PayFlex, to manage their Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) and healthcare flexible spending account (HCFSA). PayFlex will offer an autopay feature that automatically reimburses you for medical, dental and vision services processed by your insurance plan. Employees who do not wish to use the autopay feature must opt out of this option during open enrollment. View details of the PayFlex autopay option.
  • Expanded Smart90 pharmacy benefits. For those employees covered by the health plans under BCBSNM or UHC in 2024, the pharmacy benefit with Express Scripts will have an expanded Smart90 Program that allows members to receive a 90-day supply of their maintenance medications at any in-network pharmacy. To verify your medication qualifies, visit Express Scripts or contact them at 877-817-1440.
  • Health Savings Plan (HSP) and Total Health PPO Plan design changes. You’ll see a few changes to the plans’ deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. And if you’re enrolled in the HSP, per the IRS, you can contribute more to your Health Savings Account: up to $4,150 if you have individual coverage, and $8,300 if you cover dependents.

As you think about your needs for 2024, review the details about the Health Savings Plan and the Total Health PPO Plan to determine which plan is best for you.

Keep in mind that if you switch from the Total Health PPO Plan to the Health Savings Plan, you won’t be able to use any money left in your health care flexible spending account (HCFSA) and/or health reimbursement account (HRA) at the end of 2023. So be sure to spend down those balances if you’re moving to the Health Savings Plan in 2024.

Comparing Key Plan Features

Although the plans feature the same administrators and provider networks, they differ in many ways. It’s important to understand what those differences could mean to you.

Where to Learn More: Tools to Help You Choose

To compare coverage and what you’ll pay for services under the two plans, review the Medical Plan Comparison Chart (pdf).

Your medical and prescription drug premiums are based on the plan you choose and the dependents you cover. To see what you’ll pay for coverage, review the Monthly Premiums for 2024 (pdf).

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Three Dental Plan Options

For 2024, you have three dental plans to choose from:

  • The Value Plan—offers the lowest maximum benefit, with 70% coverage at the highest level.
  • The Standard Plan—offers 80% coverage at the highest level.
  • The Plus Plan—offers the highest maximum benefit, with 90% coverage at the highest level. You must remain in the Plus Plan for at least two consecutive years.

You do not have to enroll in medical coverage to elect dental coverage.

What You Pay Depends on Your Provider’s Network

Delta Dental of New Mexico administers all the dental plans and offers you a choice of providers and networks:

  • Delta Dental PPO (Preferred). Dentists in this smaller network charge the least for covered services, so your portion of the cost is also lower.
  • Delta Dental Premier. This is a larger network, and providers charge more for their services. But you are not responsible for any amounts over the Delta Dental maximum approved fee.
  • Out-of-network. You can use any provider; however, out-of-network dentists do not discount their fees, and you will be responsible for any amounts over the Delta Dental maximum approved fee.

Pro tip: The Delta Dental PPO network provides the highest level of benefits at the lowest cost.

Where to Learn More: Tools to Help You Choose

To compare coverage and what you’ll pay for services under the three plans, review the Dental Plan Comparison Chart (pdf).

Your dental premiums are based on the plan you choose and the dependents you cover. To see what you’ll pay for coverage, review the Monthly Premiums for 2024 (pdf).

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Three Vision Plan Options

For 2024, you have three vision plans to choose from, all administered by Davis Vision:

  • The Value Plan—offers higher copays and lower allowances for services and materials.
  • The Standard Plan—offers lower copays and includes a laser eye surgery allowance.
  • The Plus Plan—offers the lowest copays and higher allowances for services and materials, including laser eye surgery. You must remain in the Plus Plan for at least two consecutive years.

You do not have to enroll in medical coverage to elect vision coverage.

Where to Learn More: Tools to Help You Choose

To compare coverage and what you’ll pay for services under the three plans, review the Vision Plan Comparison Chart (pdf).

Your vision premiums are based on the plan you choose and the dependents you cover. To see what you’ll pay for coverage, review the Monthly Premiums for 2024 (pdf).

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What’s New for 2024 Outside of Open Enrollment

Beginning in 2024, Sandia will offer employees the following new and enhanced benefits* beyond what is being offered through this year’s Open Enrollment:

  • New floating holidays. In addition to Sandia’s 11 observed holidays, there will be two new floating holidays (16 hours total) that can be used during the year to celebrate any holiday or occasion that’s important to you, with prior manager approval.
  • Increase to vacation time. Sandians will see an increase in vacation accruals starting their third, fifth, 10th, 15th and 20th year.
  • $1,500 for childcare needs. The Sandia Childcare Fund is a post-tax program, paid for by Sandia, that employees can use to offset the cost of eligible childcare expenses.
  • Expanded eligible expenses for the Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA). Beginning Jan. 1, the list of eligible expenses for the LSA will be a little more expansive and will include things like music subscriptions, meditation apps and salon/barber services. See the list of reimbursable expenses for 2024 (pdf).
  • Expanded eligibility for Sandia’s 401(k) match. Eligible student loan payments will now count as 401(k) contributions and qualify for Sandia’s 401(k) plan matching contribution, up to the established maximum (66 2/3 cents of every dollar up to the first 6% of the employee’s eligible compensation). This includes the employee’s student debt and cosigned or parent loans.

*If you are a represented employee, refer to your collective bargaining agreement to verify your benefit options.

View more information about the new and enhanced benefits for 2024 that are outside of Open Enrollment.

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Enroll by Nov. 6, 2023, through HR Self Service

Open Enrollment begins Wednesday, Oct. 18, and you must make your 2024 elections by 11:59 p.m. MT (10:59 p.m. PT) on Monday, Nov. 6.

Review your current benefit elections and consider whether they will continue to meet your needs in the coming year. Once you’ve made your decisions, enroll in the programs you want for yourself (and your family) in 2024.

How to Enroll

Enroll or make changes to your benefit elections at any time between Oct. 18 and Nov. 6, by 11:59 p.m. MT (10:59 p.m. PT).

Enroll in medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts (healthcare, dependent care, and, for California employees only, transportation), and vacation buy/sell1 through HR Self Service. Remember, if you’re enrolling in a healthcare flexible spending account (HCFSA), be sure to plan your expenses carefully, as you’ll lose any balance over $610 after Dec. 31, 2023. As a reminder, if you’re enrolling in the Health Savings Plan, you cannot contribute to an HCFSA.

There will be a new autopay feature and vendor for the HRA and HCFSA. Beginning Jan. 1, participants in the Total Health PPO Plan with BCBSNM or UHC will have a new vendor, PayFlex, to manage their HRA and HCFSA. PayFlex will offer an autopay feature that automatically reimburses you for medical, dental and vision services processed by your insurance plan. Employees who do not wish to use the autopay feature must opt out of this option during Open Enrollment. View details of the PayFlex autopay option.

To make your elections from home or your mobile device, you’ll need a CryptoCard, HSPD-12 or mobile credential.

To enroll in voluntary benefits (hospital indemnity insurance, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, disability benefits, or legal, for example), go to mysandiaextras.com.

The elections you make during Open Enrollment are effective from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024. As you make your choices for 2024, be sure to review the Medical Plan Options video.

Questions? Contact HR Solutions at 505-284-4700 or go to hr.sandia.gov and select the HR Solutions dropdown on the top right to “Request Chat.” HR Solutions is available:

Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. MT (6 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT)
Friday: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. MT (6 a.m. – 4 p.m. PT)
Saturday – Sunday: Closed

1If you are a represented employee, refer to your collective bargaining agreement to verify your benefit options.

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