CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State employees who receive health coverage through the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency can begin signing up for their 2019 benefits.
Open enrollment started Monday and lasts through May 15.
Ted Cheatham, PEIA executive director, said it’s an opportunity for people to change plans or make a new selection within their current plan.
“We’ll probably see a few thousand people make some changes during this time,” Cheatham said.
According to the PEIA website, members can change their health plan, add, drop or change their coverage for themselves and their dependents without a qualifying event, and make changes to their Mountaineer Flexible Benefits, if applicable.
Cheatham said there’s no telling if there will be fewer changes this year as officials work to find a permanent funding solution to PEIA.
This coming year, health benefits and all voluntary product costs will be deducted from an individual’s pay check 24 times a year instead of 26 times a year.
“Two months of the year you’re going to get a bigger pay check because none of your deductions will come out of those pay checks for your benefits,” Cheatham said.
Active plans run from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.