This web page contains the annual open enrollment communication, which includes information about the following:
Our Benefits and Wellness Committee, with the help of the Northwest Leadership Team, has carefully evaluated and finalized the University’s renewal of health, dental, vision and life insurance benefits for the 2022 calendar year.
In 2022, we are pleased to announce no changes to dental, vision or life insurance plans. The rising costs of
health insurance coverage continue to be a challenge for the University, and Northwest is addressing a $1.2 million increase, or 17 percent, to its health insurance in 2022. In addition to increased employer contributions, the following will be implemented to help address the increase:
Please review the open enrollment guide 
, the open enrollment electronic guide, or the open enrollment brainshark presentation for complete details, including plan designs and rates.
This year, the open enrollment period will be Oct. 11 - Oct. 29. Please take a few minutes to review the tradition Open Enrollment Guide or the new, interactive Open Enrollment Electronic Guide. Both provide a summary of the plans and changes that will occur. Additionally, a Rate Sheet Summary is available to provide a snapshot of the benefit plan design and rate information. If you are not making any changes, no forms are needed for medical, dental, vision or supplemental life insurance. For enrollment changes for medical, dental, or vision elections, please complete an Insurance Enrollment Form and send to the Office of Human Resources by Friday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m.
If you were employed prior to October 1, you will receive a benefits statement delivered to you through campus mail during the open enrollment period. This statement reflects employer-sponsored and any voluntary plans for calendar year 2021. This statement is intended to be a reference for you to review your current benefits in calendar year 2021 and does not reflect any plan design or rate changes for calendar year 2022.
Every effort has been made to provide you with accurate information in this statement. However, there is always the possibility of error(s) occurring in the collation and/or calculation of data. If you find a discrepancy, please contact the Office of Human Resources.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City will host virtual benefits education meetings that will provide information about many of the services available to you through your health plan including chronic condition management, complex case management and whole person health support. Meetings will be available by Zoom on the following dates:
Tuesday, October 12 – 9:00 a.m.
https://bluekc.zoom.us/j/83113243137?pwd=QlJyM2VJZk5QRWNnN1pSODcrR294Zz09
Meeting ID: 831 1324 3137
Passcode: 043992
Wednesday, October 13 – 2:00 p.m.
https://bluekc.zoom.us/j/89497687686?pwd=TjdOQ3VsSGFrNXlyaThjUm8yeW8vZz09
Meeting ID: 894 9768 7686
Passcode: 542935
Tuesday, October 19 – 4:00 p.m.
https://bluekc.zoom.us/j/84636860942?pwd=bmpZUmNoMWVUQ0tuT09ZaCs2NVdsUT09
Meeting ID: 846 3686 0942
Passcode: 561171
Wednesday, October 20 – 11:00 a.m.
https://bluekc.zoom.us/j/87472237639?pwd=UXAzMWQyRk5JaDFHR005NTBGNnBWdz09
Meeting ID: 874 7223 7639
Passcode: 932227
(for changes to employee contribution to Health Savings Account) (for open enrollment changes to supplemental life and/or dependent life)
All forms must be returned to the Office of Human Resources by Friday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m.
Missouri Cafeteria Plan
Our benefits consultant, Lockton, has again provided a decision support tool to help employees select the right healthcare plan. The Plan Cost Calculator 
will help employees make an educated enrollment decision for 2022. Employees can enter expected healthcare services into the calculator, and the tool will calculate out-of-pocket expenses, providing employees with the total estimated out-of-pocket expenses by plan.
In this section you will find annual health plan notices as well as the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) notice:
Health Plan Notices (includes):
