Tomorrow is the last day to make changes to your health insurance plan for 2016. If you wish to make a change, please complete the option transfer form (PDF) and return it to Cleveland Hall 410. The effective date of the new coverage will be January 1, 2016.

Health insurance rates for 2016 are available on the Employee Benefits website.

The 2016 “Choices” booklet (PDF), a comparison of the health insurance plans, is also available online. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage for all plans, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, can be obtained from the Employee Benefits website. You may wish to review this information before you decide whether to change insurance carriers or remain with your current carrier for your health insurance coverage.

No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at 878-4821 with questions.

Employees who wish to change their health insurance plan for the coming year have until Friday, December 18. We encourage you to complete and return the option transfer form (PDF) to Cleveland Hall 410 as soon as possible. This will avoid retroactive premium adjustments and should allow you to receive new health plan identification cards closer to the coverage effective date of January 1, 2016.

Health insurance rates for 2016 are available on the Employee Benefits website.

The 2016 “Choices” booklet (PDF), a comparison of the health insurance plans, is also available online. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage for all plans, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, can be obtained from the Employee Benefits website. You may wish to review this information before you decide whether to change insurance carriers or remain with your current carrier for your health insurance coverage.

No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at 878-4821 with questions.

Employees who wish to change their health insurance plan for the coming year have until Friday, December 18. We encourage you to complete and return the option transfer form (PDF) to Cleveland Hall 410 as soon as possible. This will avoid retroactive premium adjustments and should allow you to receive new health plan identification cards closer to the coverage effective date of January 1, 2016.

Health insurance rates for 2016 are available on the Employee Benefits website.

The 2016 “Choices” booklet (PDF), a comparison of the health insurance plans, is also available online. The Summary of Benefits and Coverage for all plans, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, can be obtained from the Employee Benefits website. You may wish to review this information before you decide whether to change insurance carriers or remain with your current carrier for your health insurance coverage.

No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at 878-4821 with questions.

Please be advised that the registrar position open forum scheduled for today, November 17, with candidate R. Ryan Kendrick, has been canceled.

Health Insurance rates for 2016 have been established and are available on the Employee Benefits website.

Employees who wish to change their health insurance plan for the coming year have until Friday, December 18. We encourage you to complete and return the option transfer form (PDF) to Cleveland Hall 410 as soon as possible. This will avoid retroactive premium adjustments and should allow you to receive new health plan identification cards closer to the coverage effective date of January 1, 2016.

The 2016 “Choices” booklet (PDF), a comparison of the health insurance plans, is now available online. Also the Summary of Benefits and Coverage for all plans, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), can be obtained from the Employee Benefits Division website. You may want to review this information before you decide whether to change insurance carriers or remain with your current carrier for your health insurance coverage.

Representatives from the Empire Plan, BlueCross BlueShield of WNY, and Independent Health will be on campus on Thursday, December 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 210 to answer questions about current health insurance plans and anticipated changes in coverage for 2016.

No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.

Please note: the Flex-Spending Account open enrollment period has been extended through 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 24, for anyone who still wishes to enroll or make changes to their previous selection.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at 878-4821 with questions.

Several travel restrictions on NY Route 198 will be in effect this week related to the Elmwood Avenue bridge replacement project. Route 198 westbound will be reduced to one lane in the vicinity of Elmwood Avenue, beginning at approximately 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 17, until approximately 3:00 p.m. Thursday, November 19.

Route 198 westbound will be closed at Elmwood Avenue from approximately 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 17, and Wednesday November 18. Traffic will exit and re-enter NY Route 198 at Elmwood Avenue using the existing exit and entrance ramps and will be directed by flaggers.

Route 198 eastbound from Grant Street to Delaware Avenue will be closed from approximately 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Thursday, November 19. Traffic will exit at Grant Street and follow a posted detour along Forest Avenue to Delaware Avenue.

This work is weather dependent and could be delayed in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are advised to allow for additional travel time. For more information, please visit the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) website.

Procurement Services has been made aware of several attempts by disreputable companies to sell overpriced toner to the campus. The latest company to contact Buffalo State is Supply Services Inc.

Beware of calls about the following:

• Renewal of orders that have never been placed by your department
• Inquiries to validate your copier or printer model number
• Invoices for goods never shipped
• Unbelievable discounts or special deals

To protect your department:

• Never give your P-Card number over the phone or in e-mail unless you've initiated the contact.
• Never pay for toner products in advance.
• Do not give any information about your office equipment to unfamiliar suppliers.
• If someone calls you about the "renewal of a previous order," ask them for the original purchase order number.
• Do not authorize any shipment of supplies from a caller soliciting business over the phone.
• Do not ask a company to send you an invoice just to get them off the phone.
• Beware of any suspicious activity from callers using selling ploys that seem too good to be true.
• Be aware of phone numbers that are displayed on caller IDs as "blocked" numbers.

Red Flags:

• Anyone who calls you about toner products for your copier. Most departments are on a "cost-per-copy" program, which includes toner at no charge.
• Calls about toner prices going up and offers to place an order to get the old price.
• Calls asking for the model number of your printer or copier.
• Calls asking if you would take a toner order intended for another department that no longer needs the toner.

Please do not order any toner without going through Procurement Services. Please call Steve Olsen, assistant to the comptroller for procurement, at 878-4113 immediately should you encounter any such selling tactics by a supplier.

The 2016 Flex-Spending Account Open Enrollment deadline has been extended through 10:00 p.m. today, November 24, because of technical problems. Eligible employees who wish to enroll for 2016 may do so by enrolling online or calling (800) 358-7202 (select option 1). Make sure you have your most recent pay stub available: you will need your Employee ID Number, Department ID, and Negotiating Unit code to apply.

You have until 10:00 p.m. today to apply for enrollment for 2016. If you enrolled after November 9, a confirmation notice will be sent to you in late December. Select your election amount carefully, because you will not have an opportunity to change your annual elections after today. If you wish to change your 2016 election amounts, simply submit a new application by 10:00 p.m. today. Be sure to complete both the DCAAccount and HCSAccount sections of the application (if applicable). The new application will replace your original one.

As a result of technical problems, the 2016 Flex Spending Account Open Enrollment deadline has been extended until 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 24. The online enrollment application is temporarily off-line but will become available again on Thursday, November 19. Eligible employees who wish to enroll for 2016 may do so online or by phone at (800) 358-7202 (select option 1). Make sure you have your most recent pay stub available: you will need your Employee ID Number, Department ID, and Negotiating Unit code to apply.

If you enroll after November 9, a confirmation notice will be sent to you in late December. Select your election amount carefully, because you will not have an opportunity to change your annual elections after November 24. If you wish to change your 2016 election amounts after you submit your application, simply submit a new application by 10:00 p.m. November 24. Please be sure to complete both the DCAAccount and HCSAccount sections of the application (if applicable). The new application will replace your original one.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next meeting of the College Senate for the fall 2015 semester will be held at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow, November 13, in Butler Library 210. The meeting agenda is posted on the Senate website.