Dental and vision benefits plan year change
Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, MESSA dental and vision benefits plan year will change to Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, coinciding with the calendar year and to match MESSA medical benefits. This change will make it easier for members to monitor their coverage when all MESSA benefits and deductibles reset on Jan. 1 each year.
If you have any questions, please call your MESSA field representative at 800-292-4910.
New: Employee benefit notices service
There are certain notices specific to benefits that employers are required to send to employees upon onboarding and during open enrollment. Knowing which notices are required and ensuring the most current notices are distributed can be challenging.
Let MESSA take care of this for you. With MESSA’s new employee benefit notices service, our benefit administration team will send up to date benefit notices to your employees, exactly when it’s required. Contact our benefit administration team to get started. Call 888-888-4167, ext. 5517.
Coming soon: New billing and payment portal
MESSA is developing a new billing and payment portal. Accessed at the MESSA Business Administration Center Invoices page. Upgraded features will include:
- Improved invoice clarity to help you better understand payments, coverage tiers, refunds and fees.
- Billing history detailing payments and how funds were applied to your account.
- Employee level information to see coverage tiers, costs and payment allocation.
- Integrated with MESSA’s online benefits website to sync up with enrollment information for easier invoice reconciliation.
MESSA Service: Open enrollment administration
Tackling your annual open enrollment is easy when you let MESSA do the work for you. When enrolled in MESSA’s open enrollment administration service, our benefit administration team can complete your entire open enrollment, from start to finish. Or, the service may be customized so that MESSA takes on certain aspects while you maintain control of others. MESSA can:
- Set up your open enrollment in the online benefits website and create the open enrollment window for each benefit class of employee.
- Provide communication materials:
- Benefit booklet customized to your group and each benefit class and contains all the details your employees need to know about their benefit options.
- User guide to help employees navigate the online benefits website to complete their benefit elections or changes.
- Emails are sent to notify employees that it’s open enrollment and to remind them to make benefit elections and changes, if needed.
- Enter costs for any RBI benefit changes and update the monthly contribution amounts for each benefit class allowing your employees to view the cost of coverage.
- Reporting at the end of your open enrollment detailing the changes and selections made by your employees.
- On-site open enrollment meetings: MESSA team members will come to your site, supply laptops, and help your employees walk through their enrollment.
To enroll in MESSA’s open enrollment administration service, contact our benefit administration team at 888-888-4167, ext. 5517, at least 30 days prior to the start date of your open enrollment.
CIGNA Group Insurance is now New York Life Group Benefits Solutions
New York Life Insurance Company (NYL) recently entered into an agreement to acquire Cigna Group Insurance (CGI). This acquisition is complete and CGI has now become New York Life Group Benefit Solutions.
You’ll begin to see New York Life Group Benefit Solutions in place of Cigna Group Insurance on letters and documentation. Aside from a change in name, you should not notice any other changes.
MESSA Summits
MESSA is excited to announce we will once again host our annual MESSA Summits this fall. We plan to offer live, in-person Summits, as well as, online options via Zoom. Stay tuned for more information on this opportunity to meet and mingle with MESSA staff and local field representatives and learn more about what MESSA has to offer.
Updating employee contact information and beneficiary designations
Please remind your employees it’s important to keep their phone numbers, email and mailing addresses up to date with both you and MESSA. Also, at open enrollment and when an employee experiences a life event (marriage, birth, etc.) remind them to verify their beneficiary designations and update accordingly.
Have a safe and happy summer! – MESSA Group Services
Questions about your MESSA benefits? Call MESSA Group Services at 888-888-4167