Announcement Details
Announcement Message
- Health and vision plan elections are managed by the San Francisco Health Service System (HSS). Open enrollment begins on Monday, October 2, 2023 and ends Friday, October 27, 2023, 5:00 p.m., PT. HSS has mailed out all Open Enrollment information via US mail, and you should be receiving it in the coming days.
- SFUSD does not administer health and vision benefits. We only manage enrollment for dental, FSA/HSA, and other voluntary benefits. You can make changes to your Delta Dental and Symetra Life Insurance elections using EMPowerSF during the same HSS open enrollment window. Below are all the how-to resources:
Save the Date: BenefitCon and Flu Shot Clinic
- Friday, October 20, 2023: We will be hosting another in-person BenefitCon at John O’Connell High School. We will be sending additional details about the event over the next few days.
- Wednesday, October 18: A flu shot clinic is going to be set up at the Board Room of 555 Franklin St. from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Drop by and get your flu shot!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Open Enrollment
- Do I need to participate in Open Enrollment?
Yes, if you want to contribute to a healthcare or dependent care FSA, you must log into your WageWorks profile and make elections for the 2023 calendar year. FSA elections do not automatically renew every year. Please click the links below for instructions on creating a WageWorks account and making elections.
If you want to make updates to your health/vision/dental insurance elections, you will also have to participate in open enrollment. You will need your DSW number to make changes through the eBenefits platform of HSS.
If you want to maintain your current health, vision, and dental insurance elections, no action is necessary. Your insurance coverage will remain the same, and no changes will take place.
- What is a DSW number? How do I find my DSW number?
This is the employee ID that the San Francisco Health Service System uses to track employees and their health plan elections in their system. It is included in the information that the San Francisco Health Service System will mail to you this week.
- Can I make a change to my health/vision plan after October 27th?
No. The health and vision open enrollment dates are controlled by the San Francisco Health Service System, and these are not flexible. The only time to make changes to your health and vision plans outside of the standard Open Enrollment period of Oct. 2 to Oct. 27 is if you have a qualifying life event. In that case, you would have 30 days from the event date to make changes.
- How do I add a dependent to my dental coverage?
To add a dependent to your dental coverage, you must first add your dependent using the instructions located in Enroll Dependents into Benefit Plans. You must upload supporting documentation (marriage or domestic partner certificate and/or children’s birth certificate). Please note that when you add a dependent, a notification will be sent to the Benefits team, as they must approve any changes made to your benefits profile. You will not be able to add dependents or beneficiaries to your benefit plan until the dependents have been approved.
Once the benefits team has approved the dependent(s), the dependents section will update to reflect your dependent’s information.This means that you will now be able to add them as a beneficiary or a dependent to your dental plan.
The same information in this post (and more) are found on the SFUSD open enrollment website. Visit sfusd.edu/employees/openenrollment for resources and updates on open enrollment processing and events.
eBenefits Compatible Internet Browsers
eBenefits is the HSS platform for health and vision elections. It works best with Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari browsers. Do not use Google Chrome to access eBenefits.
Open Enrollment webinars hosted by HSS
SFHSS will be hosting a series of Open Enrollment Webinars during the month of October. Learn about the different benefits available to you and get your questions answered by our health plan providers. There will also be Q&A sessions at the end of each Webinar.
Want to learn if a different plan is right for you? Make an appointment with a plan rep and get your questions answered.
- Health Net CanopyCare HMO
- Blue Shield of California Trio HMO, Access+, and PPO-Accolade
- Kaiser Permanente HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Non-Medicare PPO & EPO Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Dental DHMO