MetLife Legal Plans is offering free attorney document review and consultation services to Princeton University faculty and staff. Individuals do not have to be currently enrolled in the legal plan to contact an attorney for help with a wide range of legal issues, including:

• Caregiving legal matters, e.g., to have nursing home agreements reviewed, get answers to Medicare and Medicaid questions, and consult about parents’ estate planning documents
• Insurance forms and other real estate or rental documents
• Advice for estate planning and what documents individuals already have or may need

This free assistance is available through July 31, 2020.

To get connected to an attorney:

• Call the MetLife Legal Plans Customer Service Center at (800) 821-6400.
• Identify yourself as a Princeton University employee.
• Provide the last four digits of your SSN or employee number.
• Indicate that you are interested in the document review and consultation services being offered as part of the Disaster Relief Plan.

For a list of exclusions, visit MetLife’s website.

Retirement Savings Plan loan limits are increased

Maximum retirement savings plan loan limits are increased from $50,000 or 50% of vested account balances to $75,000 or 75% of the vested account balance for loans made within 180 days of enactment of the CARES Act on March 27, 2020.

• During this time, participants may take up to 7 plan loans.
• Participants who choose to take a loan are asked to self-certify that they meet the requirements for a coronavirus-related loan. The loan approval process remains the same as it does for non-coronavirus-related loans. 
• Participants who have existing retirement plan loan payments may be able to defer payments for one year and extend the term of their loan by one year.

Suspension of required minimum distributions (RMDs) from the Princeton University Retirement and Savings Plans

To help provide relief for those required to take RMDs, the CARES Act allows participants to cancel their 2020 RMD payments and restart them in 2021.

• Participants who already have an RMD payment scheduled for this year have the flexibility to cancel it, and TIAA will restart it automatically in 2021.
• Participants who have already started receiving their RMD this year have the option to repay it as a rollover. If checks have already been sent, participants have 60 days to roll over those funds into a plan that accepts rollovers or into an IRA. In past disaster scenarios, the IRS has extended that rollover period. TIAA will monitor regulatory activity and notify clients if an extension is granted in this context.
• Participants who have not set up their RMD this year: Based on the CARES Act, TIAA cannot set up new RMD payments. If participants still need the money, they can take a withdrawal. The quickest way to set that up is through the TIAA website; be sure to set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).  

Hardship provision update

In addition to the CARES Act changes, there was an update to 403(b) hardship distribution rules that deems a qualifying hardship to exist for “expenses and losses (including loss of income) incurred by the participant on account of a disaster declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provided that the participant's principal residence or principal place of employment at the time of the disaster was located in an area designated by FEMA for individual assistance with respect to the disaster.” To date, FEMA has designated certain areas within the country as eligible for “counseling,” but not individual assistance. Therefore, at present, the COVID-19 crisis does not qualify under this new provision.

Participants can speak to a financial consultant, request a loan, or learn more about these provisions by logging in to their online account at TIAA.org or calling TIAA at (800) 842-2776. We recommend reviewing all options prior to making a decision.

Faculty and staff who are diagnosed with COVID-19 can apply for short term disability benefits by completing a newly created form that simplifies and expedites the review and approval process.

The University arranged for the following interim changes for employees enrolled in a Princeton medical plan. 

• Diagnostic testing and any provider visits associated with COVID-19 testing are covered at 100%.
• Telemedicine visits through Teladoc for any reason have been expanded to be covered at 100% for all medical plans.

Both Aetna and UnitedHealthcare have teams of experts monitoring COVID-19 to support members’ needs. For information and resources, go to their websites or call Aetna (800) 535-6689 or UnitedHealthcare at (877) 609-2273.

UnitedHealthcare has an Emotional Support Help Line, available to anyone who may be experiencing anxiety or stress. Call (866) 342-6892, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Aetna has a crises response line for members at (833) 327-2386.

The University has temporarily arranged for telemedicine visits through Teladoc for any reason to be covered at 100% for individuals enrolled in the Princeton CDHP and J-1 Visa Plans. The visits were already covered at 100% for Princeton PHP and HMO participants.

Due to a significant increase in visits to Teladoc, members are experiencing longer than usual wait times. To assist Teladoc in serving the high demand, it is best to take the following actions:

• In advance of the first visit, employees should set up their Teladoc account and share medical history on the app or account set-up page.
• For fastest support, Teladoc encourages members to make visit requests by mobile app or on Teladoc’s website rather than by phone. Members can download the Teladoc app on the App Store or Google Play.
• After a visit request is initiated, members are encouraged to be available and ready to promptly answer Teladoc’s callbacks.

The University arranged for the following interim changes to prescription drug coverage for employees enrolled in a Princeton medical plan.

• OptumRx members may obtain an early refill of prescriptions if they have refills remaining on file through mail order or at a participating retail pharmacy. The refill obtained stays consistent with the standard days’ supply previously filled by the member, i.e., 90 days at mail, 30 days at retail.
• OptumRx automatically extends approvals for existing prior authorizations for certain medications used to treat chronic conditions that are set to expire on or before May 1, 2020, for an additional 90 days.
• During the COVID-19 outbreak, when patients call to refill a specialty medication, OptumRx Specialty Pharmacy allows them a one-time, 90-day supply (versus the traditional 30-day supply) for certain specialty medications.

Since it is best to stay at home at this time, home delivery is a reliable and affordable way to get long-term medications. To enroll or transfer a prescription to mail order, call OptumRx at (877) 629- 3117, go to OptumRx’s website, or download the OptumRx mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.

For questions about medications during COVID-19, OptumRx has prepared these Frequently Asked Questions.

Immediate action may be required for employees who have a recurring order for monthly transit vouchers or passes in place and are temporarily not commuting to work due to COVID-19. All orders or changes to orders must be placed by the 10^th of the month prior to the month in which employees need them. To cancel recurring monthly orders for expenses for the month of May or later:

1. Log onto PayFlex’s website
2. Go to Online Commuter
3. Select Manage my commuter account or select Place an order to access the Commuter Benefits Dashboard.

For more information or for questions on the ability to get refunded for orders placed in March or April, review the information on this webpage. The refund policies are developed by the transit authorities themselves, not PayFlex.

If participants’ childcare needs have changed due to COVID-19 related closures, this is considered a Qualified Status Event to make changes to the DFSA. Examples of situations that allow participants to make mid-year changes:

• If a childcare provider is closed or care is longer needed due to working from home, participants may reduce or suspend contributions.
• When childcare providers reopen and become available again, participants may increase or restart contributions.
• If a qualified dependent previously in school is now in need of qualified child care due to school closures, employees may enroll in the DFSA and current participants may increase their contributions. Participants may also reduce or suspend contributions when the child care is no longer necessary due to the reopening of schools.

To enroll in, increase, reduce, or suspend future DFSA elections, employees need to notify the Benefits Team at benefits@princeton.edu.

Due to the coronavirus emergency, Princeton University is providing employees with the option to increase, decrease, or suspend their HFSA contributions on a prospective basis for any reason. Participants will have until November 30, 2020 to make a change to their 2020 HFSA election.

To increase, decrease, or suspend future HFSA elections, participants need to notify the Benefits team at benefits@princeton.edu, and complete the HFSA Change Form.

Note that the election cannot be reduced below an amount already reimbursed through the HFSA. If the election is suspended, participants are only eligible to be reimbursed for expenses incurred through the termination date. Participants may review current account balance and/or claim activity on PayFlex’s.

In addition, the amount that can be rolled over from 2020 to 2021 is increasing from $500 to $550.  Amounts under $50 or over $550 per IRS rules will be forfeited.

CARES Act Provisions for HFSA and HSA Programs

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, contains provisions that may help faculty and staff who are enrolled in the HFSA and HSA programs administered by PayFlex.

The following provisions are included in the CARES Act and are for expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2020:

• Over-the counter (OTC) drugs and medicines can be paid for or reimbursed through the HFSA and HSA without a doctor’s prescription.
• Feminine care products are now considered a qualified medical expense and are eligible for payment or reimbursement through the HFSA and HSA.

Important information for participants using their PayFlex debit card for newly eligible OTC and/or feminine care items:

It will take time for the debit card system to update. If the PayFlex debit card does not work at time of purchase, members can pay out of pocket and request reimbursement by submitting a claim to PayFlex. Note that updating the card system is not managed or controlled by PayFlex.

Deadline to File for Reimbursement for 2019 Expenses Extended

Due to COVID-19, the deadline to file for reimbursement for the 2019 HFSA has been extended by the IRS and does not begin until 60 days after the date the National Emergency is officially ended (this date is not yet determined). Once the National Emergency end date is announced, PayFlex will provide the new claim submission deadline date for 2019 HFSA expenses. Note that eligible expenses for 2019 must have been incurred from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019 – there is no extension of the spending deadline.

To submit claims to PayFlex:

1. Log in to PayFlex’s website
2. Under Your Accounts, select Dependent Care or Healthcare FSA
3. Select 1/1/2019 – 12/31/2019, to file a claim for reimbursement for your 2019 expenses

The COVID-19 Temporary Expansion of the ECCAP provides assistance to eligible faculty and staff members for the sole purpose of helping employees meet the cost of child care, Internet, computer and electronic equipment, or other related expenses necessary to support education at home from September 1 through December 31, 2020, for children up to age 13 as of September 1, 2020. The benefit amount paid is based upon family income and level of work effort provided to Princeton University during this period of time. Learn more.