More choices are coming to our members enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program. Beginning this summer, Aetna will be returning as a provider option for our health insurance plans. During April, there will be a special open enrollment for members wishing to switch to one of the Aetna plans.

This open enrollment is optional. If you do not wish to change plans, no action is needed.

• This open enrollment can only be used to switch health insurance plans. Changing dependents or dental plans will not be allowed during this time. Dependent changes may continue to be made regularly when there is a qualifying life event that allows it, or they can be done during the regular October open enrollment period.
• Plan changes made during this open enrollment period will go into effect
• Regular open enrollment will occur again in October, as usual. During that time, all members will have the opportunity to choose among all the available plans, effective January 1, 2025.
• There will be no changes to any of the existing Horizon Blue Cross-Blue Shield plans. The CWA Unity Direct, OMNIA, HMO, and high deductible plans will all continue to be available.
• Aetna will be offering plans with the same plan design as the current Horizon Plans. These equivalent plans will be identical, with the same cost structures. The only difference is the Aetna plans will use the Aetna network of providers.
  • CWA Unity Direct -> Aetna CWA Unity Freedom
  • Horizon OMNIA -> Aetna Liberty Plus
  • Horizon HMO -> Aetna HDMO
  • Horizon HDHigh / HDLow -> Aetna Freedom HDHigh/HDLow
• Pharmacy benefits will remain unchanged and will continue to be managed by OptumRX for all members on both Aetna and Horizon plans.
• Members interested in the Aetna Liberty Tiered Network (equivalent to Horizon OMNIA) will be eligible for the same $1000 incentive offered to OMNIA users. (The $1000 incentive is only available once; if you have received it for being in OMNIA you may not receive it a second time.)
• Members using Horizon plans to access Direct Primary Care Homes and to participate in the NJ WELL incentive program will continue to have access to those programs if they enroll in Aetna plans.
• If you wish to change plans, complete an open enrollment during the month of April in Benefitsolver.

Webinars & Other Information

• Aetna webinars will be offered at various times between March 19 & April 23.
  • Registration: https://aetnastatenj.com/presentations.php
    • Click “View a list of upcoming webinars” and go to the “SHBP State Special Enrollment Webinars” section.
  • Aetna Open Enrollment Hotline 1-833-398-0768.
• Horizon webinars will be offered at various times between March 18 & April 11
  • Registration: https://www.horizonblue.com/shbp/2024-special-open-enrollment/special-open-enrollment-webinars
    • Select “SHBP State & State College/University Employees”
  • Horizon Hotline: (800) 414-7427
• Open Enrollment Presentation by CWA Local 1031 Healthcare Ombudsperson
  • https://youtu.be/zp2wk_47LoI
• Cost Calculators
  • Horizon: https://www.horizonblue.com/shbp/plans/2024-premium-contribution-calculator
  • Aetna: https://www.aetnastatenj.com/2024-contribution-calculator.php

For Rutgers & University Hospital Employees

You will continue to have access to the full complement of SHBP legacy health plans, such as NJ Direct 15, NJ Direct 1525, NJ Direct 2030, etc. There will be Aetna equivalent plans available for all NJ Direct Plans (ex: Aetna Freedom 1525 will be the equivalent to Horizon NJ Direct 1525). Cost structures will remain the same, with certain plans under the union-negotiated rates and others under the Chapter 78 pricing model.

• Horizon & Aetna Calculators have been updated with a new Employee Type
  • Instead of running the calculator twice to see all your costs, select “State Rutgers, NJIT, and University Hospital”