Important reminders
As you review your 2027 benefit options, there are a few important details to note. Some elections require additional action after you enroll, and certain premiums or surcharges may affect your paycheck. Taking time to review these details now can help you avoid delays, unexpected costs or issues with your benefit elections.
Are you Medicare eligible - Explore your options while you are actively working
If you are eligible for Medicare and would like to explore your Medicare coverage options, Lumen offers access to Via Benefits, an independent Medicare insurance exchange and trusted resource for Medicare guidance. Through Via Benefits, you and your eligible dependents can compare and enroll in Medicare, dental, vision, and other health coverage options with support from licensed benefit advisors.
Via Benefits provides personalized guidance, plan comparisons, enrollment assistance, and easy-to-use online tools, all at no cost to you. You do not need to be eligible for Lumen retiree benefits to use this service.
To learn more, visit the Via Benefits website or call Via Benefits at 888-825-4252, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST.
Important: If the employee is Medicare eligible but dependent(s) are not, dependent(s) can’t be enrolled in Lumen coverage unless the employee is also enrolled in a like plan.
For additional information about Medicare enrollment, coverage options, and Parts A and B, visit Medicare.gov or contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.
Keep the following in mind as you enroll
Dependent Verification and Reverification
During Annual Enrollment, newly added dependents are not eligible for coverage until you submit the required documentation, and it is approved through the Dependent Verification process.
Lumen verifies dependent eligibility every five years to ensure only eligible dependents are covered. Dependent Reverification occurs in phases, so not all employees will be asked to verify dependents at the same time. If you are included in the next phase, you’ll receive a reverification request in the second quarter of 2027.
Dependents impacted (if not verified in the past five years):
- If your last name starts with P through Z.
- You added a spouse, common law spouse, or domestic partner as the result of a Qualifying Life Event (QLE).
- You added a spouse/domestic partner to Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, or Hospital Indemnity Insurance.
It’s important to respond promptly. If a spouse or domestic partner is not approved during the reverification process, their coverage—and coverage for any stepchildren or domestic partner’s children—will end at the close of the reverification period. They will not be eligible for COBRA, conversion, or portability coverage.
Voluntary Benefits (VB) Program
The Voluntary Lifestyle Benefits (VLB) Program has been renamed Voluntary Benefits (VB) Program and is available to you as an active Full-time employee offering additional support for you and your family based on your needs. Use Annual Enrollment as a chance to review your options and confirm when you can enroll—some benefits must be elected during Annual Enrollment, while others are available year-round. If you decide to enroll, you will do so through the Health and Life website or directly with the vendor, depending on the VB option.
Enroll during Annual Enrollment, as a new hire or if you have a qualified life event
- MetLife Legal Services
- Transamerica Universal Life Insurance with Child Rider
Enroll at any time during the year
- Recoop Disaster Insurance
- PerkSpot Employee Perks/Discounts*
- Purchasing Power program (must be employed for six months)*
- MetLife Pet Insurance*
- Farmers Insurance and Liberty Mutual Home and Auto Insurance*
- MetLife Identity & Fraud Protection, powered by Aura
- Airvet - Virtual Pet Care
* Voluntary Benefits enrollment is directly through the vendor.
Important
The Voluntary Benefits (VB) Program is offered as a convenience to employees. The available options under the VB Program are not covered by ERISA. Participation is voluntary, and you are responsible for deciding whether the VB options meet your needs. Review the Voluntary Benefits page on InsideLumen and contact the applicable vendor directly with questions about plan information, covered services, and/or claims processing. If you decide to enroll, you will do so through the Health and Life website or directly with the vendor, depending on the VB option.
You pay the full cost of the VB options you elect; Lumen does not contribute. Some options are paid through post-tax payroll deductions, while others require direct payment to the vendor. If you enroll in more than one VB option and are set up with payroll deductions, your paycheck will show one combined VB deduction amount. For questions about your VB deductions through payroll, contact the Lumen Health and Life Service Center.
Lumen does not sponsor, endorse, or assume responsibility for any products, services, or benefits offered through the Voluntary Benefits (VB) Program.
Post-enrollment reminders
Benefit Summary
At the end of enrollment, print your Benefit Summary and keep it for your records. A copy will not be mailed to you.
Payroll deductions
If you work at least one day in a pay period and are enrolled in a Lumen health care plan, you are responsible for the full premium for that pay period. Premiums are not prorated and follow the Benefits and Payroll schedule; therefore, deductions may cross from one month to the next as well as from one calendar year to the next.
Review your first 2027 paycheck
Check your first paycheck of the new plan year to confirm your Health, Life, Disability, FSA, HSA, Commuter Spending Account and Voluntary Benefit deductions, if applicable.
ID cards
If you enroll in a new plan, watch for your health care ID cards in mid-to late December.