Tips on Using the Bencom Phone System

PINs/Open Enrollment Codes are confidential and should not be used by anyone other than the employee they were issued to. You can use either the Open Enrollment Code found on your open enrollment statement, or the UC Benefits PIN you were issued in July 1995. The Open Enrollment Code is a temporary code used only for this year's open enrollment. If you forget or lose your PIN, you can reset it either by going to the bencom web site, using the regular bencom phone system ((800) 888-8267), or calling 2-7053.

Potential Problems Using bencom

• Faxing confirmation documents to a computer with a fax modem may not work properly (depending on the modem software). To be sure to get a fax of your confirmation info, send it to a dedicated fax machine.
• Speaker phones may cause problems by picking up outside noise or cutting off instructions; push mute if you're using a speaker phone.
• Call waiting will interrupt and cut off a bencom session.
• Phones with buttons in the handset can be difficult to use (you may miss instructions switching the phone back and forth).

• bencom is for open enrollment changes only - all other changes require paper forms.
• Employees changing medical plans to Health Net, Pacificare, Western Health Advantage, or UC Care must choose a primary care physician (PCP) on bencom (or wait until after January 1). The primary care physician codes are listed in the provider directory for the carrier. You may obtain copies of these directories directly from the carriers. Reference copies will also be available at the benefits information session on November 2, but only a limited number of copies will be given away at the benefits information session. Also, providers have their directories up on the web - you can access them through Bencom.
• If you want to change your PCP for your current medical plan (and are not switching plans), please call your carrier directly to make the change - you cannot make this change on bencom.
• If you are changing dental plans to PMI you will not choose a dentist on bencom but will be automatically assigned a dentist. If you wish you can change dentists after January 1.
• Employees on leave can use bencom - but if you are out of the country, you cannot - changes must be made using paper forms.
• bencom will attempt to fax confirmations 5 times, then will mail the confirmation to the employee.
• Don't wait until November 30 to call bencom! The system is expected to be quite busy in the last week of open enrollment. If you can, call early, and you'll be sure to get through quickly.

Please contact me if you have problems using the bencom system. It would be very helpful to provide the following information:

• Date and time the problem occurred
• Where in the script did the problem occur:
  • before system answered
  • after how many rings
  • after system answered
  • after choosing campus
  • what was the last thing you did?
• Describe the problem in detail:
  • system hang up
  • system error message
  • were the changes confirmed
  • what was the confirmation number
• Was the problem duplicated? If so, by whom?