Welcome to the 2026 Benefits Open Enrollment for the Kiowa Tribe
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is your opportunity to evaluate your current benefit elections and make changes for the new plan year. You are given an Open Enrollment opportunity each year for a July 1 renewal.
Everyone is required to complete a new Open Enrollment Change form, even if not making any changes to your current benefit elections.
This form is included in your benefits packet. Please review for accuracy and make any necessary changes, then mark your new benefit elections.
Signed Forms must be submitted to HR by June 18th indicating your elections for the new plan year.
Changes This Year
The Kiowa Tribe is committed to offering a comprehensive employee benefits program that helps our team members stay healthy, feel secure and maintain a work-life balance.
Life and Disability: We are moving our life and disability benefits from Mutual of Omaha to Symetra. With this move, comes some exciting changes.
Basic Life/AD&D: We are increasing this benefit from $25,000 to $30,000 at not cost to you. This provides extra benefits for your beneficiaries.
Voluntary Life: The Guaranteed Issue is increasing to $150,000 for the employee and $100,000 for the spouse. In addition, Symetra is granting a one-time open enrollment, which will allow members to increase their benefit, or enroll (even if previously declined), without EOI.
Also, the spouse’s voluntary life rate is currently determined by their age. Effective July 1, their rate will be based on the employee’s age. Some enrolled members will see no change or a decrease in their cost per paycheck, while others will see an increase. This change will also affect when your spouse hits the reduction schedule.
Voluntary Long-term Disability: We’re excited to offer a new Voluntary Long-term Disability policy. Long-term disability coverage helps protect your income if you’re ever unable to work due to a serious illness or injury. Without it, you could face months—or even years—without a paycheck while you recover. This coverage replaces a portion of your salary during an extended leave, giving you the financial stability to focus on getting better without worrying about how to pay your bills. This benefit will be offered on a voluntary basis and will be payroll deducted after taxes.
Supplemental Policies: The Tribe will no longer sponsor these policies with Aflac; however, we are now offering new policies through Symetra. Symetra's integrated claims process helps insureds get the most value out of their benefits. When a disability or death claim is initiated, Symetra’s teams automatically cross-checks coverage to identify eligibility for any of these benefits. This means just one step can initiate multiple claims, streamlining the filing process and ensuring you receive all eligible benefits.
Symetra’s policies are richer and will cost less per paycheck. With that said, members can keep their Aflac policies if they want to, by setting up direct pay with Aflac. I recommend you keep your current Cancer policy if you have been diagnosed with cancer. Please refer to the Aflac Always flyer in your open enrollment packet for more information.
Your Cost Per Paycheck: Our medical premiums increased 7.2%; however, the Tribe is increasing our contribution, which in turn makes the Silver Plan free for you. No other benefit incurred a rate increase; however, you may see a change to your Voluntary Life, AD&D and Short-term Disability payroll deductions if you advanced to a new age band or had a change in salary. Pssst… Symetra’s disability rates are cheaper than Mutual of Omaha’s, so this benefit is now more affordable!
Benefits Overview
As a full-time employee of the Kiowa Tribe, you are eligible for the comprehensive benefits available to you and your family.
Resources Available
Your Benefits Microsite contains all your benefit summaries and additional educational pieces. Also available are some Health Plan Compliance Notices. Please review these notices to learn about your rights pertaining to your benefits.
Please be sure to:
- Review your personal Benefits Statement, included in your open enrollment packet, and report any discrepancies to HR. Note: Your benefits statement might not reflect any recent election changes.
- Review your benefits open enrollment guide, which highlights the comprehensive coverage available to you and your family.
- Refer to your Summaries of Benefits and Coverage, for more benefit details.
How To Enroll and Forms
Be sure to attend one of the in-person presentations to get your enrollment packet.
Enrollment Instructions
For currently enrolled Employees, your benefits packet includes your personal Benefits Statement, which reflects your current benefit elections and payroll deductions. It also includes your personal benefits change form. Please complete this form and return to HR by the deadline.
Note: Your benefits statement and change form might not reflect any recent election changes.
For newly benefit eligible Employees, your packet includes a benefits application. Please complete this form and return to HR no later than your 60th day of employment.
Medical Benefits
Having access to high quality, affordable health care is a great concern for most people. That’s why we are pleased to offer Team Members, and their families, comprehensive medical coverage administered by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBS).
Freedom to Choose
You can choose between three medical plans. Note: Keep in mind that plan changes can only be made during open enrollment.
Summaries of Benefits & Coverage can be found, below.
Dental & Vision Benefits
Too often people forget about dental and vision care. That’s unfortunate, because having healthy teeth and eyes are an important part of your overall well-being.
Your Summaries of Benefits can be found, below.
Life & Disability Benefits
As your employer, we automatically provide a certain level of coverage for you and give you the opportunity to purchase additional coverage for you and your dependents.
Newly eligible employees may purchase up to $150,000 Voluntary Life Insurance without providing Evidence of Insurability (EOI). EOI is required for members that elect this benefit after their initial enrollment period.
In addition, employees that elect coverage for themselves, can elect coverage for their spouse and dependent children. Newly eligible employees may purchase up to $100,000 Spousal Voluntary Life insurance without providing EOI. EOI is required for late enrollees. Children can be insured for $10,000.
Employees that elected this coverage during their initial enrollment period, has the option to elect $10,000-$20,000 additional coverage during open enrollment, not exceed $150,000.
Identity Theft Protection
Cybercrime has become the number one threat facing our world today. With the amount of our personal information online, it’s become easier for your identity to be stolen. The need to protect yourself and your family is more important than ever. NortonLifeLock protects your financial, personal, and social identity. They will monitor online resources and alert you of any threats. They will also help recover your lost information and insure you for up to $1 Million in stolen funds!!!
Accident, Critical Illness with Cancer, and Hospital Indemnity
Flexible Spending Account
Our FSA renews January 1, so you will be notified of your open enrollment opportunity, for this benefit, at that time.
A Flexible Spending Account allows participants to set aside money, before taxes, to use on eligible healthcare expenses. Since the monies are withheld from your paycheck on a pre-tax basis, you save tax dollars and lower your taxable income.
Contact Us
While we are interested and concerned about the health of our employees and their dependents, we have HIPAA Privacy Compliance obligations which limit the information shared with us. NFP is available to assist you with claims issues or any other issues you have concerning our benefits. If you are experiencing a claim issue, please contact Customer Service with the appropriate insurance company, first, to see if you can resolve it on your own. If not, then you need to contact our broker for further assistance.
Kiowa Tribe Contacts
Starr Delgado
sdelgado@kiowatribe.org
(405) 480-0543
Tiffany Horn
thorn@kiowatribe.org
(405) 480-0436
NFP Contacts
Jodi Thompson
Account Manager
jodi.thompson@nfp.com
405-286-6479