Benefits Enrollment

Follow the instructions below to enroll in your State benefits. These are general instructions that are intended to be most useful to new hires and ongoing employees in open enrollment. If you are making changes to your benefit elections (enrolling in or changing coverage) due to a qualifying status change, please visit the Status Changes page for enrollment instructions that are specific to you.

Before making any benefit elections, it is recommended that you review our decision support materials to better understand your options and choose the best coverage for you and your family. Review our frequently asked questions, visit the virtual benefits fair, and take advantage of resources such as ALEX, the State’s interactive online benefits counselor, and whiteboard animated benefit videos off the Decision Support page.

To enroll in or waive medical/prescription, dental, vision, life, legal, FSA/LFSA/DCSA coverage, and to manage your HSA contribution amount, you will use the State’s online enrollment system Workterra.  Please review/download the Workterra User Guide if you need assistance navigating the site.

1. Before accessing Workterra, gather the following information:

  • Family member social security numbers and supporting documentation - If you plan to enroll any family members on your plans, you will need to enter their social security numbers and upload supporting documentation proving their relationship to you.
    • All elections are pended for administrator review. If you add a new dependent (one that was not already listed in Workterra when you first logged in) but do not submit supporting documentation in a timely manner, your elections WILL be rejected.
  • PCP NPI number(s) - If you plan to enroll yourself and any family members in the State medical plan, please note that you will need to designate primary care physician(s) (PCPs) for each person during the enrollment process.* You designate a preferred PCP by entering the PCP’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) number in Workterra.
    • See the PCP Coordination of Care flyer to learn more about how the PCP requirement works as part of your State medical coverage.
    • Follow these Step-by-Step Instructions to find your preferred PCP(s) and their 10-digit NPI(s). Write down the number(s) so that you will be ready to enter them when you make your elections in Workterra.
    • You may also choose to have your PCP(s) chosen for you by checking the “Auto Allocate” box on the PCP pop-up page in Workterra.

2. Access Workterra and make your health benefits elections.

*While it’s always a good idea to establish a relationship with a PCP, beginning in 2025, employees (except RIBCO, RITA, non-Union State Police, non-Classified union and non-union education and college employees) who are enrolled in the Anchor plans are no longer required to designate a PCP to coordinate their care. When enrolling in Workterra it will ask for a PCP designation. Please simply click “Auto Allocate” for PCP and move to the next section. NO PCP WILL BE ASSIGNED TO YOU.

  • User Name: First initial of your first name, your full last name (no hyphens, apostrophes, spaces or titles), last four digits of your SSN
    • Example: if your name is John O’Brien-Johnson, Jr. and the last four digits of your SSN are 1234, your user name would be “jobrienjohnson1234”
  • Password:
    • First time logging into Workterra (Default) – your password is the first five digits of your SSN
      • The system will prompt you to change your password once you’re logged in. Be sure to write down your new password!
    • Subsequent logins – your password will be what you last set it as.
      • During open enrollment you will be prompted to change your password after logging in for the first time. Be sure to write down your new password!
  • Company: Rhode Island (not case sensitive; space between "Rhode" and "Island" is required)
  • Can't log into Workterra / need help resetting your password? Call the BCBSRI State Employee CARE Center at (401) 429-2104 or 1-866-987-3705. CARE Center hours are Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm and Saturday, 8am–12pm.
  • Follow the Workterra User Guide for detailed instructions on how to navigate the system, add dependents, and make your elections.
  • Notes for adding dependents to your plans:
  • When making your elections, please be sure to CLICK THE PLUS SIGN next to EACH person that you want to enroll under the desired plan! They will then be highlighted in dark blue. Anyone whose name is not highlighted will NOT be enrolled under that particular plan.
  • After completing your plan elections you will reach your Confirmation Statement. If you enrolled any dependent(s), be sure to check that their name(s) appear in the ENROLLMENT SUMMARY or FUTURE ENROLLMENT SUMMARY sections (whichever is applicable).
  • If your dependent(s) are not listed as covered under your plan(s) in the ENROLLMENT SUMMARY or FUTURE ENROLLMENT SUMMARY sections (whichever is applicable), that means they are NOT enrolled! You must return to the appropriate enrollment sections and click the plus sign(s) next to their name(s).
  • Notes regarding ex-spouses

(Not applicable to new employees - ex-spouses that have not been continuously covered by the RI State Employee Health Plan since before January 1, 2014 are not eligible)

When you log into Workterra, if your ex-spouse is currently covered, you will see that their relationship status is "Spouse."

  • If you are divorced and your ex-spouse has been continuously covered under your plan since before January 1, 2014, and you intend to continue that coverage, please do not change your ex-spouse’s relationship status to "Ex-Spouse."
  • If you change the status to "Ex-Spouse,” the change will be pended for administrator review and you will need to supply a copy of your final divorce decree. If the change is approved, any current coverage will be immediately terminated, and COBRA will be offered to your ex-spouse so long as the final divorce decree was issued in the previous 31 days. If the final divorce decree was issued more than 31 days prior, COBRA will not be offered.
  • If you drop your ex-spouse from your coverage during open enrollment, they will be removed from your coverage as of January 1 of the following year, and COBRA will not be offered because it is a voluntary drop of coverage during open enrollment. If you voluntarily drop your ex-spouse from your coverage, you will not be able to add them back at any time in the future.

3. Workterra support:

  • If you need help with logging into Workterra / resetting your password, or finding your PCP and their 10-digit NPI, call the BCBSRI CARE Center at (401) 429-2104 or 1-866-987-3705. CARE Center hours are Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm and Saturday, 8am–12pm.
  • If you have any other questions related to Workterra or regarding plan eligibility rules, please call the Office of Employee Benefits or email doa.enrollmenthelp@hr.ri.gov.

Click here if you want to learn more about deferred compensation.

The State offers investment options from three providers: Fidelity, TIAA, and Voya

You may enroll in the 457 Plan at any time during the year. To enroll in the 457 Plan, please follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to your Retirement@Work account to choose your investment provider(s) and salary deferrals. If you are a new employee, you will not be able to access Retirement@Work until you receive your first paycheck.
  2. Follow the on-screen prompts and visit the website(s) of the investment provider(s) you choose to complete your account set-up, including fund selections and assigning your beneficiaries. If you don't complete your account set-up with each investment provider you selected, your contributions will either reject or be directed to an age-appropriate target date fund.

Investment Providers:

Fidelity
(plan number 35835)
TIAA
(plan number 407359)
VOYA
(plan number VK0450)

If you have any enrollment-related questions, please contact Retirement@Work:

Phone: 855-200-0135

Retirement at Work

Click here if you want to learn more about group life insurance.

New hires are automatically enrolled into basic life insurance coverage at the time of hire unless they elect to waive life insurance coverage.

To enroll in life insurance coverage or waive life insurance coverage, make your election in Workterra during an enrollment period.

Evidence of Insurability

If you want to add supplemental coverage at a later date, or if you initially waived all coverage and want to elect some level of coverage at a later date, you are considered a late applicant and will need to provide evidence of insurability (EOI) to The Hartford when prompted by The Hartford after submitting your election in Workterra. “Providing EOI” usually only means completing a medical history questionnaire, but The Hartford may request additional information/documentation. Life insurance coverage for late applicants is not effective unless and until The Hartford approves the application. The EOI process is handled entirely by The Hartford.

Click here if you want to learn more about legal coverage.

To elect or cancel legal coverage, make your election in Workterra during an enrollment period.

Click here if you want to learn more about short-term disability insurance.

Please contact the Aflac or Colonial Life RI office to enroll or obtain additional information regarding coverage options and plan costs. Make sure you identify yourself as a State of Rhode Island employee.

Click here if you want to learn more about CollegeBound Saver.

The CollegeBound Saver program is administered through the Office of the General Treasurer. Click here for the CollegeBound payroll deduction instructions.

Note: You can make changes to your deductions at anytime during the year.

Click here if you want to learn more about RIPTA passes.

To purchase or to stop purchasing your RIPTA passes, please complete, sign and submit the Authorization Form for RIPTA Wave Pass Payroll Deduction to your agency’s HR/payroll office or directly to Central Payroll at doa.centralpayrollforms@doa.ri.gov.

If you are purchasing RIPTA passes, once both of the biweekly deductions have occurred your WAVE card will be loaded and you will be contacted by the Office of Accounts & Control to schedule a pick up date and time. If you already have a WAVE card/account, when you receive your new WAVE card based on your most recent State payroll deductions, you can combine the balances through your account at https://wave.ripta.com/.

Questions related to the RIPTA Wave program should be referred to RIPTA customer service:

If You Need Assistance

  • If you need help with logging into Workterra / resetting your password, or finding your PCP and their 10-digit NPI, call the BCBSRI CARE Center at (401) 429-2104 or 1-866-987-3705. CARE Center hours are Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm and Saturday, 8am–12pm.
  • If you have any other questions related to Workterra or regarding plan eligibility rules, please call the Office of Employee Benefits or email doa.enrollmenthelp@hr.ri.gov.
  • The Office of Employee Benefits can help you with most benefits-related questions. However, you may need to refer directly to one of the State’s benefits vendors for more detailed and in-depth plan-related questions. Please find vendor-specific contact information below:
Vendor Website Phone Benefit
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) bcbsri.com 401-429-2104 or 866-987-3705 Medical/Wellness
CVS Caremark www.caremark.com 800-552-8159 Prescription
Delta Dental www.deltadentalri.com 800-843-3582 Dental
VSP www.vsp.com 800-877-7195 Vision
ASIFlex www.asiflex.com 800-659-3035 Flexing Spending Accounts 
Fidelity netbenefits.com/atwork 800-343-0860 Deferred compensation
TIAA tiaa.org/ri 800-897-1026 Deferred compensation
Voya ri.beready2retire.com 800-584-6001 Deferred compensation
The Hartford www.thehartford.com 888-563-1124 Life insurance
Aflac Aflac's State of RI website 401-475-9936, ext. 0 Short-term disability insurance (all employees)
Colonial Life www.visityouville.com 866-349-8011 Short-term disability insurance (select union employees)
MetLife Legal www.legalplans.com/why-enroll 800-821-6400 Legal coverage