Benefits

Health Plan Frequently Asked Questions: Employee

The following reflect some of the more commonly asked questions regarding the health care programs offered at MSU. We hope this quick reference is helpful. To get answers to other questions, please contact MSU Human Resources Benefits at (517) 353-4434, toll-free at (800) 353-4434 ext. 0 or via email at benefitsinfo@hr.msu.edu.
Health Plan Employee Contributions	Health Plan Waiver
Caremark Prescription Drug Plan	Eligibility
Access to MSU Health Plan Coverage for Spouse or MSU Recognized Same-sex Domestic Partner
Health Plan Employee Contributions
Will I need to contribute toward the cost of my health plan coverage? My spouse and I are both faculty members at MSU. My spouse has PHP for herself and our children and I have Community Blue coverage. Do we both pay the 14% employee premium contribution? My spouse and I are both covered under PHP and we do not have any dependents. Is it less costly for MSU if we each have single coverage in our own name, or if both of us are covered together under one employee’s enrollment? I understand there is a “hardship” application for health plan contributions for part-time employees. As a part-time employee, how do I know if I qualify and how do I apply?
Caremark Prescription Drug Plan   Do I need to enroll in the Caremark prescription drug plan if I change health plans?
Access to MSU Health Plan Coverage for Spouse or MSU Recognized Same-sex Domestic Partner   My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner, works for another employer, and can enroll for single health plan coverage and contribute $800 or less per year toward the premium cost. Is there anything I need to do? My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner does not have access to other health plan coverage. Do I still need to participate in the online Open Enrollment every year? My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner currently works for another employer and is required to take that employer’s health plan coverage. Is my spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner also required to cover our dependent children under his/her employer’s health plan?
Health Plan Waiver
Currently, MSU employees who waive MSU health plan coverage and are covered by another employer receive a waiver payment of up to $600. Will they continue to get this opt out payment? My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner and I are both employed by MSU.  Are we eligible for the health plan waiver?
Eligibility
If I leave MSU employment, when will my health plan coverage end?
Health Plan Employee Contributions
Will I need to contribute toward the cost of my health plan coverage? For Full-Time Faculty: For 2008-09, eligible full-time faculty, academic staff and executive management who enroll in the Physicans Health Plan (PHP) will contribute 14% of the premium cost. Contributions paid through payroll deduction, will be taken on a pre-tax basis. For those enrolled in the Community Blue health plan, a 14% employee premium contribution plus the difference between PHP and the Community Blue coverage will be deducted on a pre-tax basis. (The calculation of the 5% employee premium contribution does not include the cost of the Caremark prescription drug plan.) The employee monthly premium contributions will be as follows: Monthly Premium Contribution for Full-Time Faculty With No Family Members Enrolled in Medicare: Coverage Tier Community Blue - PPO Physicians Health Plan (PHP) Employee Only $54.05 $46.41 2 Person $113.50 $97.47 Family $132.38 $113.72 Monthly Premium Contribution for Full-Time Faculty Where Some Family Members Are Enrolled in Medicare: Coverage Tier Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Transition Physicians Health Plan (PHP) 2 Person, 1 with Medicare $50.46 $245.92 Family, 1 with Medicare $68.37 $247.90 Family, 2 with Medicare $66.73 $139.16 For Full-time Support Staff: For 2008-09, eligible full-time support staff who enroll in PHP will not contribute toward the premium cost of this plan. Those electing Community Blue coverage will contribute the premium cost difference between PHP and the Community Blue coverage. Contributions paid through payroll deduction, will be taken on a pre-tax basis. The employee monthly premium contributions will be as follows: Monthly Premium Contribution for Full-Time Support Staff With No Family Members Enrolled in Medicare: Coverage Tier Community Blue - PPO Physicians Health Plan (PHP) Employee Only $7.64 -0- 2 Person $16.03 -0- Family $18.66 -0- Monthly Premium Contribution for Full-Time Support Staff Where Some Family Members Are Enrolled in Medicare: Coverage Tier Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Transition Physicians Health Plan (PHP) 2 Person, 1 With Medicare -0- $193.68 Family, 1 With Medicare -0- $179.53 Family, 2 With Medicare -0- $72.43 My spouse and I are both faculty members at MSU. My spouse has PHP for herself and our children and I have Community Blue coverage. Do we both pay the 14% employee premium contribution? Yes, you may wish to consider covering the entire family on one plan to reduce the amount of your employee premium contributions. My spouse and I are both covered under PHP and we do not have any dependents. Is it less costly for MSU if we each have single coverage in our own name, or if both of us are covered together under one employee’s enrollment? For PHP, it is currently less expensive to MSU if spouses or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partners cover themselves in their own names. The opposite is true for Community Blue. Because MSU pays an administration fee for each Community Blue contract (employee), it is less costly to MSU for both spouses to be covered under one employee’s enrollment. For either PHP or Community Blue, if there are additional dependents being covered, it is less costly to MSU when all family members are covered under one health plan contract. I understand there is a “hardship” application for health plan contributions for part-time employees. As a part-time employee, how do I know if I qualify and how do I apply? Part-time employees hired prior to July 1, 1998, with single or two-person coverage, may request the monthly hardship contribution for the following reasons: If they do not have access to other health coverage through a spouse’s or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner's group plan. If they are not married or in a MSU recognized same-sex domestic partnership and do not have access to other health care coverage from another employer as an active employee or retiree. Forms are available at www.hr.msu.edu/HRsite/Benefits/FacStaff/HealthCare/Health/Forms.
Caremark Prescription Drug Plan
Do I need to enroll in the Caremark prescription drug plan if I change health plans? No, if you are enrolled in any of the MSU health plans, you’ll automatically be covered by the Caremark prescription drug plan.
Access to MSU Health Plan Coverage for Spouse or MSU Recognized Same-sex Domestic Partner
My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner, works for another employer, and can enroll for single health plan coverage and contribute $800 or less per year toward the premium cost. Is there anything I need to do? Yes, employees with a spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner, who do not work at MSU, must participate in the online Open Enrollment every year in order to complete a Health Plan Affidavit for their Spouse or MSU Recognized Same-Sex Domestic Partner to inform MSU of other coverage enrollment. Completion of this Affidavit is required regardless of the premium contribution amount required of the spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner.  You must also access the online Benefits Enrollment\Changes system to complete mid-year life event changes. My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner does not have access to other health plan coverage. Do I still need to participate in the online Open Enrollment every year? Yes, employees with a spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner, who do not work at MSU, and who do not have access to other health plan coverage still need to participate in online Open Enrollment every year in order to complete a Health Plan Affidavit. My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner currently works for another employer and is required to take that employer’s health plan coverage. Is my spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner also required to cover our dependent children under his/her employer’s health plan? No, MSU does not require that dependent children be covered under your spouse’s or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner's employer’s health plan. However, you may wish to have them covered under the other employer’s plan depending on your cost for this coverage and your health plan needs.
Health Plan Waiver
Currently, MSU employees who waive MSU health plan coverage and are covered by another employer receive a waiver payment of up to $600. Will they continue to get this opt out payment? Yes, if an employee has waived MSU Health Plan coverage, then no re-election is required to continue to receive the waiver payment. Note: Employees and spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner who are both employed at MSU are not eligible for the waiver payment. My spouse or MSU recognized same-sex domestic partner and I are both employed by MSU.  Are we eligible for the health plan waiver? You are ineligible for the waiver if you are both employed by MSU. Eligibility
If I leave MSU employment, when will my health plan coverage end? Health plan coverage (including prescription drug coverage) will end at the end of the month of layoff or employment termination for reasons other than official retirement. You may qualify to continue your MSU health plan coverage through COBRA. Contact MSU Human Resources Benefits for more information on benefits continuation options.