Faculty Handbook

Health Care Plan Benefits for Visiting Faculty/Scholars

Revised 4/2024

OPTIONAL BENEFITS (Cont.)¹

Visiting Faculty/Scholars may be eligible to enroll for individual health plan coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM PPO) or Blue Care Network (BCN HMO). In addition, Visiting Scholars are also eligible to enroll for health plan coverage with the Blue Care Network Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). These health plan options may be available in recognition of the fact that many Visiting Faculty/Scholars are enrolled in national or other private institutional health programs in the U.S.A. or abroad, which do not provide them coverage when appointed at Michigan State University (MSU). Individuals eligible for this program are Visiting Faculty/Scholars who: 1) are appointed without pay or with pay on appointments of less than 50% time and/or for less than nine months, who will return to their home university, agency, firm or other institution after a limited appointment period at MSU; and 2) are currently enrolled in a health plan which is not available to them while appointed at MSU.

Information relating to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan or Blue Care Network health plan options available to Visiting Faculty/Scholars may be found at https://hr.msu.edu/benefits/students/.

Visiting Faculty/Scholars with an appointment of 50% or greater for 9 months or more may be eligible for regular employee health benefits. Information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Community Blue (BCBSM PPO), Blue Care Network (BCN HMO), Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP PPO with HSA) and BlueCard Out-of-State can be found at https://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/healthcare/index.html. 

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Footnote: 
¹For benefit purposes only, 1/2 time is defined as 50.0-64.9%; 3/4 time is defined as 65.0-89.9%; full-time is defined as 90.0-100.0% time.

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