Health Plan for Faculty and Staff

Health plans for Faculty and Staff provided are provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2022.

Eligibility

• Eligible Faculty: Half-time or more with an appointment of at least two semesters (as determined by the academic department)
• Eligible Staff: Regularly scheduled to work at least 17.5 hours a week for a minimum 90-day period
• ACA-eligible Employees

Enrollment

• Within 30 days of your new hire or newly benefits eligible date
• During annual Open Enrollment
• Within 31 days of a Qualified Life Event

Summary Guides and Rates

• Faculty/Staff Benefits Guide (PDF)
• Faculty/Staff Benefits Rates
• Faculty/Staff Domestic Partner/Ex-Spouse Benefits Rates

2022 Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Health Plans

Selecting Your Plan

You have three BCBS health plan options. All plans cover the same services. Employee contributions, co-payments, and deductible amounts vary by the plan you choose.

• PPO Plus Plan (Lower deductible, higher payroll contribution)
• PPO Plan (Higher deductible, lower payroll contribution)
• PPO HDHP Plan (Highest deductible plan paired with a Health Savings Account HSA)

When selecting a health plan, you can choose the following coverage levels:

• Individual
• Individual & Spouse or Domestic Partner (DP) (DP Affidavit required)
• Individual & Child(ren) (Up to Age 26)
• Family (Individual, Spouse or Domestic Partner, & Children)

Need help selecting a plan?

• View the BCBS Plan Benefits Overview (Tutorial) on the BCBS website
• Try the Coverage Advisor Tool to estimate which plan option will work the best for you
• See the 2022 Benefits Rates (PDF) for payroll contribution based on your coverage level
• See the 2022 Health Comparison Chart (PDF) for an overview of the plan options

Call the dedicated BCBS member services line 888-261-0133 for questions.

PPO Plan Features

• Are Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans.
• Use the same national PPO network, cover the same services, and use the same prescription medication program.
• BCBS partners with Express Scripts to provide comprehensive prescription medication coverage.
• Access to "Blue Distinction" Centers of Excellence providing expertise and efficiency in delivering specialty care for select procedures.
• Access to Progyny services for family planning and conception benefits, ensuring the highest level of support and access to industry experts. To learn more, please see the Progyny Overview and this Progyny video
• Access to Well Connection Telehealth services
• Access to Mental Health resources and care options. Read more about the Learn to Live program.
• BCBS Fitness & Weight Loss Reimbursement.

About the PPO HDHP Plan

Feature of the PPO HDHP Plan - A Health Savings Account (HSA)

Employees who choose the PPO HDHP Plan will automatically be enrolled in a HSA, a tax-advantaged savings account that you can use to pay for qualified medical expenses with pre-tax dollars.

HSA Features:

• You pay no tax on your contributions to the account.
• Your account and investment earnings grow tax-free.
• You pay no tax on your withdrawals for qualified medical expenses.
• Use can use the money in your HSA to pay for the expense now or
• Pay out-of-pocket and save the money in your account for future expenses.
• Funds left in your account at the end of the year roll over to the next year. There is no “use-it-or-lose-it” clause.
• You cannot be enrolled in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while enrolled in the HSA.
• You cannot contribute to an HSA if you are enrolled in Medicare A or B.
• If you leave the university or retire, the money is yours to keep (including university contributions). A monthly account administrative fee will be assumed by the university as long as you are enrolled in the active employee PPO HDHP Plan. If you dis-enroll from the PPO HDHP Plan or terminate employment, your account will be directly charged the monthly administrative account fee.
• For plan details or questions, visit the HealthEquity website or call 866-346-5800.

University HSA Contributions

The university contribution to the HSA will be reviewed and communicated each plan year. For 2022, the university will make the contribution in the first pay period in January (if enrolled during Open Enrollment), or in the first pay period of the month following enrollment; for example, a new employee who enrolls on Feb 10th will receive their university contribution in the first paycheck of March.

Your HSA Contributions

If you are a new hire (or newly benefits eligible), have a qualified life event or during open enrollment, you may make a contribution election to your account through pre-tax payroll contributions in eServe. At any other time, contribution elections must be made by submitting the HSA Salary Reduction Agreement Form. (You may change your HSA contribution any time during the year). The IRS sets the maximum contribution to a Health Savings Account each year.

Tufts Union Dining Employee Qualifications

• Union Dining staff hired by December 31, 2019* may choose from the three Tufts University sponsored BCBS Health Plan options or two UNITE HERE HEALTH plan options.
• Union Dining staff hired January 1, 2020, or after, may only choose from the two UNITE HERE HEALTH Plan options.
• For all plan information, contact UNITE HERE HEALTH: 833-637-3519

* If you elect or have elected the UNITE HERE HEALTH plan option, the Tufts University sponsored Health Plan options will no longer be available to you in the future.