Annual Enrollment provides an opportunity to review and change your benefits for the following calendar year.
Annual Enrollment for faculty, staff and retirees is October 23 to November 3, 2023.
Jump to: Annual Enrollment for Faculty and Staff or Annual Enrollment for Retirees.
Annual Enrollment for Faculty and Staff
Click on a header to expand the selection and uncover additional information about Annual Enrollment.
1. From Marsha Fischer (Vice President for Human Resources)
Annual Enrollment for faculty and staff is October 23 ¨C November 3, 2023. As always, we hope you will take some time to get to know your plan options and make an informed decision about the coverage that will work best for you in 2024.
Each year, the Office of Human Resources conducts a benefits review in collaboration with the UM System Office of Finance, our vendor partners and the Total Rewards Advisory Committee (TRAC), comprised of members representing faculty and staff from each university, MU Health Care and retirees. This annual process helps us proactively manage costs and provide a competitive benefit to the university community.
Following this year¡¯s review, I am pleased to announce, as part of the new leave program structure, the university will now provide Short-Term Disability for all benefit-eligible staff and certain non-regular academic employees. The Base Plan is 100% university-paid and will provide 60% income replacement for up to 20 weeks due to a qualified medical disability. An employee paid Buy-Up Plan will also be offered to provide 100% income replacement. As part of this new offering, eligible employees have a unique opportunity to enroll in the Buy-Up Plan during Annual Enrollment without completing the usual statement of health process. Employees new to the university continue to have this opportunity as part of their initial enrollment.
The university will also change its vendor for life and disability insurance and Family Medical Leave from Unum to MetLife for the 2024 plan year. Employees will see decreased rates for Additional Life and Long-Term Disability, and more coverage options for Additional Life and some Dependent Life plans. There are also unique opportunities to elect or increase Additional Life and/or Dependent Life-Spouse without completing the usual statement of health process during Annual Enrollment.
Healthcare costs continue to rise nationally. Increases to the university¡¯s plans have been primarily driven by increased post-COVID utilization and high-cost claims. For 2024, employees will notice increases to medical plan and Dental Buy-Up Plan premiums.
Thank you for engaging in your benefit enrollment process. Staying engaged helps ensure you make the choice that best supports you and your family in the coming year.
Sincerely,
Marsha Fischer
Vice President for the Office of Human Resources 91Ï㽶¶ÌÊÓƵ
2. Get to know the process (overview and info meetings)
Annual Enrollment is October 23 to November 3, 2023.
Annual Enrollment provides you an annual opportunity to review and change your benefits for the following calendar year. Review your current benefit plan elections in myHR, including enrolled dependents and designated beneficiaries, and make changes as necessary during the Annual Enrollment period.
If you do not make changes to your elections, your current enrollments will continue into the new calendar year, with the exception of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). You must re-enroll in Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs each year.
Informational Meetings
Attend an Annual Enrollment virtual meeting in your location to get information about your benefits options. View the full schedule on the Annual Enrollment informational meetings to find the session that works best for you.
Reach out to your HR Generalist
You can book a one-on-one appointment with your campus HR Generalist to get personalized assistance for all your insurance and enrollment questions.
For additional assistance, contact the HR Service Center by:
- Logging into the portal.
- Via phone at (573) 882-2146 or toll-free (800) 488-5288.
- Via email at hrservicecenter@umsystem.edu.
3. See what is new (plan changes for 2024)
- Short-Term Disability: A new plan type to replace income when unable to work due to qualified medical disability (up to 20 weeks). Only available for benefit-eligible staff and certain non-regular academic employees.
- Base Plan: Benefit-eligible staff and certain non-regular academic employees are automatically enrolled in the Base Plan, which provides 60% income replacement. Base Plan premiums are 100% employer-paid.
- Buy-Up Plan: A Buy-Up Plan option is also available to provide 100% income replacement and is employee paid. A statement of health form is not required for the 2024 plan year.
- New disability and life insurance vendor: Disability and life insurance plans will transition from Unum to MetLife.
- Additional Life: Maximum coverage increases to 8x salary.
- Dependent Life-Spouse: Maximum coverage increases to $100,000.
- Faculty and staff can add or increase coverages for the 2024 plan year without completing a statement of health form as follows:
- Additional Life: Add coverage up to 1x annual base salary or increase coverage from 1x to 2x annual base salary.
- Dependent Life-Spouse: Add or increase coverage up to $20,000.
- Monthly premiums: Premium amounts vary depending on plan type and coverage level.
- Medical plans: Increases from $4-$45 a month.
- Dental plans: Increases for Buy-Up Plan from $3-$15 a month.
- Life and disability: Decreases for Additional Life and Long-Term Disability.
- Medical plan cost changes: Increases across Custom Network and PPO Plans.
- Minimum prescription threshold increases from $3-$40 depending on prescription type (generic retail, mail-order, etc.).
- Medical out-of-pocket maximum for out-of-network expenses increases to $11,250/self and $22,500/family.
- Tiered PPO Plan primary and specialist care copays increase by $5 for Tier 2 providers.
- Annual contribution limits: IRS-approved increases for tax-favored accounts.
- Health Savings Account: Increase to $4,150/individual and $8,300/family.
- Health Care Flexible Spending Account: Increase to $3,050.
4. Research your plan options (compare insurance plans and options)
Visit the webpage for each plan to see detailed information about coverage available across a range of health programs (medical, dental, vision), disability and life insurances and tax-favored accounts (HSA and FSA).
The researching insurance options webpage has additional tips and resources for finding the plans that are right for you. |
Check out the (343KB, PDF), which features a printable comparison chart and premium rates for the available insurance plans. |
5. Enroll in myHR (select and submit the plans that are right for you)
Once you have decided which insurance plans are best for you, enroll by logging into (myhr.umsystem.edu) ("My Benefits" tile > "Benefits Enrollment"). For more detailed instructions and tutorials for using myHR, visit the researching insurance options webpage or myHR Training webpage.
You are not done with your enrollment until you click both the ¡°Submit Enrollment¡± button as well as the ¡°Done¡± button on the pop-up screen. An email confirmation will be sent to your university email account so you know your submission was received.
A few reminders
- FSA continuation: If you would like to contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you must re-enroll each year.
- 2023 FSA to 2024 HSA: If you are switching from an FSA to a Health Savings Account (HSA), your 2023 FSA must have a zero balance by December 31, 2023. If not, contributions to your HSA will be delayed until April 1, 2024.
- Confirm address in myHR: Make sure your contact information is up to date in myHR (myHR.umsystem.edu). Select the ¡°My Personal Details¡± tile to confirm your addresses and preferred phone number (located under ¡°Contact Details¡±). There are three categories of address:
- Home: Where your domicile is physically located (cannot be a PO/APO box).
- For student employees, this may be a campus dorm, college apartment, etc.
- Mailing: Where you prefer to receive mailings from the university.
- For student employees, this may be a parent/guardian¡¯s address.
- Work: Where your department specifies as a work address (maintained by departments).
- Home: Where your domicile is physically located (cannot be a PO/APO box).
6. After you enroll (ID cards and types of care)
Watch the mail for important documents
- New ID cards: Make sure you show your provider your new card(s) at the time of service; benefits are effective even if you have not received your cards yet.
- Medical/Prescription: For 2024 coverage, you will receive a new single card for medical and prescription coverage if you are newly enrolled, have changed plans or continue enrollment in a Custom Network or PPO Plan.
- Note: If you have elected paperless communications from UHC, you will receive a digital insurance card in lieu of a physical card. Physical cards can be mailed by request without changing your paperless preferences.
- Dental: You will receive an ID card (in the subscriber¡¯s name) only if you are newly enrolled.
- Vision: No card is issued.
- Medical/Prescription: For 2024 coverage, you will receive a new single card for medical and prescription coverage if you are newly enrolled, have changed plans or continue enrollment in a Custom Network or PPO Plan.
- HSA paperwork: If you are newly enrolled in the Healthy Savings Plan and chose to open a Health Savings Account, Optum Bank will send a welcome packet to your home address. In some cases, you may be required to submit additional information to establish your HSA.
Make the most of your health insurance
Preventive services let you take charge of your health and stop problems before they start. If you enroll in medical insurance, in-network preventive care is covered at 100%. Preventive care includes annual physical exams, immunizations and well-child care unrelated to a medical diagnosis. A list of what is considered preventive under Health Care Reform/ACA is available on or .
With vision insurance, annual eye exams are offered with a small copay. Generally speaking, if you are enrolling in the dental plan, routine oral exams are covered completely, but it is always a good idea to check with your provider. Contact information for all insurance administrators is available on the Plan Contacts webpage.
Choose the right type of care
Making an informed decision about your health care needs can save you time and money, but when you are ill or injured, assessing your condition and choosing the best place to go for treatment is not easy. You have many care options, but each is unique in the services it provides. Check out for additional information.
Virtual visits
UnitedHealthcare virtual visits, also referred to as virtual care services, let you see and talk to a doctor by phone or video from your mobile device or computer without an appointment, any time. Virtual visits are a great option for when your doctor is not available, if you get sick while traveling or if you are considering visiting a hospital emergency room for a non-emergency health condition. Visit the Virtual Visits webpage for additional information.
7. Make the most of other benefits (tuition assistance, EAP and other programs)
The UM System offers benefits that extend well beyond your insurance options and focus on helping you further your education and support the personal health and well-being for you, your family, your friends and your community.
Tuition Assistance
If you meet educational assistance eligibility requirements, 75% of tuition and supplemental fees can be waived for college- level credit courses up to the allotted course limit. After you have one year of continuous full-time service in a fully benefit-eligible position, your spouse and/or dependent may also be eligible to receive a 50% tuition reduction for UM System college-level credit courses up to the allotted limit. Visit the Tuition Assistance webpage to learn more.
You must submit an enrollment form every semester that you want assistance by the required deadline:
- Fall semester- October 1
- Spring semester- March 1
- Summer semester- July 1
If you are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, consult your campus veteran services office to learn more about special programs and tuition benefits available only to veterans.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to all employees and their immediate family members for access to free, confidential help for personal and professional stressors.
Optum¡¯s Live and Work Well program offers unlimited telephonic access to master¡¯s-level clinicians (24/7), three (3) free counseling sessions per presenting issue and an online platform offering self-directed access to a continuum of tools and resources to support emotional wellness.
Visit the Employee Assistance Program webpage to learn more.
Flu Shots and Health Screenings
On-campus flu shot clinics are available for faculty, staff and dependents (children 7 years and older accompanied by parent/guardian) enrolled in a university medical insurance plan. Shots are available by appointment only; book a flu shot appointment now or visit the Flu shots and health screenings webpage for additional information.
Please note, MU Health care employees will receive a free vaccination from their Staff Health office.
Annual Enrollment for Retirees
Retirees and their dependents have different medical insurance options than active employees. If you are satisfied with your current enrollments and would like to continue the same coverage in 2024, no action is required on your part. You and your covered dependents will be enrolled in the same plans you have now. Changes for 2024 must be submitted by November 3, 2023.
Click on a header to expand the selection and uncover additional information about Retiree Annual Enrollment.
Retirees: Prepare for Annual Enrollment
To get ready for Annual Enrollment:
- Update your mailing address to ensure you receive timely communications.
- Please review and update your home and mailing addresses in myHR.
- See the myHR Training webpage to view the Retiree Training Guide for instructions on making updates in myHR.
- If necessary, contact the HR Service Center to request a form to update your address.
- Please review and update your home and mailing addresses in myHR.
- Review the retiree benefits overview.
- Attend an informational session to learn about benefits plans and changes for 2024 (full schedule below).
- Find a provider among a full list of plan contacts.
Retirees: Learn more about the plans available
If you have not received your personalized Annual Enrollment letter by October 17, 2023, contact the HR Service Center.
- (PDF, 481KB)
- (PDF, 362KB)
Learn about UM-sponsored plans
- UM-sponsored UnitedHealthcare? Group Medicare Advantage Base (13796) and Enhanced (13797) Plans
- View the most current plan benefit information on the website.
- Retiree Health PPO Plan and Retiree Healthy Savings Plan
- View the most current plan benefit information on the Retiree benefits overview webpage.
Have questions?
Contact the HR Service Center.
For questions about the Medicare Advantage Base Plan or Enhanced Plan, call the UnitedHealthcare call center at 1-866-899-5903, TTY 711. The call center is available from 8:00 a.m. ¨C 8:00 p.m. all time zones, Monday ¨C Friday.
Retirees: Attend an informational session
Online and call-in sessions
The UnitedHealthcare presentations are a general overview of all retiree medical plan changes in 2023 for both non-Medicare and Medicare-eligible members. All retirees and their dependents enrolled in a medical plan are invited to listen in, regardless of Medicare status.
Specific questions regarding 91Ï㽶¶ÌÊÓƵ retiree benefit premiums and non-medical plans are not addressed on this call. These individual questions should be referred to the HR Service Center for assistance.
Date | Time | Type of Session | Access Information |
---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 | 10:00 ¨C 11:30 a.m. CST | Teleconference (call in only) |
Call in: 877-336-4440 |
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 | 2:00 ¨C 3:30 p.m. CST | Webex (call in or view online) |
Call in for audio only: 763-957-6400 |
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 | 10:00 ¨C 11:30 a.m. CST | Teleconference (call in only) |
Call in: 877-336-4440 |
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 | 2:00 ¨C 3:30 p.m. CST | Webex (call in or view online) |
Call in for audio only: 763-957-6400 |
Retiree Health Benefits Virtual Town Hall
Oct. 5, 2023, 1-2 p.m.
See detailed event page for speaker and access information.
This event is hosted in cooperation with the four UM System campus retiree associations and focuses on health insurance benefits for retirees during the 2024 calendar year. UM System benefits experts and representatives from the university's insurance vendors will answer questions about medical insurance (both Medicare-eligible and non-Medicare eligible), as well as dental and vision benefits.
Retirees: Change elections for 2024
Make changes during Annual Enrollment
Annual Enrollment for retirees ends November 3, 2023.
To change medical or dental plans and/or change, cancel or add the vision plan for yourself and your dependents, complete the 2024 Annual Enrollment Retiree Benefits Change Form. Additionally, use this form to make changes to all retiree benefit plan options with an effective date of January 1, 2024. If coverage is reduced or cancelled, it cannot be reinstated at a later date.
- (PDF, 500KB)
Make changes outside Annual Enrollment
To change dental and/or life plan options for yourself and your dependents, or to cancel coverage, including medical, complete a Retiree Benefits Change Form. Please note, you may reduce or cancel coverage in all of these plans at any time during the year and are not limited to retiree Annual Enrollment. If coverage is reduced or cancelled, it cannot be reinstated at a later date.
- (PDF, 475KB)
Reviewed 2023-11-15