The addition of a Health Savings Account option and an enhanced provider tier are among changes in the 2020 benefits package being offered to University of Nebraska employees.

Additionally faculty/staff will see an increase of $8 to $10 per month to cover medical inflation.

The annual NUFlex open enrollment period launched Oct. 28 and continues through Nov. 15. It is the only time university employees can make benefits changes during the calendar year.

“We are excited to continue to expand offerings to our faculty and staff” said Gayle Page, director of benefits and risk management for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. “Offering an HSA and an enhanced provider tier will provide additional positive benefits for our employees.”

Deductibles, co-insurance and stop loss amounts on the low, basic and high option plans will not increase and have remained unchanged since 2010.

Changes for the 2020 benefits period include:

• Employees enrolled in the university’s high deductible health plan may also opt into a new Health Savings Account option. The account lets employees set aside personal pre-tax dollars for qualified medical expenses.

• A new enhanced provider tier in the health insurance plan includes an expanded list of providers. Members incur a lower deductible, co-insurance rate and maximum out-of-pocket costs if the enhance tier is used.

• Frame allowance under the vision plan increases to $150. The allowance in 2019 was $130. Vision plan premiums will not increase.

• Medical premiums for employees will increase an average of $8 to $10 per month. Increases are in response to medical and pharmacy cost inflation and compare to approximately one half the industry norm.

• The deductible on the qualified high medical plan will increase slightly, required by new IRS limits. This is an annual $100 increase for single coverage.

• An annual update to CVS Caremark’s standard formulary.

Page stressed that employees should take the opportunity to complete the Wellstream Health Risk Assessment as this allows employees an enhanced wellness benefit. These include a $400 allowance for annual preventative care; no copay for flu shots administered at an in-network pharmacy; no co-pay for generic prescription drugs through the CVS Caremark mail service program; and 100 percent coverage for a routine colonoscopy once every 10 years beginning at age 50.

“We also would like to remind employees to complete the tobacco and nicotine designation, making sure it is on the final confirmation statement,” Page said. “If it is not completed, employees automatically pay tobacco user premiums on voluntary life insurance policies.”

Enrollment, available online, must be completed by 5 p.m. Nov. 15.

Other steps employees should complete include reviewing details in the NUFlex newsletter; review current benefits; enroll in flexible spending accounts; provide dependent verification if adding dependents to coverage; complete life insurance forms if enrolling in or increasing coverage; and review the NUFlex Benefits confirmation statement to verify selections are correct.

A complete overview of the NUFlex Benefits Enrollment period, including specific outlines of premium increases, is available online.

For more information, contact the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Benefits Office at benefits@unl.edu or 402-472-2600.