Health & Wellness

Medical

The University of Alaska offers three medical plans (Premium, Basic, and HDHP) and two dental plans (Premium and Basic) through Premera. We offer one vision plan through VSP. Employees can enroll themselves and their dependents in any combination of the three plans. Since our plans are unbundled, you can enroll in the coverage that you need! Dependents can only be enrolled in coverage if the employee is enrolled in that same coverage. 

Review the information below to see if you are eligible to enroll in a plan. If you are eligible, proceed to the proper drop down in the "Enrollment / Make Changes" section to understand the deadlines.

Benefit-eligible employees who will be working a minimum of 20 hours per week can enroll in a plan.

New Employees
New employees have required action items that are due within their first 30 days of employment. Please review the New Benefits Eligible Employee webpage to be sure you understand what paperwork is required.

Sikuliaq employees have special enrollment requirements. Please check with your HR Coordinator.

Temporary employees have special enrollment requirements. Please check with your HR Coordinator or visit the temporary employee website for more information on eligibility.

Who is a dependent?

  1. Legally married spouse
  2. Financially Interdependent Partner (FIP)*
  3. Natural children of the employee or the employee's spouse
  4. Adopted/fostered children of the employee or the employee's spouse

*FIPs are a post-tax benefit. Since they are not a legal dependent (i.e. married spouse), the plan requires that their premiums paid via payroll deduction are post-tax.

Required Documents for Dependents
The University of Alaska requires evidence of eligibility for all enrolled dependents. Supporting documents include birth certificate, marriage license, final adoption paperwork, tax returns showing claimed dependents, qualified medical child support orders, legal guardianship papers, etc. 

​If an employee enrolls in a medical plan, the following dependents are eligible for coverage, as well. 

The lawful spouse of an employee unless legally separated.

Wherever “spouse” is stated in the health care plan, a Financially Interdependent Partner (FIP) would also be included provided all requirements are met as specified by the University of Alaska. Health care deductions for FIPs are post-tax. 

  • A “child” 25 years of age or younger
  • A natural offspring of either or both the employee or spouse
  • A legally adopted child of either or both the employee or spouse
  • A child for whom the employee has been granted court-appointed legal guardianship
    • There must be a court order signed by a judge, which grants guardianship of the child to the employee or spouse of the employee as of a specific date. When the court order terminates or expires, the child is no longer an eligible child.
  • A child for whom the employee or spouse is under a domestic relations order to provide medical benefits as directed by a divorce decree, a medical child support order, or other court-ordered dependent coverage
  • A foster child living with the employee
    • There must be a court or other order signed by a judge or state agency, which grants guardianship of the child to the employee or spouse of the employee as of a specific date. When the court order terminates or expires, the child is no longer an eligible child.
  • A child “placed” with the employee for the purpose of legal adoption in accordance with state law
    • Placed for adoption means assumption and retention by the employee of a legal obligation for total or partial support of a child in anticipation of adoption of such child.

Due Dates
If you are welcoming a new family member and would like to enroll them in your coverage, you must do so within 60 days of birth.

SSN and Birth Certificate 
Do not wait for the social security number or official birth certificate before submitting your form.

Submitting the Form
When completing the Life Event Changes Form submit

  • the temporary birth certificate from the hospital, and
  • use 0's for placeholders for the SSN.

Once you receive the SSN, please reach out to us at ua-benefits@alaska.edu for instructions on how to add the SSN. Do not send any SSNs through email. 

Review the applicable section below to see how you can enroll or update your coverage.

New employees have 30 days to make an election. Follow the two steps below to get started. 

  1. Attend a Benefits Overview. Register to attend by contacting your HR Coordinator. 

  2.  Due within 30 days - Submit your New Employee Health Care Form
    • A form must be submitted within 30 days of hire, even if you are opting out.
    • If no form is submitted during the first 30-days of employment,  employees will be defaulted into the Basic Health Plan, Basic Dental Plan, and Vision Plan for employee-only coverage.
    • If enrolling dependents, you must provide supporting documentation at the time of enrollment. 

Coverage Begin Dates | First Day Coverage
Coverage can begin on the first day of employment. To qualify for first-day coverage, a new employee must submit their form by 5:00pm on the Thursday prior to the end of their first pay period. 

Review the chart of pay periods to see when your form must be submitted for first-day coverage. 

Coverage Begin Dates | Other Coverage Begin Dates
If a form is not submitted by the deadline listed above, coverage will begin on the first day of the pay period in which you submit your form.

Review the chart of pay periods to see when your coverage will begin based on what pay period you submit your form.

Reminder | The Default
All new employees must submit a form for coverage - even if they are opting out - within their first 30 days of employment or they will be defaulted into the Basic Health Plan, Basic Dental Plan, and Vision Plan for employee-only coverage.

Review the information below to understand when and how you can update your coverage as a current employee. 

Current employees can update their coverage in three ways:

1. During annual open enrollment (mid-April each year);

2. Within 30 days of a qualifying life event; or

3. Adding a newborn within 60 days of birth.

For options 2 and 3, please review the remaining drop down menus. For option 1 (open enrollment) be on the lookout for additional information each spring.

The most common qualifying life events include change in marital status, birth/adoption, or gain/loss of other coverage.

For more information about qualifying life events please visit the qualifying life events page.

Day of Life Event
Coverage can begin on the day of the life event. To qualify for day of event coverage, the form must be submitted on or before the day of the event. 

Other Coverage Begin Dates
If a form is submitted after the life event but within the 30 or 60 day requirements, coverage will begin on the day the form is submitted.

Chart of Pay Periods
Review the chart of pay periods to see when your form must be submitted for coverage to begin on the day of the event.

Due Dates
If you are welcoming a new family member and would like to enroll them in your coverage, you must do so within 60 days of birth.

SSN and Birth Certificate 
Do not wait for the social security number or official birth certificate before submitting your form.

Submitting the Form
When completing the Life Event Changes Form submit

  • the temporary birth certificate from the hospital, and
  • use 0's for placeholders for the SSN.

Once you receive the SSN, please reach out to us at ua-benefits@alaska.edu for instructions on how to add the SSN. Do not send any SSNs through email. 

Check with your HR Coordinator and complete these paper forms found below.

Benefit eligible Sikuliaq employees should reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu and complete the forms under the "new employee" drop down above. 

Please visit the temporary employee website for more information on qualifications and enrollment information. 

Premera
Medical plans are offered through Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska and feature three coverage options: 

Online Portal
To review your benefits, find an in-network provider, and more, login to your account on premera.com.  

TouchCare
When selecting your benefits and comparing plans, reach out to TouchCare to help determine which plan is best for you and your family.

Biweekly Premium / Plan Rates
The cost of the health care plan is shared between employees and the university. The university covers 82% of the net plan cost. The current bi-weekly premiums are effective from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. 

HR Benefits - FY24 Medical Rates

Arrears
As of July 1, 2023, all employees - regardless of contract length - will now be on a 26 pay period (12 month) deduction schedule. This means that employees who work less than 26 pay periods in a fiscal year (9, 10, and 11-month employees) will accrue arrears for missed deductions for the time they are off-contract or otherwise experiencing leave without pay. Review the drop down menu's below to understand what arrears are and how they may apply to you. If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu. 

Arrears are missed deductions. 

For example: An employee who is off-contract and not receiving pay will not have deductions collected from their $0.00 paycheck. When an employee returns to work and begins receiving pay again, the deductions will restart and the arrears balance will begin to be repaid in the specific amounts listed in the "how are arrears repaid" drop down menu below. 

Arrears apply to any employee who has active deductions that require arrears and that employee experiences a pay period where they do not receive pay.

Employees who are off contract
Employees who are in an off contract status are not receiving pay. This will generate arrears for their missed deductions during the pay periods where an employee was off contract. When an employee returns back to an on contract status, they will begin paying for their deductions again, including any arrears that need to be paid off.

Leave without pay
Employees who experience leave without pay in excess of 10 days must reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu to discuss the potential for Family Medical Leave (FML), Short-term Disability (STD), and other benefits that might apply to a specific situation. In some cases - such as an approved Leave of Absence - this will be a COBRA event and arrears will not generate. Specific situations can be reviewed with individual employees. 

  1. Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HC FSA)
  2. Corestream Voluntary Benefits
  3. Premium health care
  4. Basic health care
  5. HDHP
  6. Premium dental
  7. Basic dental
  8. Vision
  9. Supplemental life - employee
  10. Supplemental life - spouse
  11. Supplemental life - child
  12. Accidental Death & Dismemberment - employee
  13. Accidental Death & Dismemberment - family
  1. HSAs
  2. FSA dependent care accounts
  3. Pet insurance (Pet insurance payments are made directly with ASPCA and are not included in payroll deduction. Employees are responsible for these premiums.)

There are two repayment schedules for arrears: 100% and 40%.​

This repayment schedule is for:

  1. Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HC FSA)
  2. Corestream Voluntary Benefits

100% Schedule
Arrears will be paid biweekly when you return to work at a rate of 100% of the current deduction(s) until the arrears balance is paid.

This means that you will pay 200% of your biweekly deduction until the arrears balance is paid off.

Example
An employee is currently contributing to a HC FSA at $100 per pay period.

This employee goes off contract for 4 pay periods. This means that the employee has missed $100 x 4 ($400) deductions for their HC FSA.

When the employee returns to work, the employee will pay $100 for their deduction and $100 toward the arrears balance ($200 deduction in total).

The arrears balance will be paid off in 4 pay periods. At that time, the deduction will return to $100 per pay period.

This repayment schedule is for:

  1. Premium health care
  2. Basic health care
  3. HDHP
  4. Premium dental
  5. Basic dental
  6. Vision
  7. Supplemental life - employee
  8. Supplemental life - spouse
  9. Supplemental life - child
  10. Accidental Death & Dismemberment - employee
  11. Accidental Death & Dismemberment - family

40% schedule
Arrears will be paid biweekly when you return to work at a rate of 40% of the current deduction(s) until the arrears balance is paid.

This means that you will pay 140% of your biweekly deduction until the arrears balance is paid off.

Example
An employee is currently enrolled in premium medical, premium dental, and vision for employee, spouse, and 2 dependent children. The employees current biweekly deduction for these coverages is:

  • $361.47 Premium medical family
  • $25.94 Premium dental family
  • $1.90 Vision family
  • $389.31 total per pay period

This employee goes off contract for 4 pay periods. This means that the employee has missed $389.31 x 4 ($1,557.24) deductions for their coverages.

When the employee returns to work, the employee will pay $389.31 for their deductions and 40% of each of their deductions toward the arrears balance:

  • $144.59 Premium medical family
  • $10.38 Premium dental family
  • $.76 Vision family
  • $155.73 total arrears per pay period

This means the employee would pay:

  • $389.31 total per pay period for deductions
  • $155.73 total arrears per pay period
  • $545.04 total

The arrears balance will be paid off in 10 pay periods. At that time, the deduction will return to $389.31 per pay period.

You can view your arrears balance at any time on UAOnline by clicking on "Employee Service" > "Benefits & Deductions" > "Arrears Balance."

UA has several resources available to employees who need assistance. Review the options below to be sure you are directing your questions correctly. When in doubt, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu and we will be sure to direct you. ​

UA Benefits Team | ua-benefits@alaska.edu or Meet with Us

  • Need help submitting a form or providing documentation for a dependent?
  • Want confirmation of your coverage begin and end dates?
  • Want to set up a quick zoom for some basic questions? 

Premera | Call the number on the back of your ID card

  • Having issues logging into the premera portal?
  • Wanting to confirm prior authorization for a certain service?
  • Want to enroll in electronic Explanation of Benefits (eEOBs)?

TouchCare

  • Need help determining what plan works best for you and your family? 
  • Need help finding a provider or doing price comparisons?
  • Received a bill that you think may be incorrect?


FORMS 

 


RESOURCES