Benefits Questions

  1. Employee Questions
  2. Graduate Student Questions
  3. Glossary

Employee Questions

1. I just turned 65. How does this affect my benefits?

  • Turning age 65 does not affect your benefits. There is no reduction in your health premium nor is this a qualifying event to add or cancel benefits.
  • You are not required to enroll in Medicare, Part A or B if you and/or your spouse are covered under a group policy through active employment.

 

2. What if I missed the open enrollment deadline and I still need benefits for next year?

  • You will need to submit an appeal. Please see UW System’s Annual Benefit Enrollment Appeals document for instructions on how to submit an appeal. It can take up to 1 month to hear if the appeal was approved. This notification will come via email.
  • For additional questions please reach out to the benefits contact listed on the Client Group Assignments webpage.

 

3. How do I add a baby/spouse/domestic partner to my insurance?

 

4. What is a qualifying life event and the deadline to make insurance changes?

 

5. How long will my insurance last?

 

6. Where is the Worker's Compensation paperwork?

 

7. I didn't get my insurance or prescription card, or I need to replace my insurance/prescription card.

  • Health or Dental: Contact the appropriate provider as given in the It’s Your Choice Decision Guide which can be found at Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds.
  • VSP Vision: No card is issued. Identify yourself as a University of Wisconsin employee and provide your employee ID number (8 digit number beginning with 2 or 3 zeroes, found at the top center of your earnings statement).
  • Navitus (pharmacy)

    Phone: (866) 333-2757

    Online: https://www.navitus.com

 

8. Where do I get information on my retirement (WRS) funds?

 

9. How do I reach the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

 

10. I'm an employee and currently enrolled in a state group health plan. Do I have to enroll in Medicare if I don't qualify for automatic enrollment?

  • You would not want to enroll in Medicare Part B until right before you retire. Consult your Benefits Specialist at that time. There is a monthly fee for Medicare Part B, and it would be considered secondary coverage to your employee health plan.
  • If you are in a regular health plan, you may wish to enroll in Medicare Part A. Medicare Part A is at no cost, and though considered secondary coverage to your employee health plan, it may add coverage in instances of hospitalization or rehabilitation.
  • If you wish to remain enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan, no. If you enroll in Medicare Part A, you will no longer be eligible to participate in the high deductible plan–the state will require you to attest that you have not enrolled, or it will switch you to your High Deductible Health Plan’s regular counterpart.

 

11. Where do I find information about attending a benefits review?

 

12. Where do I find information about the benefits enrollment process and my benefits package?

 

13. What are the health insurance requirements for international staff or students?

 

14. How do I enroll in benefits online?

 

15. Why can't I find my online benefits enrollment link?

  • If you are a new employee to the UW System, it is possible your job record is still in process of being entered in the employment system. If you do not see the enrollment link within 3 weeks of your date of hire, submit paper enrollment forms to the Benefits office, so you do not miss your deadline to enroll within 30 days.
  • If you are newly benefits-eligible, but not a new employee to the UW System, you will not receive an online benefits enrollment link. Instead, submit paper enrollment forms to the Benefits office, so you do not miss your deadline to enroll within 30 days of becoming eligible.

 

16. How do I access my Health Savings Account (HSA) online?

 

Graduate Student Questions

1. How will I know if I’m benefit eligible?

  • You will know that you are benefit eligible as a Graduate Assistant/Short Term Academic Staff if you are in one of the following employment categories:

    Student Assistant

    You must be in one of the following titles: Research assistant, Fellow, Advanced Opportunity Fellow, Scholar, Trainee, Teaching Assistant, project Assistant or Program Assistant and be expected to work at least 33% of the time:

    *For at least six months if you are a 12 month employee or at least one semester if you area nine month employee

    Employees in Training

    You must be in one of the following titles: Grad intern/Trainee, Postdoc Fellow, Postdoc Trainee, Postgrad Trainee (1-7), Intern (non-physician), Reseach Intern or Research Associate, and be expected to work at least 33% of the time:

    *For at least six months if you are a 12 month employee o for at least one semester if you are a nine month employee

    Short Term Academic Staff

    If not covered under the WRS, you are eligible for insurance benefits if you are expected to work

    *At least 21% for at least six month if you are 12 month employee or at least 28% for at least one semester if you area nine month employee

 

2. Do I need to have my Social Security Number (SSN) in order to apply for benefits at UWM?

  • No, you do not have to have your SSN to apply for benefits as a UWM employee. We discourage employees from listing their SSN on forms sent via email. You can most certainly start the benefits process without an SSN in place.

 

3. How can I contact benefits directly?

  • At UWM we have an inbox where you can submit any questions. The email address is benefits@uwm.edu and the appropriate benefit specialist will reply to your request.

 

4. I'm unable to attend the in-person Benefits presentation. Is there any other way that I can view the presentation?

  • Our UWM benefits website has a wealth of info regarding your benefits. You can visit https://uwm.edu/hr/benefits/reviews/ and you can see the latest benefit review sessions, review benefit summaries for your applicable employment category and view a video recording of a benefit presentation.

 

5. How long do I have to enroll in benefits?

  • You have 30 days from your date of hire to enroll in benefits. You can typically complete this online through the employee portal if you have never worked for another WRS employer or UWM in the past. If you have worked for UWM in the past or another WRS employer, then you have to complete paper forms. All new employees receive an email from the benefits team that outline your deadline for enrolling in benefits and provides links to all benefit enrollment forms.

 

6. When do my benefits go into effect?

  • Your benefits are effective the first of the month on or following the date of employment or date of obtaining a benefits-eligible job. For example, if you begin benefit eligible employment on 4/2 then your benefits go into effect 5/1.

 

7. I made a mistake in my benefit elections, how can I correct that?

  • If you are within your 30-day window, then you can let your benefits specialist know and we can have you fill out an updated paper form and get that submitted on your behalf. If you are outside of your 30-day initial enrollment window then unfortunately you cannot make any changes to your benefit elections unless you have a qualifying life event.

 

8. Where can I see my benefit enrollment confirmation?

 

9. What are some examples of a qualifying life event?

  • Examples of qualifying life events that would allow you to change your benefit elections outside of open enrollment are marriage, birth, adoption, loss of other coverage or moving out of state. Please speak with a benefits specialist for a full list of all qualifying life events.

 

10. How often are employee benefit premiums paid?

  • You will see deductions for benefit premiums on the first two checks of any given month. This equates to 24 pay periods per year.

 

11. How can I estimate what my basic health insurance costs will look like.

  • You should review the benefits summary for grad students available here grad.pdf (wisconsin.edu). UWM offers two types of plans. The ACCESS plan is more expensive but offers nationwide coverage and the regular health plan provides local coverage for Wisconsin and limited coverage in surrounding states. Please

 

12. What are my options for dental insurance?

  • UWM offers 4 dental plans.
    1. Uniform dental is offered if you choose to elect a state group health plan. It covers routine evaluations, cleanings, sealants, s-rays, fillings and periodontal maintenance. Please see the benefit summary for an exhaustive list and costs run between $3 (individual plan) and $10 for (spouse/family plan)
    2. Preventative Dental is dental insurance that is only available if you decline state group health insurance and covers the same items as Uniform Dental
    3. Select Dental and Select Plus Plans are supplementary dental insurances that provide additional coverage for crowns, bridges, implants, root canals and braces. A good rule of thumb is that the higher the cost per month for the plan, the lower the deductible is and the higher the annual maximum is. Please see the table below for a breakdown on costs monthly for employees for 2024.
  • Please utilize this link for a detailed breakdown of plan costs grad.pdf (wisconsin.edu)

 

13. Are there any options for vision benefits?

  • The State Group Health insurance covers a vision exam. UWM also offers full vision insurance that’s administered by Deltavision/Eyemed that would cover routine things like glasses/contacts. Please visit the following link for a detailed breakdown of vision costs. grad.pdf (wisconsin.edu)

 

14. What is flexible spending (FSA) and how can it benefit me?

  • Individuals categorized as student assistants and short-term academic staff can enroll in the FSA (flexible spending account). Fellows, scholars, trainees, grad interns/trainees and post-doctoral fellows/trainees cannot.
  • An FSA gives you the opportunity to pay certain health care, dependent day care and parking/transit expense with tax free dollars. You are in control of how much you contribute. 1/1-12/31 is the plan year for FSA’s and some funds may be eligible to roll over. You cannot roll over dependent care funds. You must re-enroll in the FSA yearly.

 

15. Are there any options to help me with retirement?

  • UWM offers a 403B (Supplemental Retirement program and 457 (WI Differed Compensation program). Fellows, scholars, trainees, Grad. interns/trainees or post-doctoral fellow/trainees aren’t eligible to participate. You can enroll immediately.
  • 403B-The providers that manage this are Fidelity and TIAA and a number of investment options are available including target date funds, index and guaranteed fixed rate annuity.
  • 457-This account is managed by ETF through a provider called Empower. There a number of mixed investment options similar to what is listed for the 403b. Listed below are the 2024 contribution limits.
  • 2024 Contribution Limits

    Click to Enlarge

 

Glossary

UWM Benefit Portal: This is your personalized portal that gives you access to view your earnings statements, direct deposit info, personal info, mandatory trainings, HR news, Benefits info and much more
Benefit election: Your benefit elections are the options that you choose during open enrollment and that are taken out of your paycheck as pre-tax deductions
Qualifying Life Event: This is a change in your life that has an impact on your insurance coverage and typically will allow you to make changes to your benefit elections outside of your 30 day new hire window and/or open enrollment which takes place in the Fall of each year.
Deductible: The amount of money that an insured person has to pay out of pocket each year for eligible healthcare services before the insurance plan begins to cover the costs
Out of pocket maximum: This is the largest amount of money that would have to pay per year for covered health services. Once you have met this amount then your insurer will py 100% of services rendered.
Co-insurance: This is the percentage of costs a patient pays for medical expenses
Copay: A set amount of money that you pay any time you receive a specific healthcare service. For example when visiting your primary doctor your office copay fee may be a set amount of $30 per visit
Premium: This is the amount billed that policy holders pay for health coverage. Premiums are paid bi-weekly at UWM. This amount must be paid regardless of whether you utilize healthcare services in a given month.

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