Supplemental Benefits
Flexible Spending Accounts
The University offers flexible spending plan through HealthEquity, a third-party administrator for Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The plan is available to all full-time, regular employees at no cost. A flexible spending plan allows an employee to set aside pre-tax dollars for certain medical and dependent care expenses incurred throughout the year. This plan allows eligible employees to set aside up to $3,050 for medical and up to $5,000 for dependent care expenses annually. Eligible expenses can be for the participant and his/her spouse and eligible dependents, whether covered under the University’s health plan or not.
For medical expenses, participants are provided with a debit card to use for out-of-pocket expenses. All transactions and requests for documentation by HealthEquity are managed through each participant's HealthEquity web portal account.
Typically, an expense must have been incurred in the calendar year of participation (January 1 through December 31) in order to be eligible for reimbursement from the respective year's account balance. However, the University has elected to offer participants a grace period, which allows expenses incurred in the following calendar year through March 15 to be applied to the former year's account balance, if any. Please be advised that, because this plan is eligible for IRS exemptions, it is a "use-it-or-lose-it" plan. So, it is advisable to only set aside funds for expenses you are certain you will incur within the calendar year of enrollment.
Enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts here during the annual enrollment period.
Accident Coverage (Symetra)
With Symetra, we are now offering a supplemental accident policy that offers comparable coverage to the previous AFLAC accident policy, but with a lower rate!
This plan provides benefits to help cover out-of-pocket medical expenses related to an accidental injury. Payment is supplemental to benefits paid by any other insurance policy and is made directly to the employee by Symetra. To file a claim, click here to create an account online (reference policy number 12628000) or login to your MyGO app.
See brochure for additional details and click here for rates.
Group Voluntary Cancer Insurance
The University has, for many years offered a supplemental cancer policy through Professional Insurance Corporation (PIC). In 2009, the University decided to offer a more current cancer policy which provides greater benefits to employees. Below is the information for both policies.Group Voluntary Cancer Insurance (PIC):
This coverage will no longer be offered to new employees beginning August 1, 2010.
To view the PIC cancer policy, please click here or the Cancer/Intensive Care Insurance link in the menu on the left. The rates for this policy are as follows:| Plan Type | Monthly Premium | |
| HIGH PLAN | Individual | $6.00 |
| Family | $3.50 | |
Group Voluntary Cancer Insurance (ALLSTATE):
The Allstate Cancer Policy provides benefits for the necessary treatment of cancer or a specified disease. Treatment must be received in the United States or its territories. See the brochure for full details. Payment is supplemental to benefits paid by any other insurance policy and is made directly to the employee by Allstate. To file a claim, print and complete the Cancer/Specified Disease Claim Form and fax to McBride Benefits & Insurance Group at 256.764.6155. To enroll, visit the Office of Human Resources during the Open Enrollment Period each year. A wellness benefit is payable once a year for each covered adult for cancer-screening tests such as PSA blood tests, mammography, pap smears, bone marrow tests, and other specific screenings. To file a wellness claim, print, complete, and fax the Cancer Wellness Claim Form to McBride Benefits & Insurance Group at 256.764.6155. Policy rates are as follows:| Plan Type | Monthly Premium | Bi-Weekly Premium (24 deductions/year) | |
| HIGH PLAN | Individual | $31.51 | $15.75 |
| Family | $53.92 | $26.96 | |
| LOW PLAN | Individual | $14.13 | $7.06 |
| Family | $24.20 | $12.10 | |
Hospital Coverage (Symetra)
With Symetra, we are now offering a supplemental hospital policy that offers significant improvement over the previous AFLAC hospital indemnity policy, both in price and in coverage! See brochure for additional details. This plan provides benefits for hospital confinement resulting from sickness or injury, including maternity. Two plan levels are available; see the following information for full details. Payment is supplemental to benefits paid by any other insurance policy and is made directly to the employee by Symetra. To file a claim, click here to create an account online (reference policy number 12628000) or login to your MyGO app.
Policy rates are based on the level of coverage selected and do not increase due to age.
Short-Term Disability (FORT DEARBORN LIFE)
Provides a weekly benefit to an employee whose illness or injury causes him/her to be unable to work for over 14 days. Coverage is for up to 90 days from the date of injury/illness. See brochure for full details. Premiums are age- and income-based; the rate sheet is a part of the brochure . To enroll, you must visit the Office of Human Resources during the Open Enrollment Period each year.Supplemental Life Insurance
Supplemental life insurance is included on the Life and Long-Term Disability benefit section of the website here. Critical Illness Insurance (Symetra)
Critical illness insurance provides financial support by paying a lump-sum benefit that can be used for anything - from medical bills to childcare - after a covered diagnosis.
With this policy, you are able to select a lump sum payment amount ($10,000, $20,000, or $30,000) that would be paid (in part or in whole) upon the diagnosis of certain critical illnesses (see brochure). You may purchase various levels of coverage to include spouses and/or dependent children up to age 26.
Critical Illness Summary Plus Rate Sheet
This policy does not cover cancer. As we already have cancer coverage in place, Symetra has priced the policy to complement cancer coverage.
Covered diagnoses include: heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease requiring surgery or angioplasty, sudden cardiac arrest, transient ischemic attack, major organ failure, occupational HIV, end-stage renal failure, loss of sight, hearing, or speech, paralysis from sickness and accident, severe burns, stem cell transplant, ALS/other motor neuron diseases, advanced Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, advanced multiple sclerosis, coma from accident and sickness, major congenital structural anomaly, congenital metabolic disorder, congenital chromosomal abnormality, and some chronic medical condition commonly diagnosed in childhood.
There are no pre-existing limitations and no waiting periods for coverage with this policy.
To file a claim, click here to create an account online (reference policy number 12628000) or login to your MyGO app.
Vision (VSP)
The vision plan offered through VSP is supplemental to the vision benefits provided through your Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance. To view the vision coverage that is included in your BlueCross/BlueShield Health Insurance, please click here or the Vision link in the menu on the left. If you have vision needs beyond what the biennial $250 Blue Cross/Blue allowance will cover, the VSP plan is a good option for you. If you elect the VSP coverage, it is important that (1) you use a VSP network provider (see below), and (2) you advise the provider to first file your vision claim under VSP so that the Blue Cross/Blue Shield allowance will be applied to the remaining out-of-pocket expenses.
The VSP Supplemental Vision Plan provides benefits for an eye exam and glasses or contact lenses annually. Payment for these benefits is made directly to the eye-care provider; this payment is in addition to your current vision coverage with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. See the VSP Brochure for details. For a side-by-side comparison with the previous VSP plan, refer to this chart . To search for in-network providers, refer to the VSP website .
Enrollment takes place once per year during the University's Open Enrollment Period. Click here for the VSP application. To file a claim, simply tell the provider that you have VSP; there is no membership card. Rates for the vision plan are as follows:
| Plan Type | Monthly Premium | Biweekly Premium |
| Employee Only | $14.48 | $7.24 |
| Employee + One | $20.99 | $10.50 |
| Family | $37.63 | $18.82 |
Air Evac Lifeteam
Air Evac Lifeteam is the greater Shoals area’s provider of air ambulance service. Air Evac provides emergency medical transport to an appropriate medical facility based on the nature of the injury/illness. The air medical services provided by the University’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance cover ONLY transportation services for an already hospitalized patient to a hospital near a his/her home should he/she be hospitalized while more than 150 miles from home. In contrast, Air Evac services are used to transport an injured/ill patient to the most appropriate treating facility. For this type of transport, Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance will only cover up to 80% of the cost of Air Evac’s services minus the deductible, typically leaving a balance of at least $3,000. The purchase of an Air Evac Lifeteam membership ensures that a covered member incurs no out-of-pocket expenses for these services. In addition, an Air Evac membership covers an entire household provided all household members are listed on the enrollment form. For questions or further information regarding all supplemental benefit options, please review the Supplemental Benefits Open Enrollment Meeting Presentation or contact McBride Benefits & Insurance Group:
