Health and Life Insurance
Your health and peace of mind are important to us, and we want to ensure that you get the coverage that’s best for you and your family.
We offer a variety of coverage options, including medical, prescription drug, dental and vision insurance, plus flexible spending accounts to save you money on health care and dependent care expenses. We also provide life and long-term disability insurance, plus optional additional coverages that protect you and your family.
We offer several medical plans, each with prescription drug coverage. The plans vary in terms of cost, coverage and providers you’re able to see. Be sure to read about each plan, review our plan comparison chart and eligibility.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Health Care Reform law, is federal legislation passed in 2010. This law is complex, multi-faceted, and has an impact on both employers and individuals. Learn more.
UD Dental Insurance is administered by MetLife Dental. Full and part-time benefit-eligible faculty, staff and retirees who meet University of Delaware age and service. These benefits are available to spouses and eligible dependent children(ren) up to age 26. Retirees, please visit the current retirees webpage for dental options.
UD Vision Insurance is administered by National Vision Administrators (NVA) (Sponsor # 51942000001), Full and part-time benefit-eligible faculty, staff and retirees who meet University of Delaware age and service. These benefits are available to spouses and eligible dependent children(ren) up to age 26. Retirees please visit the current retirees webpage.
UD offers basic life insurance at no cost to full-time benefits-eligible faculty, staff and bargaining unit members, plus the option to purchase additional coverage for themselves and their dependents.
UD Dependent Life Insurance is administered by MetLife and is offered to full and part-time benefit-eligible faculty and staff.
The ComPsych GuidanceResources program is a FREE program available exclusively for State of Delaware Group Health Plan non-Medicare members and their dependents. This program is available exclusively for UD employees and their dependents. The program offers resources to consult whenever and wherever you need them. Members will have a toll-free number at 877-527-4742 directly for 24/7 access to a GuidanceConsultant®. Employees also have access to the website at www.guidanceresources.com (Web ID: State of Delaware), mobile app to consult articles, podcasts, videos, webinars and other helpful tools.
The Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is administered by ASI Flex and available to full and part-time benefit-eligible faculty, staff.
The FSA Health benefit is available to the employee (the participant), your spouse (if filing a joint tax return) and your qualified child or qualified relative.
Through a long-term disability insurance plan, the University provides for continuing income to eligible employees in the event of total disability.
Securian Financial is UD’s provider for accident and critical illness insurance and is provided to full and part-time benefit-eligible faculty and staff as a supplemental benefit.
When you are traveling in unfamiliar places and the unexpected arises, you need to have the resources to turn to for immediate support. It is highly encouraged that you review the Traveling with UD Policy before you depart on your travel and register with UD travel partners so that in the event of an emergency while traveling you can access the support needed to mitigate a crisis and return home safely.
If an employee and/or spouse is turning age 65 while currently active and benefits-eligible at UD, they are not required to enroll in Medicare Part B (Medical). They can retain UD benefits as their primary coverage at the current rates. However, it is recommended that they enroll in Medicare Part A (Hospitalization) upon turning age 65, but UD benefits remain primary. If the spouse is not yet Medicare-eligible, they can remain in the active employee plan as well.
If an active and benefits-eligible employee/spouse elects to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B as their primary coverage, their UD coverage will be terminated. They will not be eligible to enroll in the Medicare Supplement plan until they retire. Therefore, they will have to seek supplemental coverage externally, including prescription coverage. It is important to note that if this option is selected, they will no longer have coverage through UD/State of Delaware.
About 3 months prior to an active employee and/or spouse turning age 65, the UD Retirement Team sends a notification to the employee/spouse called the TEFRA/DEFRA notification. We are required to inform employees/spouses of the opportunity to 1) retain enrollment in the current health care plan as provided by the University of Delaware/State of Delaware Group Health Insurance Program (GHIP) or 2) enroll in Medicare as the primary insurer. The employee should complete the TEFRA/DEFRA letter indicating that they want to stay on UD’s coverage and return it to hrhelp@udel.edu.
When an employee age 65 or older is planning to retire, they should apply for Medicare Part B about 90 days prior to their scheduled retirement date. Medicare Parts A and B will become primary upon retirement. If the spouse is age 65 or older, they are also required to apply for Medicare Parts A and B. When the employee retires, our office will provide verification that the employee and/or spouse have been on UD’s active coverage, so no penalty will be assessed. The State of Delaware and UD offer an optional Medicare supplemental plan which can include prescription coverage (Medicare Part D).
If the retiring employee or spouse is under age 65, they would be offered the opportunity to remain in the non-Medicare plan at the current rates.
Additional information on Medicare can be obtained at your local Social Security Administration Office, on Medicare’s website, or by contacting the State of Delaware, Department of Insurance’s Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau (DMAB), or at 1-800-336-9500.
You can change your benefits elections during our annual open enrollment period, but certain life events—marriage, divorce or the addition of a child, for example—enable you to make changes to your benefits without waiting. Learn how to update your elections following a life event.
The are always other changes to consider, like updating your name or address, tax with holdings, beneficiaries and more. Learn how to update these items.
Musculoskeletal pain affects the ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones. Dealing with chronic musculoskeletal pain (i.e., lower back pain, arthritis, etc.) can be difficult and it may be stressful navigating the health system to find the resources you need. We have put together the following resources in one easy to find location with information on imaging, resources offered through Highmark and Aetna, case management, and tools to help you live a more active, pain-free life. Learn more.
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits (i.e. health, dental, vision and Health Care FSA) provided through the University. These benefits can only be continued for limited periods of time under certain circumstances, such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce and other life events. COBRA requires that continuation coverage extend from the date of the qualifying event for a limited period of time of 18 months (for employee), 36 months (for dependent) or 29 months (if a qualified beneficiary is disabled).
Qualified individuals are required to pay the entire premium for coverage, up to 102 percent of the cost of the plan. If you are leaving the University or you or a covered dependent will be losing benefits for some reason, please send an email to hrhelp@udel.edu with the details of your situation.
Connect
550 S. College Ave., Suite 201, Newark, DE 19713 hrhelp@udel.edu Phone 302-831-2171