Health & Welfare Benefits
Medical, Dental and Behavioral Health Plans
Vision Plan
Legal Plan
Disability Insurance
Short-Term Disability Insurance
Supplemental Disability Insurance
Life Insurance
University-Paid Life Insurance
Supplemental Life Insurance
Dependent Life Insurance
Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA)
Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DepCare)
Tax Savings on Insurance Premiums (TIP)
Eligibility for benefits at the University of California depends on your appointment type and duration. You may be eligible for Full Benefits, Mid-level Benefits or Core Benefits. Click here to see more information regarding eligibility.
New Employees and Newly Eligible Employees have 31 calendar days from the date of appointment to elect and submit their enrollment for benefits online through At Your Service. This 31 day period is referred to as the Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE).
Certain circumstances (such as a qualifying event) may cause an employee to enter a new Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE) which allows enrollment for certain benefits through a paper form. For paper form transactions, your elections must be received in the Benefits Office within your PIE (31 days from the date of the qualifying event except that if the 31st day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the paper form must be received in the Benefits Office by the previous Friday). Contact your Benefits Office for questions at benefits@ucmerced.edu or call 209-228-2363.
At Your Service provides excellent information regarding benefits and policies at UC.
For an overview of all Health & Welfare benefits offered by UC, please view the Click here to view the Benefits Video
Evidence of Coverage Booklets are the best source of information for detailed questions about Health & Welfare insurance plans.
Please click here for enrollment information.
Remember to first create a login and password as a New User. Initially, your login is your social security number (no hyphens) and date of birth (2-digit month, 2-digit day, 4-digit year – numbers only, no characters). If you cannot gain access, please call the Benefits line at 209-228-2363 or email benefits@ucmerced.edu for a password reset.
MEDICAL PLANS, DENTAL PLANS, AND UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Visit the Medical Plans section on At Your Service for more information about Medical, Dental and Mental Health Plans. This section includes information on the plans, finding a doctor, medical plan costs, medical benefits plan summaries, and insurance carrier contact information. When choosing a plan, you may want to consider doctors available in the plan, plan rules and features, and cost.
Availability of certain Medical or Dental Plans depends on where you live. You may also use your work address to gain access. The plans that are available to you will automatically appear when you enroll in benefits online through At Your Service.
Mental health coverage is offered through United Behavioral Health except for employees who enroll in Kaiser’s behavioral health benefit.
How To Use Your Medical Plan
After you enroll in your medical plan an insurance card and information will be mailed to you at your home address by the medical insurance carrier. If you do not receive your insurance card within 6-8 weeks or if you need to use your medical insurance before you receive your insurance card, contact the carrier to ensure they have your enrollment. See the Benefits Plans Contact Information page for phone numbers and websites.
Note: If the medical carrier does not have a record of your enrollment, please contact the Health Care Facilitator at hcf@ucmerced.edu or call 209-228-2348 for assistance.
How To Use Your Dental Plan
Contact the participating dentist you wish to visit directly. See the Benefits Plans Contact Information page for phone numbers and websites. The dentist’s office may ask you to provide your identification number, which is your Social Security number. Occasionally, the dental plan will not have your enrollment on file yet. If your dental plan does not have your current enrollment information on file, please contact the Health Care Facilitator at hcf@ucmerced.edu or 209-228-2348 for assistance.
How to Use United Behavioral Health
Please click here for information about United Behavioral Health.
Disputes with your Medical, Dental or Behavioral Health Plan
If you are having a dispute with your medical, dental or behavioral health plan, first, try to resolve the dispute yourself. Contact the carrier and determine the nature of the problem. If you are unable to resolve your complaint, please contact the Health Care Facilitator at hcf@ucmerced.edu or 209-228-2348 for assistance. You may also file an appeal by following the plan's appeal process, as outlined in your Evidence of Coverage booklet.
VISION PLAN
UC offers one vision plan. Currently, UC pays the entire cost of vision insurance coverage for all eligible employees. For additional information about vision insurance please click here.
How To Use Your Vision Plan
Contact the participating VSP doctor you wish to visit directly. To locate a vision services provider, visit the VSP web site at http://www.vsp.com. The VSP provider’s office may ask you to provide your identification number, which is your Social Security number. Occasionally, the VSP plan will not have your enrollment on file yet. Please contact the Health Care Facilitator at hcf@ucmerced.edu or call 209-228-2348 for assistance.
Disputes with your Vision Plan
If you are having a dispute with your vision plan, first try to resolve the dispute yourself. Contact your Vision Plan and determine the nature of the problem. If you are unable to resolve your complaint after talking with your vision plan, please contact the Health Care Facilitator at hcf@ucmerced.edu or 228-2348 for assistance. You may also file an appeal by following the plan's appeal process as outlined in your Evidence of Coverage booklet.
At one time or another you may need legal advice, but high legal fees might prevent you or your family members from getting the necessary assistance. UC offers a prepaid legal insurance plan that can help you with routine preventative or defense matters.
See the Legal Plan section of At Your Service for more information about Legal Insurance and contact information.
How To Use Your Legal Plan
Contact the participating attorney you wish to visit directly or contact the legal plan for information on receiving advice over the telephone. ARAG may ask you to provide your identification number, which is your Social Security number. Occasionally, ARAG will not have your enrollment on file yet. If your ARAG attorney does not have your current enrollment information on file, please contact your Benefits Office at benefits@ucmerced.edu or call 209-228-2363 for assistance.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
An important part of financial planning for yourself and your family is planning for unforeseeable injury or illness. Part of this planning includes ensuring your financial stability through disability insurance. UC offers three disability plans to eligible employees to help protect you against a loss of income due to a pregnancy or a disabling injury or illness. You are eligible for the Short-Term and Supplemental Disability Plans if you are eligible for Full Benefits.
Short-Term Disability Insurance
The Short-Term Disability Plan is paid by the University of California and all eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the plan. The plan pays 55% of salary up to $800 per month for up to 6 months for qualifying claims. For more information about the waiting period click here.
See the Short-Term Disability Plan Booklet for more information about this plan.
Supplemental Disability Insurance
The Supplemental Disability Plan is a voluntary plan that supplements the Short-Term Disability Plan. To have this extra financial benefit, you must pay the cost of Supplemental Disability.
Supplemental Disability Plan benefits provide up to 70% of salary (maximum monthly payment of $10,000) for Short Term Disability for a qualifying claim. Short term benefits may last up to one year. There is also a Long Term Disability feature to the Supplemental Disability plan which may provide up to 50% of salary for Long Term Disability for a qualifying claim. For those employees who also qualify for Social Security Disability, Long Term Disability combined with other disability benefits (e.g., Social Security Disability, UCRP disability) may pay up to 70% of salary. See the Supplemental Disability Plan Booklet for detailed information about this plan.
Cost of Supplemental Disability Insurance
The cost of Supplemental Disability Insurance depends on your monthly salary, age, and choice of waiting period. The longer the waiting period, the lower the premiums you'll pay. Use the Disability & Life Insurance Premium Calculator for an estimate of your monthly premiums.
Restricted Enrollment
If you are eligible for the Supplemental Disability plan, you may enroll online during your period of initial eligibility (PIE). Your PIE starts on the first day of eligibility (for example, the day you begin work in a position that makes you eligible for Supplemental Disability insurance). The PIE ends 31 days later for online transactions. For paper form transactions, your PIE ends 31 days later or on the last working day of the 31-day period, whichever comes first.
If you wish to enroll after your PIE has expired, you must submit a statement of health. The insurance company may or may not approve your enrollment, so it is very important to consider enrolling in this plan during your initial PIE when you are first eligible.
Initiating a Disability Claim
To initiate a disability claim, contact your Benefits Office at (209) 228-2363 and request a Disability Packet at least 30 days prior to your anticipated disability leave begin date or immediately for unforeseeable disability leaves. You will be expected to provide medical information from your doctor to the insurance company in order for your claim to be processed.
California State Disability Insurance
UC does not participate in the California SDI program. Instead it offers the Short-Term Disability Plan to help protect you against a loss of income due to a disability. If you have worked for UC less than 18 months, you may be eligible for California State Disability Insurance due to your previous employment. Check with the California State Employment Development Department for application and procedures.
Note: If you have worked for the UC less than 18 months, you must submit a claim for SDI benefits in addition to submitting your disability claim through UC short-term and/or supplemental disability insurance plans.
Financial protection for your dependents, in the event of your death, can play an important role in their future security. If you are eligible, you may additionally purchase Supplemental Life Insurance for yourself and your eligible family members. For detailed information on Life Insurance coverage, see the Prudential Life Evidence of Coverage booklet. For the cost of life insurance, click on the Insurance Premium Calculator.
If you are eligible for the Supplemental Life Insurance plan, you may enroll online during your period of initial eligibility (PIE). Your PIE starts on the first day of eligibility (for example, the day you begin work in a position that makes you eligible for Supplemental Life Insurance). The PIE ends 31 days later for online transactions. For paper form transactions, your PIE ends 31 days later or on the last working day of the 31-day period, whichever comes first.
If you wish to enroll after your PIE has expired, you must submit a statement of health. The insurance company may or may not approve your enrollment, so it is very important to consider enrolling in this plan during your initial PIE when you are first eligible.
Core Life
Core Life provides $5,000 of life insurance.
The University of California pays for Basic Life insurance at no cost to eligible employees. Basic Life provides life insurance equal to your annual base salary up to $50,000. The coverage amount is based on your UC salary as of January 1 of each year.
Supplemental Life
Supplemental Life allows you to choose additional life insurance. You pay for the cost of Supplemental Life Insurance. You must be enrolled in Basic or Core Life to enroll in Supplemental Life.
Benefit options include:
Flat amount of $20,000
One times your annual salary, up to $250,000
Two times your annual salary, up to $500,000
Three times your annual salary, up to $750,000
Four times your annual salary, up to $1 million.
Coverage is based on the full-time salary rate for your position as of January 1 of the current year, even if you work part-time.
You pay for the cost of Dependent Life. You may choose only Basic Dependent Life or you may choose Expanded Dependent Life.
Basic Dependent Life provides life insurance in the amount of $10,000 for a spouse/eligible domestic partner and $5,000 for each eligible child.
To cover your eligible family members under Expanded Dependent Life, you must be eligible for and enrolled in Supplemental Life. The cost of Supplemental Life Insurance depends on the plan(s) you choose, your age, and the amount of coverage you choose. Use the Disability & Life Insurance Premium Calculator for an estimate of your monthly premiums.
(Note: To add this coverage for a spouse/eligible domestic partner after the initial period of eligibility requires evidence of health and approval by the carrier. An eligible child can be added with evidence of health. Use a UPAY850 form.)
ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT INSURANCE
Accidents happen, and their financial impact can be devastating. To help protect you and your family from the unforeseen financial hardship of a serious accident that causes death or dismemberment, UC offers the Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) plan.
The Accidental Death and Dismemberment plan offers three coverage options: Self, Family, and Modified Family. Your cost depends on the plan option and the coverage amount you choose. For more information about this plan please click AD&D.
You may enroll in AD&D insurance at any time. During your period of initial eligibility (PIE), you can enroll online. At all other times, use the UPAY 850 Enrollment Form.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (FSAs)
Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA)
The Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) allows you to pay on a pretax, salary reduction basis for eligible health care expenses not covered by your medical, dental, or vision plans. CONEXIS will administer the program on UC’s behalf for 2009.
Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DepCare)
The DepCare program allows UC employees to pay for certain dependent care expenses on a pretax, salary reduction basis. CONEXIS will administer the DepCare program for 2009.
For more information about these plans, visit Flexible Spending Accounts on At Your Service.
TAX SAVINGS ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS (TIP)
The Tax Savings on Insurance Premiums (TIP) program allows you to pay your monthly health plan costs (if any) on a pretax, salary reduction basis. If you have an employee monthly cost for your health plan, you are automatically enrolled in TIP and your salary is reduced by the amount of your monthly cost. This arrangement continues unless you cancel your participation in TIP. For more information about this plan click TIP.
Please click here to view forms and publications.
