Health premiums, prescriptions costs up slightly for next plan year

Pitt employees can expect about a 3 percent increase in their monthly contributions when they enroll for their 2021-22 health benefits, along with a less than 1 percent increase in dental and no change to the vision premiums.

The same four plans are being offered — Panther Gold, Panther Advocate, Panther Plus and Panther Basic — and each offers roughly the same coverage as the current plan year.

There also is a slight increase in prescriptions costs. Preferred generics will remain $16 for a 30-day supply and $32 for 90 days through Express Scripts, Falk Clinic Pharmacy or the University Pharmacy, but preferred brands will go from $40 for 30-day supply and $80 for 90 days to $45 and $90. Non-preferred medications also will see a small increase.

Employees have until May 28 to complete the open enrollment forms. For complete details, go to the Open Enrollment page on the Human Resources website.

If you don’t want to make any changes, you don’t need to do anything. All of your current benefits will remain the same from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Even if you are not making changes, employees are encouraged to review their current benefit package. Find a summary of benefits here.

Outside of the annual open enrollment period, changes to health benefits and flexible spending accounts can only be made if you experience an IRS qualified status change.

Changes to Flexible Spending Accounts

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, included a variety of changes affecting group health plans, cafeteria plans and retirement plans. The University has adopted optional changes that affect health care flexible spending accounts.

The optional changes that the University adopted will allow people with FSAs to rollover more than the previous limit of $550 from the current plan year ending on June 30 into the plan year beginning July 1. At the end of the plan year ending June 30, 2022, rollover amounts will revert to the previous limit of $550, and anything exceeding that will be forfeited.

If you have additional questions about these changes to the health care FSA, contact the OHR Benefits Department by submitting an online inquiry or by calling 833-852-2210. You also can contact UPMC Benefit Management Services at 1-800-499-6885 or by emailing consumeradvantage@upmc.edu

— Susan Jones

 

Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.

Follow the University Times on Twitter and Facebook.