Not sure which medical plan to choose? CU’s resources can help
If faculty and staff are unsure what medical plan to select this Open Enrollment, resources are available to inform their decisions.
The good news: Faculty and staff can keep their plans without taking any action this year. If you would like to make changes, you’ll need to enroll by 5 p.m. Friday, May 12.
See a side-by-side comparison
For those considering a change, there are many way to brush up on the differences between CU’s four medical plans. The simplest way to get an apples-to-apples comparison is to review the Medical Plan Comparison on the Open Enrollment website.
CU Health Plan – Exclusive
Why you might choose this plan: If you’re a faculty and staff member anticipating medical expenses in the coming plan year, your preferred hospital(s), physician(s) and specialist(s) are in the network and you don’t mind staying in network for care, this plan could be a good option for you. With Exclusive, a primary care provider manages your care and refers you to specialists. The tradeoff: This saves money.
Network: The Exclusive plan is tailored to University of Colorado and CU Medicine employees. Enrollees will receive care at UCHealth facilities by physicians from the CU Medicine School of Medicine, UCHealth Medical Group and other physicians across Colorado's Front Range. Seeing a CU Medicine or UCHealth Medical Group doctor means personal medical records will be accessible to other practitioners in those groups, adding convenience for enrollees.
Deductible: $250 for an individual and $750 for a family. Many services are covered at or close to 100 percent once the deductible is met.
Out-of-pocket maximum: There’s no annual plan limit and the out-of-pocket max is $7,150 for an individual and $14,300 for a family.
Saving for health expenses: This plan pairs with a health care flexible spending account. Visit the Pretax Savings webpage for details on the differences between flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts.
Learn more: CU Health Plan – Exclusive
CU Health Plan – Extended
Why you might choose this plan: Faculty and staff who want extended health care options can use this plan with a national network and more choices for doctors. These additional choices come with a higher monthly rate and deductible.
Network: Faculty and staff choose their providers with this preferred provider organization (PPO) plan, and do not need a referral to see a specialist. Its national network, however, does not provide coverage outside of that national network. This plan’s network allows participants to see CU Medicine and UCHealth Medical Group providers and visit UCHealth facilities.
Deductible: A higher deductible – $750 for individuals and $1,500 for families – gives you more provider options.
Out-of-pocket maximum: The out-of-pocket max is also very reasonable at $7,150 for individuals and $14,300 for families. And there’s no annual plan limit.
Saving for health expenses: This plan pairs with a health care flexible spending account. Visit the Pretax Savings webpage for details on the differences between FSAs and HSAs.
Learn more: CU Health Plan – Extended
CU Health Plan – High Deductible
Why you might choose this plan: The CU Health Plan – High Deductible/HSA Compatible plan is very attractive for planners and savers. Faculty and staff not anticipating many medical expenses in the next year might want to consider this plan. However, this plan is also a nice option if you have a lot of medical expenses. It’s a good idea to compare your anticipated out-of-pocket expenses on all the plans offered.
Network: Enrollees may schedule appointments with specialists, with no primary care provider needed. The plan features a national network of providers, including the country’s top medical facilities and does allow for out-of-network coverage. Enrollees can still see CU Medicine and UCHealth Medical Group providers and visit UCHealth facilities as they are considered in-network providers.
Deductible: The annual deductible is $1,500 for an individual or $3,000 for a family. After meeting the deductible, enrollees pay coinsurance when using plan services.
Out-of-pocket maximum: The out-of-pocket limits for this plan are $3,000 for individuals and $6,000 for families in network; and $6,000 for individuals and $12,000 for families outside the network.
Saving for health expenses: This plan pairs with a health savings account (HSA), which allows you to save medical expenses in an interest-bearing account and it also pairs with the health care flexible spending account. Visit the Pretax Savings webpage for details on the differences between FSAs and HSAs.
Learn more: CU Health Plan – High Deductible
CU Health Plan – Kaiser
Why you might choose this plan: This plan’s exclusive provider organization (EPO) experience may be attractive to faculty and staff seeking a one-stop shop for care and are willing to pay higher monthly rates for that access. All care is provided at Kaiser facilities, by Kaiser doctors.
Network: Kaiser is accessible across Colorado. It offers a simple way to use the health care network because it’s all managed by Kaiser. Enrollees will need a primary care provider, and referrals for specialists, but medical records are easily accessible to all Kaiser providers. There is no out-of-network coverage outside of emergency or urgent care. Generally, all enrollees have to do is make an appointment then leave the rest to the Kaiser team.
Deductible: There is no deductible with this plan.
Out-of-pocket maximum: $7,150 for an individual and $14,300 for a family.
Saving for health expenses: This plan pairs with a health care flexible spending account. Visit the Pretax Savings webpage for details on the differences between FSAs and HSAs.
Learn more: CU Health Plan – Kaiser
Questions?
If you have questions, please call an Employee Services benefits professional at 303-860-4200, option 3. They can explain your plan options or answer questions based on your healthcare coverage needs. For more information, visit the Open Enrollment website.
If you want a quick primer in the basics of health plans, visit Employee Services’ Benefits 101 website.