Your benefits
Understanding our medical plans
If you are enrolled in health system benefits, you’ll find robust support for you and your growing family. The health system offers two plans for medical coverage to its employees: the HSA Advantage Plan and Signature Plan. Learn more about our medical plans here. When employees enroll in benefits, they may enroll for employee-only, employee-plus spouse, employee-plus children or family coverage. The chart below will help you understand the medical coverage provided by the health system plans for you and, if enrolled, your dependents. If you have additional questions, email BenefitsConnection@kumc.edu or call 888-494-9119. (Note: Health system physicians are offered different medical plan coverage and should consult their benefits guide for details.)
Your Medical Provider | ||||
Maternity Benefit – HSA Advantage Plan and Signature Plan | The University of Kansas Health System Provider | In-Network Provider | Out-of-Network Provider | |
Health system pays 90% of the allowable charge after the benefit year deductible is met Employee pays the remaining 10% of the allowable charge after the benefit year deductible is met | Health system pays 70% of the allowable charge after the benefit year deductible is met Employee pays the remaining 30% of the allowable charge after the benefit year deductible is met | Health system pays 60% of the allowable charge after the benefit year deductible is met Employee pays the remaining 40% of the allowable charge after the benefit year deductible is met | ||
In general, maternity care covers a female employee, spouse of a covered employee and/or covered dependents (non-spouse). Covered services include consultation; prenatal care; conditions directly related to pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care; and delivery of one or more infants. Provider services also include maternity services performed by certified nurse midwives when supervised by a licensed medical doctor. Only non-elective abortions are covered.
Your benefits while on leave
If you are using PTO or EIR to supplement your pay while on leave, all applicable insurance premiums will continue to be deducted as they normally are. These premiums include medical, dental, vision, buy-up short-term disability, supplemental life insurance, supplemental AD&D insurance, spouse/child life insurance, critical illness insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, accident insurance, legal insurance, ID theft insurance and spousal surcharge.
If your leave is no longer being supplemented by PTO or EIR and you are on unpaid leave, all applicable premiums must continue being paid. Premium payments can be:
- Paid by personal check while on leave; a personal check can be made out to The University of Kansas Health System and sent to The University of Kansas Health System Attn: Leave Administration at 5799 Broadmoor St. Suite 650 Mission, KS 66202.
- Deducted at 1.5 times per pay period upon return from leave until all missed premiums are repaid.
In some cases, you may need to make additional arrangements to ensure your benefits do not lapse:
- Whole life insurance: You are responsible for contacting Boston Mutual at 800-669-2668 ext. 222 to make direct bill payments or set up auto-draft payments while you are on leave. If your payments fall more than 60 days behind, the policy will lapse.
- Home, auto and pet insurance: You will be moved to a direct-bill status and receive a bill for missed premiums directly from MetLife while on leave.
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA): Any missed contributions that would typically have been deducted from your pay will be recalculated and split among the remaining pay periods in the calendar year, upon your return from leave.
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Your contributions will stop while you are on leave. Email BenefitsConnection@kumc.edu to restart contributions upon your return from leave.
- Retirement contributions will temporarily pause while you are not receiving pay from the health system and will automatically start again upon your return from unpaid leave.
Using Healthcare FSA, Dependent Care FSA and HSA accounts
If you have a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can use these to pay for qualified expenses associated with pregnancy and childbirth. A Dependent Care FSA can be useful to pay for care for a child or dependent adult, including expenses like preschool, summer day camp and day care. See the chart below for more information.
Health savings account (HSA) | Healthcare flexible spending account (FSA) | Dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) | |
Who can open the account? | Employees who elect the HSA Advantage Medical Plan. | Benefit-eligible employees who are not enrolled in the HSA Advantage Medical Plan. | Any benefit-eligible employee. |
Why should I open an account? | To save for future healthcare expenses in 2023 and beyond. Money goes in tax-free, is invested tax-free and can be used to pay for qualified medical, dental and vision expenses. The health system contributes $500 for employee-only coverage; $1,000 for family. | To save for healthcare expenses expected in 2023. The money you set aside in the FSA is not subject to payroll taxes, so you take home more of your paycheck. | To save for dependent care expenses expected in 2023. The money you set aside in the FSA is not subject to payroll taxes, so you take home more of your paycheck. |
How can I use the money? | To pay for medical, dental and vision expenses including deductibles, coinsurance, prescriptions and other eligible expenses. | To pay for medical, dental and vision expenses including deductibles, coinsurance, prescriptions and other eligible expenses. | To pay for eligible expenses at licensed day or elder care centers, nursery schools, day camps and home care with valid tax ID numbers. |
What if I don’t use the money in 2023? | All unused funds roll over each year. | Any unused funds are forfeited. You have until April 30, 2024, to submit claims for eligible expenses incurred Jan. 1, 2023-Feb. 29, 2024. | Any unused funds are forfeited. You have until April 30, 2024, to submit claims for eligible expenses incurred Jan. 1, 2023-Feb. 29, 2024. |
When can I use the money in my account? | Money you contribute from each paycheck is available as soon as it’s added to your account. Funds provided by the health system are available Jan. 1 or, for newly eligible employees, as sson as their account is activated. | Your total annual elected amount is available for you to use beginning Jan. 1, 2023. | Money you contribute from each paycheck is available as soon as it’s added to your account. |
Can I invest the money in my account? | Yes | No | No |
How much can I contribute? | $3,850 individual, $7,750 family. Age 55 and over can contribute an extra $1,000. | $2,850 | $5,000 |
To learn more about a HSA, Healthcare FSA and Dependent Care FSA, including how these accounts work, how to enroll and how to contribute, click here.
Note: You typically cannot have both an active HSA and a Healthcare FSA account. However if you are a benefits-eligible employee, you can have a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) even if you have an HSA or Healthcare FSA.
How to get a breast pump through insurance
Both the health system’s HSA Advantage Plan and Signature Plan include a breast pump benefit, which means our insurance provider (Blue Cross and Blue Shield) will cover the allowable charge for the purchase of a manual or electric breast pump (either single or double; limit one breast pump per pregnancy). To learn more about your breast pump benefit and to order a breast pump, take these steps:
Inquire
Call Blue Cross and Blue Shield Customer Service at the number on your member ID card to confirm you have a breast pump benefit and with any other benefit-related questions.
Get a prescription
Ask your doctor for a prescription for a breast pump once you reach 26-28 weeks in your pregnancy.
Place your order
At 30 weeks in your pregnancy, order your breast pump by contacting one of the in-network local walk-in providers or mail-order providers listed below. Please allow four weeks to receive your breast pump in the mail.
- You will need your Blue Cross and Blue Shield member ID card when you place your order.
- If you have not obtained a prescription for a breast pump from your doctor, you can ask the breast pump provider to request the prescription for you.
- Contact your breast pump provider directly with any ordering questions.
Walk-in locations: Kansas City Blue Select Plus Network Providers *For a complete listing of local walk-in locations, call Blue KC Customer Service at the number listed on your member ID card. | ||
Provider | Location | Phone Number |
Allied Medical Equipment | Lenexa, KS | (913) 541-9500 |
Elite Medical Innovations | Lenexa, KS | (913) 998-9147 |
Mobility First | Independence, MO | (816) 350-7600 |
Mail-order providers: Blue Select Plus Network Providers | ||
Edgepark Web: Edgepark.com When prompted for “breast pump,” press 1. The Breastfeeding Shop Phone: (866) 255-6779
Web: YummyMummyStore.com Yummy Mummy is a contracted provider in our Blue Select Plus Network. | ||
How to add a baby to your health insurance
Outside of annual benefits enrollment, you can make changes to your health insurance coverage when you have a qualifying life event, and having a child is considered a qualifying life event. You have 30 days from the qualifying life event to submit documentation on our benefits website. New family members, including newborns, are not automatically added to your insurance plan. You’ll need to provide appropriate documentation for the qualifying life event (birth certificate or letter of birth) to make the change. For assistance, call 888-494-9119.
Keep in mind that if our insurance plan administrator receives a hospital or medical claim for the birth of a child, and the child has not been added to your insurance plan during the 30-day window, only the medical claims related to the parent who gave birth will be covered. Any claims submitted for the child will not be covered until the child is added to your insurance.
Perks For You discounts for your growing family
With Perks For You, you and your family can save money with exclusive savings and discounts from thousands of local businesses and national brands – including maternity and baby care items. Perks For You is a digital portal that gives all health system employees, regardless of benefits eligibility, and their spouses access to thousands of discounts. Save on maternity items, baby gear, clothing, parenting classes and even tuition at local daycares, as well as electronics, tickets, travel, transportation, food and more. Sign up for your free account and download the BenefitHub app on your phone.
Family care benefits
The health system offers family care solutions to benefits-eligible employees through our partnership with Bright Horizons to help you care for your loved ones. This benefit is available only in Kansas City.
Back-up care
When you have a disruption in family care, you won’t have to skip a beat. Back-up care is available to support you for many needs including:
- Your child’s school is closed.
- The sitter is on vacation.
- Mom or Dad needs support in their home.
- Your child is mildly ill and can’t attend school or child care.
- Your 5-18-year-old needs additional tutoring in any subject.
Benefit-eligible employees can use up to 10 days of back-up care per year. For in-home care, there is a 4-hour minimum up and a 10-hour maximum.
- $15 per child or a maximum of $25 per family for use of center-based child care.
- $6 per hour for in-home care services for any age, from children through elders.
- $15 for up to 4 hours of virtual tutoring.
To reduce your stress, register now before the need for back-up care arises. That way, you can easily secure back-up care when you need it:
- Visit BackUp.BrightHorizons.com
- To register, click “Join Today”
- Use employer username: KansasHealthSystem and password: Benefits4You
- For maximum convenience, download the app: Search “Bright Horizons back-up care”
Call 877-242-2737 with questions and read the frequently asked questions.
Additional family supports
When you need more permanent solutions or additional care resources, you have access to more services including:
- Free membership to a comprehensive database and additional resources to help employees find full-time childcare in a Bright Horizons® center
- Tuition discounts at high-quality partner centers
- A database of sitters, nannies, pet sitters and housekeepers
- Senior care solutions
- Discounted tutoring and test preparation
Visit Clients.BrightHorizons.com/KansasHealthSystem. When registering, use employer username: KansasHealthSystem and password: Benefits4You.
Call 877-242-2737 with questions.
Preparing your family’s finances
The health system and our financial wellness partner, Fidelity, have a robust library of resources to help you prepare financially for the birth or adoption of a child. To learn about their financial planning tools, benefits-eligible employees can log in to their account at NetBenefits.com/AtWork to access:
- Articles on financial considerations of having or adopting a child
- Goal booster tool to help you save for childbirth or adoption expenses
- Help with estate planning
- College savings tools
- Guidance on updating your policy beneficiaries
- Information about utilizing flexible spending accounts (FSA)
- Insights about the financial considerations of being a stay-at-home parent
Establishing a 529 education savings plan
It’s never too early to start saving for the future, and saving now for future education expenses can add up big over time. The health system makes it easy with the option to deposit part of your paycheck in a Learning Quest Education Savings 529 account. This benefit is open to all employees, regardless of benefits eligibility.
Click here to learn about the tax benefits and key features of a 529 plan, how to open a new account, how to contribute to an existing account via direct deposit and more.
