HUMAN RESOURCES

Open Enrollment is the time each year to enroll/make changes to medical, dental, vision, FSA, life, and disability benefits. The choices you make during Open Enrollment shape the benefits that will cover you and your family starting 1/1/2025. Changes to these benefits can only be made outside Open Enrollment if you experience a qualifying event. You must enroll in FSA and HSA plans for 2025, they do not roll over year to year.

The following benefits are not tied to Open Enrollment and can be updated at any time throughout the year: commuter benefit, 403(b) retirement plans, PerkSpot discount program, pet insurance, and tuition benefits (see service criteria and application deadlines on the website).

There are several changes to Northwestern’s faculty and staff plans managed by BCBSIL. 

First, there have been several enhancements to the Life Insurance benefits for both employees and their spouses.  Faculty and staff may now elect supplemental life up to 8x their salary, restrictions apply.  During Open Enrollment, you may elect to increase both employee and spouse supplemental life by one increment.  See the Open Enrollment website for full information.

Second, the Tier 1/Northwestern Medicine network for the three PPO plans administered by BCBSIL will be collapsed into the in-network tier.  NM doctors and facilities will remain in-network, they will be covered at the same level of benefit as other in-network providers.

Third, in 2025, the health care FSA limit is $3,200; the limit for dependent care FSA is $5,000; and the Health Savings Account (HSA) limits are $4,300 for self-only coverage and $8,550 for family.  

Next, Northwestern is adding Legalease to the lineup of voluntary benefits for 2025.  LegalEASE offers a personalized approach, providing a concierge attorney matching system and a dedicated Member Service Advocate to assist with individual or family legal matters. 

Lastly, a $50 per month tobacco usage surcharge will be applied to premiums for those who have used tobacco products in the last six (6) months.  Non-tobacco users enrolled in a medical plan MUST opt-out of the tobacco usage surcharge during Open Enrollment, otherwise they will pay the $50 tobacco surcharge. See the Tobacco Usage FAQs for more information.

Please note: Those enrolled in a PPO medical plan will receive new ID cards for 2025. 

1. Log in to the myHR Self Service Portal using your NetID and password.
   1. Problems Logging In?
   2. Or log in via your cell phone using the Benefitplace app
2. Select the Benefits tile and then click My Health Benefits Elections on the left side of the screen. If nothing happens, you will need to turn off your pop-up blocker. Pop-Up Blocker Guide.
3. Click the Enroll Now button on the right side of screen. A step-by-step guideis available to assist you through the enrollment process.

The cost of healthcare is rising across the nation and is affecting every industry, including higher education. These increases are due to several factors, including increased use of healthcare services, higher prescription drug costs, more high-cost claims, and inflation.

Premiums for 2025 have increased, by average, $51 for the Select PPO plan. Northwestern has taken steps to keep healthcare rates more affordable by implementing modest changes to the medical plans for 2025, which includes network alignment and a tobacco surcharge program.

Full rates for 2025 are available on the Open Enrollment website.

Health insurance premiums are based on the plan you select, your salary, and the family members you cover.  

Selected Plan 

Northwestern offers four health plans: Value, Select, and Premier PPOs and HMO Illinois. Please review the website for more information on each plan. 

Salary 

If you are a new hire, your starting salary is used to determine which salary tier applies to you. If you are an existing employee, your salary on 9/1 of the previous calendar year is used. When your 9/1 salary crosses a salary tier due to a salary increase not associated with a change in full-time/part-time status, you will pay the lower premium for the following year. The only time you will move salary tiers within a calendar year is if you move from full-time to part-time or the reverse. If your salary decreases to a lower tier, please let HR know.  

Covered Dependents 

Your eligible dependents include your legal spouse, civil union partner, and dependent children under age 26. There are four tiers: Employee Only, Employee & Spouse, Employee & Child(ren), and Family. For Employee & Child(ren) and Family tiers, the premium does not change based on the number of children covered.  

Northwestern offers three health PPO plans, all administered by BCBS of Illinois, which are intended to provide you with flexibility when deciding what plan best aligns with your family’s individual needs and preferences.  All three plans use the same network of providers.  The difference between the plans is what you pay in premiums and out of pocket.  Review pages 4 and 5 of the 2025 Benefits Guide for a side-by-side comparison.  Additionally, you can compare the plans online using the cost estimator tool.  

The Premier PPO has the highest premiums, but you will have the lowest deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum. The Select PPO has lower premiums than the Premier PPO and slightly higher deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum. Prescription coverage for both plans use the same copays. There is a $1,500 annual cap per person for out-of-pocket prescription costs. In circumstances where the Premier PPO may not be the most cost-effective option for you and your family, it may nevertheless have the most predictable monthly out-of-pocket costs if you anticipate having significant medical expenses throughout the year. 

The Value PPO has the lowest premiums, but you will have higher deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum. You pay the in-network cost for prescription drugs until you reach the full deductible. To fill in the gap for the higher out of pocket costs you can contribute pre-tax to a Health Savings Account (HSA) and receive matching funds from the university.  Additionally, you should utilize the cost estimator tool (linked above) to help you decide what health insurance option makes the most sense for you and your family.  

You should review your past usage of medical insurance and the ExpressScripts online pricing tool to determine which plan meets the needs of you and your family.  

For the Select, Value, and Premier PPO plans, you can use the Provider Finder on BCBSIL’s website. Select Find Care on the navigation bar at the top, select Find a Doctor or Hospital from the drop down, then either log in or select Search as a Guest. From the Plans drop down select Participating Provider Organization [PPO]. You may also call BCBSIL directly by calling (888) 901-9357 using group 006161. 
 
For the HMO Illinois plan you can use the Provider Finder on BCBSIL’s website. Select Find Care on the navigation bar at the top, select Find a Doctor or Hospital from the drop down, then either log in or select Search as a Guest. From the Plans drop down select HMO Illinois® [HMO].  You may also call BCBSIL directly by calling (800) 892-2803. 

The Value PPO plan has lower monthly premiums, with higher deductibles than the Select and Premier PPO plans.  Once the deductible is met, the Value PPO provides 80% co-insurance until the out-of-pocket maximum is reached. Upon reaching out-of-pocket maximums, the plan pays 100% of qualified medical and Rx expenses for the remainder of the plan year. 
 
The Value PPO is paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA) – an investment account into which the IRS allows contributions from all sources of up to a maximum of $4,300 for individuals; $8,550 for families in 2025. Northwestern will provide a dollar-for-dollar match for the first $1,000 for individual coverage and $2,000 for family coverage. 

Watch a short video that explains the Value PPO plan. 

A $50 tobacco surcharge is assessed only on medical plans and only impacts enrolled employees 1) who use tobacco products and/or who have a spouse or dependent child who use tobacco products; or 2) those who do not opt-out of the Tobacco Surcharge Program.  It is not applicable to dental or vision coverage.

Tobacco use contributes to chronic and serious diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension and cancer, which results in increased health care costs for the covered individuals in the Northwestern medical plans.  The purpose of the program is to provide an incentive for tobacco users to start the process of quitting.  The surcharge collected is used to offset the cost of tobacco use for non-tobacco users enrolled in the medical plans.

If you and all of your covered family members are non-tobacco users and you didn't change your Tobacco Surcharge Program (TSP) attestation during Open Enrollment, you can submit a change to your TSP attestation through myHR. This update will take effect on the first of the month following the date the change is submitted.  Surcharges that have been applied to faculty and staff paychecks due to their failure to attest will not be refunded unless they participate in a tobacco cessation program or other acceptable alternative means of compliance.  See the Is there any other way to avoid the tobacco surcharge? Q&A below for more details. 

A plan participant who has used any tobacco products within the last six (6) months. This does not include tobacco use for religious or ceremonial purposes.

Tobacco includes any product made with or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption. This includes but is not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes containing nicotine, smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, or any other product that contains tobacco), and any other smoking devices that use tobacco (e.g. hookahs).

Tobacco use is considered the use of any tobacco product within the last six (6) months.  Tobacco use for religious or ceremonial purposes is not included in the definition of tobacco use.  This includes but is not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes containing nicotine, smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, or any other product that contains tobacco), and any other smoking devices that use tobacco (e.g. hookahs).

Yes! If you do not attest as a non-tobacco user, you will be defaulted as a “tobacco user” and will be assessed the tobacco surcharge.

No. The surcharge does not apply to dental or vision plans.  The surcharge will only apply to the medical plans.

Your medical plan is committed to helping you achieve your best health. All employees may be able to avoid the tobacco surcharge, even those who currently use tobacco products. See this flyer or contact BCBSIL at the 800- number on the back of your ID card to learn more about BCBSIL’s tobacco cessation program. Contact askHR at 847-491-4700 about how to earn the full reward (i.e., avoid the tobacco surcharge for the full plan year) upon completion of the cessation program. Alternatively, contact askHR at 847-491-4700 and we will work with you and your doctor to find a program that will enable you to earn the full reward (i.e., avoid the tobacco surcharge for the full plan year) in light of your, and/or your dependents’, circumstances.

Yes. The surcharge applies if one or more covered individuals have used tobacco products in the last six (6) months.

No. You will only be charged the $50 surcharge once per month, regardless of how many family members use tobacco products.

Yes. The tobacco use surcharge applies whether your covered dependents live with you or not.

If you and/or a covered family member is currently a tobacco user, but in the future stops using tobacco products, you can request to have the tobacco use surcharge removed via myHR once you or your covered family member are tobacco free for at least six (6) months. If one or more covered individuals uses tobacco products, the surcharge is applied.

If you and/or a covered family member begins using tobacco, you must update your tobacco user attestation in myHR. Your tobacco use surcharge will then begin to be collected from your future pay.

The definition of a tobacco user is someone who has used any tobacco product within the last six (6) months of the start of the plan or the time of enrollment.  Once you or a covered dependent are tobacco free for a minimum of six (6) months, you can change your attestation in myHR.

Yes, the health plan offers a cessation program.  BCBSIL's tobacco cessation programs consist of methods to help you learn to quit smoking, with one-on-one coaching and innovative lessons developed using the most current academic and medical research.  See flyer for more information.

Sign up for the Tobacco Cessation Program in the Well onTarget Portal at wellontarget.com. Or call 877-806-9380.

Information collected via the Tobacco Surcharge Program (TSP) is only used by the Office of Human Resources for the payroll deduction of the tobacco surcharge. The University respects individual privacy and has designed the TSP process to safeguard individual information. Information access will be limited to only those individuals involved in benefits administration and payroll processing. The assessment of the surcharge does not exclusively indicate someone is a tobacco user since those who chose not to update their attestation as non-tobacco users also receive the surcharge. Managers, supervisors, and other campus administrators will not receive individually identifiable reporting on the TSP.

There are no HIPAA privacy requirements related to tobacco usage and tobacco use status is not protected health information (PHI).  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) permits premium differentials based upon tobacco use.

The surcharge collected is used to offset the cost of tobacco use for non-tobacco users enrolled in the medical plans.

If you are currently being treated by a physician for a medical condition (e.g., nicotine addiction), and the physician has advised that you not change your tobacco use, then you may indicate as a non-tobacco user in myHR.

LegalEASE offers a legal insurance plan that provides support and protection for personal legal issues, including:​

• Home and consumer (Buying, selling, foreclosure and tenant disputes)​
• Financial (Debt collection, collections, contracts)​
• Auto and traffic (Traffic matters and license suspensions)​
• Family (Adoption, divorce, name change)​
• Estate planning and wills (Will, living will, health care power of attorney)

Benefits are designed to meet the typical needs of a employees and their family. There are no deductibles for covered services. Benefits cover the attorney’s time. Other costs such as filing fees or court costs are not covered. Listed on the LegalEASE website are the types of matters that are covered by the LegalEASE benefits plan.

For more information on the benefit:

• Review informational brochure [updated monthly premium is $15.27; brochure will be updated soon]
• Watch a recorded presentation [updated monthly premium is $15.27; presentation will be updated soon]
• Or call 800-248-9000 to learn more

Contact LegalEASE directly at 800-248-9000.

Enrollment is made through myHR during Open Enrollment or within your first 31 days after becoming eligible for benefits or experiencing a Qualified Life Event (QLE). Once enrolled in LegalEASE, you cannot drop the plan without a QLE until the next Open Enrollment period.

Yes. If you want an FSA or HSA, you must re-enroll every year. If you do not re-enroll, you will not receive these benefits in 2025.

Both FSA and HSAs are pre-tax accounts that can be used for medical expenses. The major difference is eligibility and what happens to the funds at the end of the year. For the HSA, you must be enrolled in the Value PPO. At the end of the year funds in your HSA roll over and are never forfeited. For the Health Care FSA, you cannot be enrolled in the Value PPO. You have until 3/15 of the following year to incur expenses. You then have until 3/31 of the following year to submit receipts to PayFlex for reimbursement. If you miss these deadlines the funds are forfeited. 

With an HSA, the money rolls over year after year and the account is yours to keep, even if you leave the University, retire, or change to a health plan that is not the Value PPO. The money is yours to use for future medical expenses; but you may not contribute additional funds to the account. 

Yes, those enrolled in the Health Care FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, or Health Savings Account (HSA) will receive a debit card from PayFlex. It is one card for all three accounts. The Dependent Care FSA does not use the debit card.  If you have an HSA and Limited Purpose FSA, funds will pay out of the Limited Purpose FSA for vision and dental claims before the deductible is met, and medical claims are paid from the HSA balance. After the deducible is met, the Limited Purpose FSA allows medical.  

Inflation associated with the dental plans in 2024 has increased significantly. As a result, for 2025 the monthly premiums for the PPO plan will increase. The dental HMO will not have any premium changes.   

If you are enrolled in the BCBS of IL Dental PPO, members may receive care from any licensed dentist, but benefits are higher if care is provided by an in-network dentist. To find a network dentist, access the BCBS of IL Dental PPO provider directory online, then search by name or location. If you are enrolled in the Guardian HMO, members must receive care from the primary dentist listed on the ID card. To update your primary dentist, call Guardian at 866-494-4542. You can find a list of participating dentists on Guardian’s provider finder website. 

The 403(b) plans are not included in Open Enrollment and can be enrolled in or changed at any time during the year. If you make changes to the 403(b) retirement plan during Open Enrollment, the change is effective right away.

For deferral changes effective your first paycheck in 2025, you MUST make the request between the following dates:

• Monthly
  
  • Request Change: 1/1/2025-1/17/2025
  • Paycheck: 1/31/2025
• Biweekly
  • Request Change: 12/22/2024-1/1/2025
  • Paycheck: 1/10/2025

Northwestern utilizes NetBenefits, administered by Fidelity, to provide enhanced services for the Retirement Savings Plans offered to faculty and staff. All contribution amount changes, even if you contribute to TIAA, are made using this system. There are two ways to make this change for those in both TIAA and/or Fidelity: 

• Call NetBenefits at 800-343-0860 to speak with a representative.
• Update your contribution amount yourself via myHR. Call NetBenefits at 800-343-0860 for assistance with navigating the portal. See this user guide for assistance.