Employee Benefits
Health Insurance
The primary health insurance for UW employees is provided by the State Group Health Insurance Program. This program is managed by the Wisconsin Group Insurance Board and the Department of Employee Trust Funds. It covers most state employees as well as eligible UW short-term academic staff, graduate assistants, and employees-in-training. It consists of an array of managed care ("HMO") plans and the Standard Plan, which is a self-insured preferred provider plan.
Employees who are eligible for the State Group Health Insurance Program are also eligible to enroll, within certain deadlines, in the Epic Dental and Excess Medical Insurance Program. This plan pays certain medical expenses that remain after your primary health insurance has paid. It also pays a portion of your costs for covered dental procedures.
Unless they are exempt due to student status, all employees are covered under Social Security and Medicare. As long as you are actively working, you and your dependents need not enroll for Medicare health care benefits. However, unless you have health insurance coverage through a working spouse, you must enroll for Medicare Part A and Part B as soon as you reach age 65 or retire, whichever is later.
Worker's compensation provides medical treatment for injuries sustained on the job.
Employees who are traveling outside the United States on university business are covered by Medex travel emergency insurance. Although it is not a health insurance plan, this policy provides help in locating medical care, medical evacuation and repatriation, and benefits for certain accidental losses.
You can set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for anticipated medical expenses, such as your co-pays for prescription drugs, through your Employee Reimbursement Account.
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This document was last revised on June 8, 2007
