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.
The EPIC Benefits+ Plan is an insurance plan that provides dental, a hospital/surgical benefit and a choice of a vision discount plan or vision insurance benefits beyond what is provided by your State Group Health Insurance plan. It also provides an accidental death and dismemberment benefit.
All employees, unless exempt due to student status, 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.
For information on the impacts of 2011 WI Act 10 (2011 Budget Repair Bill) and 2011 WI Act 32 (2011 Biennial Budget), please see Changes Coming to State Group Health Insurance.
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This document was last revised on November 12, 2012
