黑料天堂

The USA Health Care Authority offers three comprehensive plans which include health, dental and pharmacy benefits. Employees may choose to enroll in either of these plans, as a new employee or during open enrollment, by selecting the one that best fits their needs. The USA CHOICE PLAN, USA SELECT PLAN and USA CONSUMER PLAN are administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. The employee receives a summary of the benefit plans to assist in the decision making process.

USA CHOICE PLAN: Benefits are received within a network of Blue Cross Blue Shield providers or within the USA Health network of hospitals, physicians, outpatient clinics and other providers affiliated with the 黑料天堂. By using a USA Health provider, the member receives medical care at a lower cost to both the Plan and the member.

USA SELECT PLAN: This plan is a narrow network design based on USA Health medical providers and providers from the BCBS PPO network. The USA Select benefit design has no deductibles and low cost copays when using a USA Health network provider. Other BCBS PPO providers are covered at 70%. By using a USA Health provider, this will ensure you are receiving the very best benefit possible. 

USA CONSUMER PLAN: This plan, administered by BCBS AL, is a high deductible health plan which offers flexibility and control over healthcare spending. This plan has lower premiums but also has a high deductible and out-of-pocket cost sharing. Once the deductible has been met, USA Health providers are covered at 80% and BCBS PPO providers are covered at 75%.

Monthly Employee Cost:	Single*	Family*
USA Choice Plan	$157	$518
USA Select Plan	$103	$339
USA Consumer Plan	$50	$250
*Includes the non-tobacco wellness incentive of $50

 

Monthly University Cost:	Single	Family
USA Choice Plan	$644	$1,360
USA Select Plan	$626	$1,354
USA Consumer Plan	$628	$1,324

Pharmacy Benefits

The USA Choice Plan, USA Select Plan, and USA Consumer Plan provides prescription drug coverage administered by Prime Therapeutics, Inc. Coverage is included for employees and eligible dependents enrolled in the Plan.

USA Wellness Program

The 黑料天堂 and the USA Health Care Authority encourage all employees to adopt healthy lifestyle choices. We have implemented a tobacco cessation program, intended to help employees stop using tobacco products, which will greatly improve
their health.

Employees and their spouses who declare that they do not use tobacco products (and have not for at least six months) will be eligible to receive a $50 wellness incentive (one per family). Employees are required to certify in Employee Navigator that they do not use
tobacco products.

Employees and their covered spouses who use tobacco products are not eligible for the $50 wellness incentive. However, employees and their covered spouses can qualify for the $50 wellness incentive after they stop using tobacco products for at least six months.

The USA Choice Plan, USA Select Plan, and USA Consumer Plan are committed to helping you achieve your best health. The wellness incentive is available to all employees. If you think you might be unable to meet the Standard under this Wellness Program, you may qualify for an opportunity to earn the same reward by different means. Contact the USA Human Resources department for additional information.

Premium Conversion

Premiums for the USA Choice, USA Select, and USA Consumer Plans are automatically deducted before any federal, state or Social Security taxes are withheld. The result is a reduction of taxable income equal to the amount paid for health and dental insurance during the calendar year.

VSP Vision Insurance

Website:
Phone: 1-800-877-7195

Eligible employees can voluntarily elect to enroll in vision insurance with VSP. VSP vision insurance provides coverage and savings on the cost of an annual eye exam, prescription eyewear and lenses, contact lenses, and other eye-related services. The vision plan is built around the VSP provider network, who have higher benefits at a lower cost to the member. The employee pays the full premium for this benefit.

Monthly premium: $7.18 Employee only coverage
                              $19.82 Family coverage

USA Choice Plan and USA Select Plan - Health Equity, Inc.
Website:
Phone: (866) 346-5800

Health Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts 

Eligible employees can take advantage of flexible spending accounts by setting aside pre-tax money through payroll deductions to pay for qualified health care expenses, including deductibles and copays, out-of-pocket dental expenses and qualified dependent child care expenses. Money set aside in these accounts will reduce taxable income, providing participants with more value for the dollar. Each plan provides a VISA庐 reimbursement account card for use when you incur a qualified medical expense. Participants may also submit expenses through the online participant portal for
reimbursement. As other eligible expenses are incurred such as dependent care expenses, claims may be filed for reimbursement. The University pays all administrative expenses for this benefit.

USA Consumer (HDHP) - Health Equity, Inc. & TIAA 

Website:
Phone: (866) 346-5800

Website:
Phone: (800) 842-2776

Health Savings Account

Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account

Dependent Care Reimbursement Account 

The 黑料天堂 offers a variety of supplemental plans through Aflac for you and your family, so you can have extra financial protection to cover unexpected costs.

Accident Insurance

Hospital Indemnity Insurance

Critical Illness Insurance

Group Life Term to 120

 

For additional information please visit:

University-Paid Group Term Life Insurance

Company: The Standard
Website:
Phone: (888) 937-4783

The University provides at no cost to benefits-eligible employees a group term life insurance plan from the Standard. Coverage is provided in accordance with the following schedule:

Annual Base Salary	Coverage Amounts *
Up to $40, 000	$50,000
$40, 001 and over	125% of salary
	($100,000 maximum benefit)
*Includes a $5,000 benefit for spouse and eligible children

University-Paid Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

The University provides at no cost to eligible employees an Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) policy from the Standard in the amount equal to the Basic Term Life Insurance if death was caused by an accident. AD&D also pays a benefit if a serious injury results in dismemberment.

Additional Group Term Life Insurance

Additional term life insurance equal to one, two, or three times the basic coverage is available to the employee at group rates. Employees applying for additional coverage must be medically underwritten. Employees that elect a minimum of 1X additional coverage on themselves may apply for additional spouse and/or additional child coverage. Additional coverage for spouse is available for an additional $25,000 of coverage and is subject to underwriting. Additional dependent child(ren) coverage is also available ($10,000 addl) but does not require underwriting. 

University Paid-Short Term Disability Insurance
Company: The Standard
Website:            Phone: (888) 937-4783

The University provides at no cost to eligible employees, upon completion of six months of employment,  short term disability insurance through the Standard. After a 15-day period, benefits are paid at 60% of the employee鈥檚 total weekly earnings, up to $1,000 per week for a covered disability. Benefits are payable up to 12 weeks, as long as the employee remains unable to work due to a covered disability. 

University Paid鈥擫ong Term Disability Insurance

Company: The Standard
Website:
Phone: (888) 937-4783

The University provides at no cost to eligible employees long term disability insurance through the Standard. After a 90-day period of disability, 60% of the employee鈥檚 base monthly salary will be paid for permanent or temporary total disability, up to a maximum benefit of $10,000 a month.

USA Health Care Authority

457(b) Deferred Compensation-Matching Retirement Plan/401(a) Combination Plan

The USA Health Care Authority provides a deferred compensation plan which enables employees to use pre-tax income to contribute to their retirement. Participation is voluntary. The plan currently matches employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 5% of salary. These plans allow eligible employees to invest in fixed and variable annuities and mutual funds in tax-deferred accounts. The employer matched funds are invested in the 401(a) Combination Plan.

Eligible employees will be fully vested in the employer matching contributions at the completion of three (3) years of employment.

Employees may reduce their state and federal taxable income by contributing up to $23,000 ($30,500 if over age 50) annually.

With this deferred compensation plan, employees make their own investment decisions. Depending on their personal investment goals, employees can choose one or more of the plan鈥檚 investment options, each of which offers a different combination of risk and return. The transfer and withdrawal restrictions of the funds and accounts also differ and should be taken into consideration. Employees may choose a fund based on their closest estimated retirement year or may build their own portfolio from the funds available.

USA Health Care Authority 

457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan - Supplemental Retirement

Social Security

Social Security provides protection in the form of retirement benefits, disability income, survivor income and Medicare insurance. Participation is required. In 2024, the employee and the USA Health Care Authority contribute 6.2% of the employee鈥檚 annual salary up to the maximum taxable earnings base of $168,600 Contributions for Medicare are 1.45% of the employee鈥檚 annual salary. The USA Health Care Authority contributes a matching amount.

The Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit program provides employees with paid time away from work that they can use for vacation, sick leave, personal leave, and holiday observances.

Full-time benefits-eligible employees accrue PTO hours as follows:

Years of Continuous	Days Accrued Per Year	Monthly Accrual Rate
0-5 yrs (0-60 months)	25	2.08 days per month
5-10 yrs (61-120 months)	29	2.42 days per month
10 or more years (121+ months)	33	2.75 days per month

Benefits eligible part-time employees accrue PTO on a prorated basis. For new hires, accruals begin on the initial date of employment.

Employees who do not use all of the PTO hours they accrue within the fiscal year (10/1鈥�9/30) may roll over unused PTO hours from one fiscal year to the next. These hours may not exceed 480 (60 days) on October 1.

Employees may elect to cash out up to 80 PTO hours (prorated based on FTE) each year during open enrollment. Employees are required to have an 80-hour (10 days) balance at the time the payment is issued. PTO is paid at 100% of the employee鈥檚 salary rate.

Upon separation of employment, employees are not eligible for payment of unused accrued PTO hours. This includes resignations, terminations, and retirements.

Educational Benefit Plan

Employee 鈥揢pon completion of 6 months of employment prior to the first day of classes per the University Academic Calendar, regular (.90 FTE or greater) employees may qualify for a tuition credit for up to five credit semester hours, plus the University registration fee. The tuition credit rate is based on the prevailing College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate tuition rate for all course levels. Employees must maintain at least a 2.0 institutional grade-point average for undergraduate course work and a 3.0 institutional grade-point average for graduate course work for continued eligibility.

Spouse/Dependents 鈥� Tuition credit is also available to the spouse and unmarried dependent children (under age 25 on the first day of classes) of employees who are eligible for the educational benefit. The tuition credit is 50% of tuition only (no fees) with no hour maximum. The tuition credit rate is based on the prevailing College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate tuition rate for all course levels. The spouse/dependent children must maintain at least a 2.0 institutional grade-point average for undergraduate course work and a 3.0 institutional grade-point average for graduate course work for continued eligibility.

In accordance with current Internal Revenue Service regulations, educational benefits received by an individual who is a dependent of the employee, are treated as taxable income to the employee.

Life Services Toolkit

Company: The Standard
Website:
Phone: (888) 937-4783

This University paid benefit provides the employee and their eligible dependents with medical, travel, and legal services when faced with an emergency while traveling more than 100 miles away from home. A Life Services Toolkit is available for employee needs now and for beneficiary support after a death. 

JagFIT@黑料天堂

Live. Learn. Feel. Engage. Join the Movement!
JagFIT@黑料天堂 Health and Wellness Initiative is available to all University employees. With a focus on health, exercise, nutrition, emotional wellness and sustainability, the University is prioritizing a culture change at 黑料天堂 Alabama. Visit the JagFIT@黑料天堂 website for information on fun and exciting exercise and wellness challenges along with quality giveaways to employees who join the health and wellness movement and reach specific milestones. Learn more at www.southalabama.edu/JagFIT.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Phone: (251) 461-1346

The EAP offers confidential counseling and referral services at no cost to the employee.

鈥� Use of University facilities
鈥� USA Bookstore discount (10%)
鈥� USA Federal Credit Union
鈥� Free admission to athletic events (excludes tournaments and football)
鈥� A discount, up to 20%, on season tickets for all ticketed sports, up to a maximum of 6 tickets per employee.
鈥� Savi - Public Service student loan forgiveness program.
鈥� Employee discounts at restaurants, hotels, travel services, event/theater tickets, etc.
鈥� Discount on many non-credit Continuing Education courses and certificate programs. Call the Center for Continuing Education at 251-460-7200 for additional information.