- Work @ Tufts
- Employee Services
- eServe
- H1N1 Flu
- Admin Resources
- Benefits
- Benefits Open Enrollment
- Summary Plan Description
- Medical Plans
- Dental Plan
- Vision Plan
- Life Insurance Plans
- Travel Assistance Program
- Long Term Disability Plan
- Retirement Savings Plans
- Retiree Medical Plan
- Retiree Dental Plan
- Vendor Websites
- Benefit Costs
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program
- Tuition Remission
- Commuter Benefit Program
- Employee Assistance Program
- MetLaw Legal Plan
- MetLife Auto and Home Group Insurance Program
- Long-Term Care Insurance
- Work Life Booklet
- Forms
- Benefits FAQ
- Benefits Contact List
- Forms
Benefits FAQ
COMMUTER BENEFITS
Q: How do I sign up for an MBTA monthly pass?
Log on to www.wageworks.com or contact WageWorks at (877) 924-3967. The 4th of each month is the deadline to receive a pass for the following month.
Q: I tried to sign up through WageWorks, but their site said my information was invalid.
Please note that your 4-digit ID code is the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number. You’ll also need to make sure that you’re using the ZIP code that the University has on file for you. If you’ve moved since you were hired and haven’t changed your address with us, your old ZIP code is still being sent to WageWorks. Since we send information to WageWorks on a weekly basis, try signing up with your old ZIP code for now, and change your address via eServe as soon as possible. The new information will go to WageWorks the following week.
CONTACTS
Q. Who do I contact if I forget my User ID and Password information?
To obtain your User ID or to reset your Password, please contact the University IT Support Center at (617) 627-3376 or via e-mail at uitsc@tufts.edu.
Q. Who should I call if I have specific questions regarding the benefit plans coverage?
You should contact the benefit carriers directly for specific benefit questions, such as plan details and network information. You may also contact the HR Benefits Office at (617) 627-3270. All vendor contact information is listed on the attached document.
DENTAL BENEFITS
Q: I thought we had two different dental plans, but your forms and website only talk about “Delta Dental USA.” Isn’t there a plan through the Dental School?
Tufts University offers one dental plan with two coverage tiers. The coverage “tiers” refer to what you pay out-of-pocket for services, and the reimbursement costs vary based on whether you seek services at the Tufts University Dental School OR if you seek services at another office that accepts Delta Dental. If you have work done at the Dental School, you will pay a lower percentage out-of-pocket, and you may not have to fulfill a deductible. For more information, see the Tufts University HR Benefits website at hr.tufts.edu/benefits.
FITNESS BENEFITS
Q. How will I receive reimbursement for the Fitness Benefit?
You will need to be a member of a University health plan and your health club for at least 4 months (in a calendar year). You will then need to complete a Fitness Reimbursement Form, which can be accessed on the Tufts University HR Benefits website at hr.tufts.edu/benefits.
LEGAL BENEFITS
Q: I signed up for MetLaw this year. How do I find a list of providers and how to use the plan?
You can call Hyatt Legal Plans (Metlaw) at (800) 821-6400 or go on their website at www.legalplans.com.
LIFE INSURANCE
Q: I want to change my life insurance beneficiaries. How do I do that?
You can do that online via Employee Self-Service at eserve.hr.tufts.edu. There is a tip sheet called “Employee Self-Service Overview” – Life Insurance Beneficiary instructions are on pp. 5-6.
Q: I want to change my beneficiary to a trust, but online, I can only enter people.
Please put your request in writing and send it to the HR Benefits Office – we will keep it in your HR Benefits file. Make sure to sign and date your request so our staff will know it supersedes what’s in the electronic database.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY
Q: I am on a leave of absence, how do I apply for Long Term Disability?
Once an employee is out on a medical leave of absence, they will show up on the HR Benefits monthly Leave of Absence report. When they have been out for 4 months, Prudential is notified that you are a “potential claimant” and you are sent a packet. Prudential will then do an intake call. If you do not want to file a claim, then let them know at that time. If you are unable or unsure if you can come back to work at the end of your 6 months, then fill out the paperwork, have your physician fill out their section and mail the paperwork back to Prudential. Prudential needs 1-2 months for processing, however, it can take longer if it is a complicated claim.
Q: How long can I be on LTD?
You can be on LTD until you are no longer considered disabled, OR you reach your retirement date (65, 66, or 67) determined by Social Security; whichever comes first. If you are 60 or older when you go on LTD, then there is a reduced schedule of benefits, with 12 months being the least amount of time on LTD. Please call the HR Benefits Office for further information.
MEDICAL BENEFITS
Q. How do I find out if my doctors or hospital participate in the plan?
You can access the benefit plans’ Provider Directories via the web or by calling one of the “800” vendor phone numbers on the attached document.
Q. What is the different between EPO/HMO and POS Plans?
An EPO and an HMO are plans that offer In-Network only coverage through a Primary Care Physician. Both are functionally identical. A POS Plan functions as an EPO or HMO for In-Network benefits, plus has Out-of-Network coverage that is subject to a deductible and co-insurance.
Q: Has my benefits enrollment information been sent to the carriers?
Generally, all carrier feeds are sent every Tuesday. Depending on when the benefits enrollment paperwork was entered into our system, will depend upon when your enrollment record is sent to the carriers.
Q: When will I receive my medical ID cards?
Once the HR Benefits Office receives your completed form, it takes approximately two weeks before you will receive you ID cards in the mail.
NEW HIRES
Q. When does the New Hire HR Benefits Election Form and Salary Reduction Agreement need to be returned to the Benefits Office?
You will have 31 days from your hire date to complete and return the New Hire HR Benefits Election Form and Salary Reduction Agreement. Please return all forms to the HR Benefits Office located at 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 1600, Medford, MA 02155, or fax your forms to (617) 627-3615.
QUALIFYING LIFE EVENTS
Q. Can I change my Health and Welfare Benefit elections at any time?
No, you may only make changes during Open Enrollment OR if you experience a Qualified Status Change (i.e. marriage, birth, divorce, loss of coverage, etc.). Please note: you must notify the HR Benefits Office of any Qualified Status Changes within 31 days of the event.
Q: My spouse lost his/her job, and they were carrying our insurance, what do I need to do?
Please download and fill out the Qualified Status Change Form (available online at hr.tufts.edu), and list the names of everyone you need to put on your insurance through Tufts University at the bottom of the first page, along with a primary care physician affiliated with your medical plan for everyone. List their Social Security Numbers on the top of the second page. We’ll also need a letter from your spouse’s employer, stating (a) who was covered, BY NAME; (b) what kind of coverage you had, such as medical, dental, and/or vision; and (c) what date that coverage ended. We will need this within 31 days of that coverage end date.
Q. We just had a baby, how do I add he/she to my insurance?
Congratulations! Please download and fill out the Qualified Status Change Form (available online at hr.tufts.edu). Don’t worry about your baby’s Social Security Number for now; you can update that through eServe once you receive it. For supporting documentation, we will need a copy of the Statement of Birth from the hospital. We will need this within 31 days of the birth.
Q. I just got married, how do I add my spouse to my insurance?
Congratulations! Please download and fill out the Qualified Status Change Form (available online at hr.tufts.edu). If you’d like to put your spouse on your Tufts University insurance plans, please list their name, primary care physician, and Social Security Number where indicated. If you’d like to terminate your Tufts University insurance plans, please download the Health Insurance Responsibility Disclosure Form as well. In both instances, we will need a copy of your marriage certificate, and we will need this within 31 days of your marriage.
RETIREE BENEFITS
Q: How much will it cost to continue medical insurance if I retire?
The cost is dependent upon your age and service upon retiring. Please contact the HR Benefits Office to schedule a meeting to review your options.
Q: If I am enrolled in a medical plan through the University, can I continue with the same plan if I retire?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility requirements for the Retiree Medical Plan and are under the age of 65, you can continue your coverage under the same medical plan. However, if you are over 65, you must select coverage through one of the University’s retiree medical plans.
Q: I am turning 65 and plan to continue working at the University do I need to enroll in Medicare B?
No, the University does not require that you elect Medicare B upon becoming eligible.
Q: If I retire, how do I pay for my medical insurance since I will no longer be working?
We have a third party administrator, Crosby Benefits Systems, which handles the billing for the University.
Q: Once I retire from the University, will I be able to change medical plans?
Yes, the University provides an annual open enrollment for retirees, usually in December for an effective date of January 1.
RETIREMENT FUNDS
Q: I want to transfer my Retirement funds from TIAA-CREF to Fidelity (or vice versa), how do I do this?
You must contact the vendor to which you are transferring the funds. They will send you the paperwork. Fidelity Investments: (800) 343-0860 • TIAA-CREF: (800) 842-2776
Q: What is the maximum amount I can contribute to the 403(b) plan for 2009?
For calendar year 2009 the maximum is $16,500 and if you are over 50 years of age you may contribute $22,000. You should contact the HR Benefits Office to confirm your maximum for the current year.
TERMINATED EMPLOYEES/COBRA COVERAGE
Q. I’m leaving the University. What happens to my benefits?
All of your University benefits end on your last day of work. This happens automatically, and you don’t need to do anything. If you have specific questions, you should call the HR Benefits Office at (617) 627-3270. Otherwise, you will receive a letter within 1-2 weeks of your termination date that explains this in further detail.
Q: I am leaving Tufts and need to keep my health insurance for a while. Can I do that?
Yes, you can retain your health insurance coverage through COBRA up to 18 months after leaving Tufts. You will receive information about COBRA from Crosby Benefit Systems, our third-party administrator, within 1-2 weeks of your termination date.
Q: Won’t there be a gap in coverage if I have to wait 1-2 weeks?
No, there won’t be a gap in coverage. Once payment has been received, COBRA is retroactively effective to your termination date. If you need to seek medical services in the meantime, let your doctor’s billing office know that you’re enrolling in COBRA through a former employer and ask if they can bill in a week or two.
Q: What does COBRA cost? I heard the government might subsidize it for me.
The total cost of COBRA is 102 percent of the full premium cost – that is, what you paid, plus what the University paid on your behalf, plus a 2 percent administrative fee. Depending on the circumstances of your termination, you may be eligible for a partial subsidy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The HR Benefits Office is unable to tell you if you’re eligible for an ARRA subsidy, but Crosby Benefits can. Please call them at (800) 462-2235, and they’ll be able to provide you with the details.
VISION BENEFITS
Q. Are annual eye exams available through the medical plans?
Yes, one routine annual eye exam is covered. If elected, EyeMed Vision Care will also provide an annual exam, discounts on frames, lenses, contact lenses and laser correction with low out of pocket expenses.
Q. I signed up for medical insurance and vision insurance. What is the difference in the benefits I receive through my medical plan vs. the Eyemed plan?
Your medical plan provides you with one eye exam per year, plus certain discounts on frames, lenses, etc. that the medical plan determines. The EyeMed plan is a discount program that provides you with one eye exam per year, along with discounts on frames, lenses, etc. Specific information is available on our website at hr.tufts.edu.
Q. I thought my exam co-pay through EyeMed was $10, but the clinic charged me $15, and I didn’t get the discounts listed on your website.
If you’re enrolled in Tufts Total Health Plan or Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, please be advised that they administer their own vision benefits through EyeMed as well. If you did not present your EyeMed Vision Care member card at the office where services were provided, it is likely that they billed you as a member of your medical plan instead. Please contact the office where services were provided.
