USG Open Enrollment is October 28 - November 8, 2024. Learn about your 2025 benefits by using any or all of these resources:
Action Required: Surcharge Certification Reminder
If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, you are required to complete certifications each year during Open Enrollment. You must certify whether you (and your covered family members age 18+) use tobacco and whether your spouse has access to coverage through their employer.
Learn more about the tobacco use and working spouse surcharges and when they apply.
2025 Surcharges | |||
NOTE: If you don’t certify, you will be charged the monthly surcharge(s). | |||
Tobacco Surcharge | Working Spouse Surcharge | ||
Employee |
Spouse | Children 18+ (one surcharge for all children who use tobacco) | (This surcharge does not apply to retirees.) |
$150/month | $150/month | $150/month | $150/month |
Remember to review your confirmation statement and make any corrections by December 31, 2024, to ensure your coverage and surcharge elections are captured correctly. That includes making sure your tobacco use and working spouse certifications are complete and have been captured correctly.
Trying to quit tobacco? That’s great! Select the “cessation” option to notify us of your intent to quit. By selecting the cessation option, you will not be charged the surcharge until April 1, 2025. View the list of no-cost cessation programs and resources available to you. Then, complete a tobacco cessation program of your choice and notify the One USG Connect - Benefits Call Center of your completion of the program. If you stop using tobacco products or complete a tobacco cessation program, you must update your tobacco use status with OneUSG Connect - Benefits at 1-844-587-4236 to avoid the surcharge.
If you do not complete a cessation program, stop using tobacco or fail to update your tobacco use status, the tobacco surcharge will be applied beginning April 1, 2025. You may update your status at any time during the year, but the surcharge will be removed the first of the month following the date you update your status (e.g., status update May 15, surcharge removed effective June 1).
For 2025, employee healthcare plan premiums will increase by:
There will be some changes to the copayments, coinsurance, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums across all four USG healthcare plans in 2025. The Consumer Choice HSA and Comprehensive Care plans both offer in-network and out-of-network coverage. For complete details, review the 2025 Comparison Guide.
Keep tabs on your prescription coverage
Your formulary can change throughout the year, so make sure to periodically check your medications against the approved drug list. To check coverage and copay amounts and get information about medications, visit benefits.usg.edu/health-and-well-being/pharmacy.
The formulary can, and does, change during the year, but you can expect a number of changes beginning January 1, 2025. Even if your medications have not changed, the list of approved medications may have, so make sure you periodically check your medications against the approved drug list. To see the most up-to-date drug list, log in to your account with CVS/Caremark or Kaiser Permanente.
If you are not currently enrolled in coverage and want to view the current approved drug lists:
CVS/Caremark - 2025 Drug Lists coming soon!
Kaiser Permanente:
Remember! Regardless of the pharmacy plan you are covered by, each plan has a list of ACA preventive medications that are covered at $0 employee cost-share, before the deductible. Log in to your account with CVS/Caremark or Kaiser Permanente for a list of preventive medications.
For 2025, the employee dental plan premiums will increase by 7.7%.
In 2025, you can choose to enroll in auto, home and renter’s insurance through Farmers Insurance Choice®. You can quickly and easily compare and save with multiple quotes on auto, home and renter’s insurance. Farmers Insurance Choice® makes it easy to choose the coverage best suited for your needs.
Coverage offering:
Farmers Insurance Choice® allows you to:
To learn more visit metlife.com/borusg or call 1-866-586-6048.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Acentra Health offers you, your family and household members free, online resources and confidential services such as:
New features for 2025!
In 2025, the EAP offers you an expanded network of counselors and some great new features!
Visit benefits.usg.edu to learn more or contact Acentra at 1-844-243-4440 or go to the usg.MyLifeExpert.com (company code: USGCares).
In 2025, https://www.webmdhealth.com/kp/750/landingearned rewards will be paid through payroll at the end of the calendar year.
2024 Well-being Rewards Program
Don't miss out! Rewards earned in 2024 must be redeemed by December 31, 2024!
Members and their covered spouses who complete the programs will each receive a $100 reward card — $200 per household — to spend on anything you choose!
Diagnosed with pre-diabetes or at risk for type 2 diabetes?
USG offers the CDC-recognized diabetes prevention lifestyle change program, PreventT2 . PreventT2 can help you make lifestyle changes to prevent or delay diabetes. All employees, regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, can participate. Learn more at www.usg.edu/well-being/DPP
If you are contributing to a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) you must re-enroll each year during Open Enrollment. Elections will not roll over for 2025.
Additionally, if you are currently enrolled in an FSA for 2024, you must incur eligible expenses by March 15, 2025. You must file for reimbursement by March 30, 2025. If you fail to use all your FSA contributions, you will forfeit those funds. Funds cannot be returned to you per IRS guidelines.
If you are currently enrolled in a Health Savings Account (HSA) with HSA Bank, your elections and contributions will continue into 2025. Additionally, USG will match your HSA contributions dollar-for-dollar — up to $375 for employee and $750 for family. You can double your money by contributing to an HSA in 2025!
If you are not enrolled in an HSA but are enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA healthcare plan, you’re eligible to have a Health Savings Account (HSA) with HSA Bank. Think you can’t afford to contribute? Look at the illustrative examples below. Contributing to an HSA may be within your reach!
Single Example
Family Example
Switching from an FSA to an HSA?
If you switch from a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to a Health Savings Account (HSA) during Open Enrollment, you must have a $0 balance in your FSA as of December 31, 2024. If you do not have $0 as of the end of the year, your Health Savings Account contributions cannot begin until April 1, 2025, or later. Your contributions will not start automatically. You must contact OneUSG Connect - Benefits at 1-844-587-4236.
Open Enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to donate and/or enroll in the Shared Sick Leave pool. To participate, contact your institution’s HR/Benefits Department.
Even if you’re not enrolling in healthcare, you need to add a beneficiary for your Basic Life and/or Health Savings Account. You will need to have your beneficiary’s name, contact information and Social Security number.
Also, remember to update your beneficiary information with your TRS or your retirement vendor (AIG, Fidelity, TIAA). Review the contact page for vendor information.
To update your beneficiaries, log in to oneusgconnect.usg.edu or call 1-844-587-4236 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Need help planning for retirement? Schedule an appointment with an independent CAPTRUST advisor to get answers to your financial questions and clear action steps to achieve your financial goals
Visit CAPTRUST to get started.
To begin making contributions, log in at oneusgconnect.usg.edu and select OneUSG Connect. Visit the USG Benefits Website/Retirement for additional information.
To enroll in USG Healthcare and Voluntary Benefits, visit OneUSG Connect - Benefits, and select Manage My Benefits. If you have questions, call the OneUSG Connect - Benefits Call Center at 1-844-587-4236. Expert representatives are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Enroll on the Go with the Alight Mobile App!
If you are planning to retire in 2025, you must be an active USG healthcare plan participant immediately before you retire. You should enroll in the year prior to your retirement to be eligible to continue USG retiree healthcare benefits into retirement. If your spouse currently has other coverage with their employer, you do not need to add them during Open Enrollment. You can add them to your USG retiree coverage if they experience a qualifying life event (such as losing coverage from their employer) if you contact OneUSG Connect - Benefits within 30 days of the date of the life event.
No. As long as you are actively working and covered under a USG healthcare plan, you do not need to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. Keep in mind, you may be automatically enrolled in Part A (no cost). Once you retire, you will need to enroll in Medicare Part B.
Yes. If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, you must update your status every Open Enrollment. If you do not update your tobacco use certification during Open Enrollment, you will default and be charged $150 per employee and covered dependents (age 18+). We recommend that you review your confirmation statement after enrollment and your first paycheck in January 2025.