Get Ready for the Year Ahead!

Below are several important reminders and tips as you prepare to use your 2025 benefits. 

Healthcare & Pharmacy

• 2025 Tobacco and Working Spouse Certifications

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  If you did not complete your Tobacco or Working Spouse certification during Open Enrollment, the Tobacco and Working Spouse surcharge will be deducted from your paycheck beginning January 1, 2025. 

  You can update your surcharge certifications at any time.  Your surcharge will be removed on the first of the month following the date you contact One USG Connect - Benefits. 

  Online

  • Go to the Faculty and Staff page and click Manage My Benefits.  Start a new help request and submit a ticket detailing your selections and surcharge status.
  • Go to the Faculty and Staff page and click Manage My Benefits.  Start a web chat by clicking Need Help.  Submit a message detailing your selections and surcharge status.

  By Phone

  • Call 844-587-4236 and hold for the next available representative to process your surcharge certifications.

  You will receive a Confirmation of Benefits statement reflecting your updated certifications in your secure participant mailbox.

  Reminder! if you selected the cessation option during Open Enrollment, remember you have 90 days (March 31, 2025) to complete a cessation program or become tobacco-free. Once you have completed a program or become tobacco free, you must update your tobacco user status by contacting One USG Connect - Benefits. 

  For information about the surcharges or resources to help you become tobacco-free, visit the surcharges page for more information. 

• 2025 Healthcare and Pharmacy Changes

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  Bolded in the chart below, you will see the copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums across all four USG plans. The Consumer Choice HSA and Comprehensive Care plan both offer in-network and out-of-network coverage.  For complete details, review the 2025 Comparison Guide. 

   

  	ANTHEM CONSUMER CHOICE HSA	ANTHEM COMPREHENSIVE CARE	ANTHEM BLUECHOICE HMO	KAISER PERMANENTE HMO
  Coverage	In-network*	In-network*	In-network only	In-network only
  Deductible (Single/Family)	$3,200/$6,400	$1,500/$4,500	None	$100/$200
  Annual out-of-pocket maximum (Single/Family)	$5,000/$10,000*	$3,300/$6,600	$5,500/$9,900	$6,350/$12,700
  PCP required	No	No	Yes	Yes
  Preventive care	Plan pays 100%	Plan pays 100%	Plan pays 100%	Plan pays 100%
  Physician office visit/ specialist visit	You pay 20% after deductible	$25 copay/ $50 copay	$40 copay/ $100 copay	$40 copay/ $75 copay
  Urgent care	You pay 20% after deductible	$50 copay	$100 copay	$75 copay
  Inpatient hospital services	You pay 20% after deductible	You pay 10% after deductible	$1,000 copay	$600 copay after deductible
  Outpatient hospital services	You pay 20% after deductible	You pay 10% after deductible	$600 copay	$400 copay after deductible
  Emergency care	You pay 20% after deductible	$300 copay, then you pay 10% after deductible	$600 copay	$400 copay after deductible

  *$9,200 ind. cap

  Pharmacy

  The formulary can change throughout 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 into your account with CVS/Caremark or Kaiser Permanente. You can also access the drug lists on the Pharmacy page of the Benefits website.

  Remember! Regardless of the pharmacy plan that 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 into your account with CVS/Caremark or Kaiser Permanente for a list of preventive medications, or check the Pharmacy page of the Benefits website.

• Anthem Advocate Support

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  All employees enrolled in an Anthem healthcare plan receive customer service and healthcare support from Anthem’s Total Health, Total You program. 

  Anthem Total Health, Total You Program

  Anthem members will receive simplified and personalized support through the Total Health, Total You program. Anthem provides access to an advocate to help you navigate your healthcare — they’ll connect you to the right care and resources, at the right time. 

  Your Anthem advocate will help you:

  • Get quick answers to your questions. 
  • Connect with a nurse or health coach for guidance.
  • Find the right healthcare provider to meet your needs. 
  • Access tools and resources in your healthcare ecosystem. 
  • And, so much more. 

  All of this is included in your healthcare plan, at no additional cost to you or your family. You can connect with an Anthem advocate by phone, chat or secure messaging.

  Connect to Anthem by downloading and registering via the Sydney Health^SM  app.

  How to download the Sydney Health^SM app:

  To get started, have your Anthem ID card ready. 

  1. Download the Sydney Health app and select Register New Account or go to anthem.com/register.
  2. Select your identification type (this is usually your member ID).
  3. Enter your plan ID number, full name and date of birth.
  4. Follow the one-time security prompt and create a username and password. (Use the same login information on the app and website.)
  5. Review your information to complete your registration.

  Use the Sydney Health app anytime to: 

  • Find care and compare costs.
  • See what’s covered and check claims.
  • View and use digital ID cards.
  • Check your plan progress.
  • Chat with a Health Advocate.

  Download the Sydney Health^SM app today: Register for Your Online Anthem Account | Anthem.com

• Diabetes Support and Weight Management

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  Weight and Diabetes Support

  USG Well-being provides many options for diabetes, diabetes prevention and weight loss support at no cost to you! 

  ANTHEM MEMBERS

  Anthem members should contact CVS Caremark directly for diabetic supplies.

  What’s covered:​

  Test strips, Lancets, Alcohol swabs, Needles, Syringes​

  How to access:​

  • Available at all in-network retail pharmacies (CVS, Kroger, Costco, Walmart, Walgreens, etc.) and through CVS Caremark Mail Order pharmacy​
  • Use the CVS Mobile app or Caremark.com to locate a pharmacy or contact CVS Caremark Customer Care at 877-362-3922 for assistance

  KAISER PERMANENTE MEMBERS

  Kaiser Permanente offers programs for Diabetes Prevention and weight loss to members and eligible spouses enrolled in the Kaiser health plan.  As a Kaiser member, you can join Omada or Weight Watchers at no cost to you. Learn more about these programs below.

  Omada Diabetes Prevention Program

  • Omada is personalized to help you reach your health goals – whether that is losing weight, gaining energy or improving your overall health. 

  Here’s what you get when you join:

  • Advanced technology: Track your progress with ease with a wireless smart scale
  • Dedicated health coach: A coach is there for the support you need to get going and keep going
  • Weekly health tips: Tips for better eating, fitness, sleep and stress management
  • Support Group: A small support group of peers for encouragement
  • Well-being points: Participants earn points for active participation throughout the year. See the rewards guide on the Well-being platform for details.

  To see if you are eligible for this program, please take a two-minute questionnaire at https://go.omadahealth.com/usg. Enrollment information will be provided if you qualify.

  WEIGHT WATCHERS 

  USG offers weight loss support through WeightWatchers® for all employees and their spouses enrolled in a USG healthcare plan. Developed by nutrition and behavior change scientists, the WeightWatchers program guides you toward healthier habits with an individualized nutrition plan and innovative tools rooted in science. 

  Here’s what you get when you join:

  • Science-backed personalized program that fits your needs
  • 12,000+ recipes for healthier meal inspiration
  • 200+ no-track ZeroPoint® foods
  • New What to Eat feature, barcode scanner, and restaurant search in our easy-to-use app
  • Supportive members-only digital community

  Current Weight Watchers member: If you are already a Weight Watchers member, you can sync your account to receive the program at no cost to you.

  If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, learn more and register for WeightWatchers® today.  

  Call WeightWatchers® at 1-866-204-2885

  For more information and to register,

  Anthem members: https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/employers/usganthem

  Kaiser members:   https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/employers/usgkaiser?

  Visit the USG Well-being website for more information. 

• 2025 Healthcare ID Cards

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  All healthcare enrolled employees and their family members will receive new ID cards from Anthem or Kaiser Permanente.  

  • Anthem BCBS:  If you need help finding a doctor or getting a new ID card, connect with Anthem through the Sidney mobile app or by calling 1-800-424-8950.
  • Kaiser Permanente: If you have questions regarding your card, please contact Kaiser Permanente at https://my.kp.org/usg or by calling 404-356-0966.

Voluntary Benefits

• Flexible Spending Account Reminders

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  2024 FSA Contribution Grace Period

  If you enrolled in a Healthcare, Limited Purpose, or Dependent Care FSA in 2024, you are allowed to incur eligible expenses through March 15, 2025. You must file for reimbursement by March 31, 2025, including any required supporting documentation. If you fail to use all your FSA contributions by March 15, you will forfeit any remaining funds. Funds cannot be returned to you per IRS guidelines.

  Switching from an FSA to an HSA

  If you were enrolled in the Healthcare FSA (HC-FSA) in 2024, but enrolled in the Anthem Consumer Choice plan and enrolled in a  Health Savings Account (HSA) for 2025, you must have a zero ($0.00) balance as of December 31, 2024, to begin contributing to your HSA in January 2025. If you do not have a $0.00 balance before January 1, 2025, you will not be able to begin making contributions to your Health Savings Account until April 1, 2025. Your contributions will not start automatically. You must contact OneUSG Connect -Benefits at 844-587-4236 to re-elect your 2025 contribution to your HSA.

• Health Savings Account Reminders

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  2025 HSA Contributions

  If you are currently enrolled in an HSA, your contributions will continue in 2025. If you are enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA and not contributing to an HSA, here are a few reasons you should: 

  • USG will match dollar for dollar to your HSA —$375 for employee and $750 for family. This means you can double your money and save money on your taxes!
  • You can start, stop or change your HSA contributions during the calendar year. Changes will go into effect the first of the month following the change to your contributions
  • Your HSA contributions roll over from year to year and will always remain yours.

   Think you can’t afford to contribute? Look at the examples below. Contributing to an HSA account may be within your reach!

  Single Example

  • Employee makes $35,000 annually and is paid bi-weekly.
  • They are enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA, Employee-only coverage.
  • If they contribute $14.42 per paycheck, they will have contributed $375 by December 31.
  • USG will also contribute $375, which adds up to a total of $750 at the end of the year.
  • Since these contributions are pre-tax,2 the reduction to the paycheck is $10.76.

  Family Example

  • Employee makes $45,000 annually and is paid monthly.
  • They are enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA Family coverage.
  • If they contribute $62.50 per month, they will have contributed $750 by December 31.
  • USG also contributes $750, which adds up to a total of $1,500 at the end of the year.
  • Since these contributions are pre-tax,2 the reduction to the paycheck is $47.88.

   

  Switching from an FSA to an HSA?

  If you switched from a healthcare flexible spending account (HC-FSA) to a Health Savings Account during Open Enrollment, you must have a $0.00 balance in your FSA as of December 31, 2024 or your Health Savings Account contributions cannot begin until April 1, 2025. Your contributions will not start automatically. You must contact OneUSG Connect -Benefits at 844-587-4236.

• Review Your Beneficiaries

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  Keep your USG life insurance beneficiary information up to date in One USG Connect - Benefits.  You will need to have your beneficiary’s name, contact information, and social security number.

  • Life Insurance: You can update your beneficiary at any time during the year. To update your USG life insurance 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.
  • Health Savings Account: You will need to add a beneficiary through the HSA Bank portal at myaccounts.hsabank.com/Login.aspx

  Also, remember to update your beneficiary information with your TRS or your retirement vendor (Corebridge Financial, Fidelity, or TIAA). Review the contact page for vendor information.  

USG Well-being

• USG Well-being

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  The USG Well-being Program places a renewed focus on your health! For all employees and their spouses who are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, the Well-being Program year begins January 1, 2025. 

  How the 2025 Well-being Program works

  The reward earning opportunities for the program are offered to you through your USG healthcare plan — either Anthem or Kaiser. 

  A well-being reward of up to $100 will be available to employees and their spouses who complete the healthy activities:

  • For Anthem members: healthy activities include getting a preventive care exam or vaccine, taking a Health Assessment, tracking steps, and more. 
  • For Kaiser members: you must complete a 5-step program that includes accepting your agreement, taking your total Health Assessment, knowing your numbers, getting screened and making a lifestyle change. 

  Ready to get started? 

  The earning period is January 1 through September 30, and rewards will be paid by payroll in November 2025. To learn more, please visit the USG Well-being website.  

• Employee Assistance Program

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  The USG Employee Assistance Program is through Acentra Health. Eligible employees can access the EAP 24/7, 365 days a year. 

  • Call 1-844-243-4440 to get referrals, information or to ask questions.
  • Visit: usg.mylifeexpert.com
  • Password: USGCares

Retirement Plans

• 403(b) and 457(b)

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  Please visit the USG retirement website – retirement.usg.edu  for a complete list of all plan related fees and expenses

  To begin making contributions, log in at oneusgconnect.usg.edu, and select OneUSG Connect.  Visit the USG Benefits Website/Retirement for additional information. 

• CAPTRUST Financial Advisors

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  Need help deciding if a 403(b) or 457(b) is right for you? Meet with an independent CAPTRUST advisor. Schedule an appointment to get answers to your financial questions and leave with clear action steps to achieve your financial goals.