Category: Benefits News

This category is for articles and announcements related to your benefits as an MSU benefits-eligible faculty or staff member.

Don’t Wait to Create a Retirement Savings Plan

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

We are committed to helping our employees prepare for a successful retirement by offering several retirement savings plan options, along with tools and resources to help you reach your goals.

Most benefit-eligible employees2 are enrolled in the 403(b) Base Retirement Program, which consists of a 5% employee contribution of your eligible compensation and a generous university matching contribution of 10%. That’s an immediate two-for-one match of your investment for a total contribution of 15%. While this provides a great foundation, you may want to consider additional savings options. MSU also offers two additional savings accounts: the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. For more information about these two accounts, read Your Top Questions about MSU’s Optional Retirement Plan Options.

How to Make a Retirement Savings Plan

It’s normal to have many questions when you start to plan for your retirement:

  • How early should I start planning?
  • How much do I need to save to retire comfortably?
  • Which plan(s) should I contribute to?
  • What can I do to maximize my savings?
  • Are my retirement goals attainable?

The answers will depend on your financial situation and retirement goals. We strongly encourage all MSU employees to make an appointment with their retirement vendor – Fidelity or TIAA – to discuss their options and develop a personalized savings plan. Fidelity and TIAA are financial professionals who can provide helpful strategies, tips, and actionable steps that can help you take charge of your finances.

Additionally, both Fidelity and TIAA have numerous resources – including articles, webinars, interactive tools, and more – to help you learn about saving for retirement and other financial goals.

Don’t Wait to Save: The Power of Compounding Interest

For younger MSU employees, creating a comprehensive retirement savings plan may not be a top priority. Between student loans, rent, childcare, and more, it can be difficult to set aside money for a day 30 to 40 years in the future. But the young have a huge advantage when it comes to saving money for retirement: more time. This additional time allows them to potentially benefit the most from compounding interest, which may lead to greater savings down the road.

Compounding interest basically means allowing an investment to earn money while continually reinvesting those earnings over time. The more time you have, the smaller your original investment may need to be. In the hypothetical example below, a 25-year-old starts saving $5,000 annually ($416 per month), and a 40-year-old starts saving twice as much but waits until age 40 ($833 per month). 

Compounding Interest Graph

The 25-year-old ends up contributing less money over time – $200,000 versus $250,000 – but ends up with a higher balance: $798,735 versus $566,317. In other words, the 25-year-old contributes $50,000 less but ends up with $232,000 more than the 40-year-old who waited to save. As this example shows, younger investors may benefit from saving as much as possible as soon as possible.

If your retirement date is a bit closer, you can still take advantage of compounding interest. However, you may need to increase your monthly contributions to meet your retirement savings goals. Luckily, the IRS allows people who are aged 50 years or older to contribute an additional “catch-up” amount to their retirement plans each year.

As you determine your contribution amount, please note the IRS places limits on how much employees can contribute to a retirement plan each year. To contribute a certain amount, such as $100 per paycheck, you can use the calculating tool for converting a dollar amount to a percentage.

Of course, remember that investment returns are not guaranteed and will fluctuate — in some years you may have gains, and in other years you may have losses. But over time, any investment that has a net gain will have benefited from compounding.

How to Change Your Contribution

While your contribution to the 403(b) Base account is fixed based on your income, you can adjust your contributions to the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program and/or the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan at any time. To do this, login to the EBS Portal with your NetID and password. Select My Benefits from the top navigation, then click on the Benefit/Retirement Enrollment and Changes tile. Select Enroll/Change my Retirement/Health Savings Account Options from the dropdown menu and click Next. On the Savings Plan screen, you’ll be able to edit your contributions to the 403(b) Supplemental and/or 457(b) Deferred Compensation accounts. Make sure you click through all the screens and hit Save to finalize the change to your contributions.

Questions? We encourage you to reach out to Fidelity (800-642-7131) or TIAA (800-732-8353) for your retirement planning questions. Visit the HR website for additional information on the retirement plans offered by MSU.

1 Please note, that the example above is a hypothetical illustration only and is not intended to represent the past or future performance of any investment. The example assumes contributions are made monthly at a 6% annual effective rate, compounded monthly, and no withdrawals. Actual performance will vary with market conditions. Investing involves risk. There is no assurance that the goals will be met or that the solution or strategy will be successful. This example was developed in partnership with TIAA.

2 Certain types of employees are excluded to participate in the 403(b) Retirement Plan. Please see the 403(b) Base Retirement Program Eligibility Chart for more detail. 

Don’t Miss Out on These Exclusive Spring Break Discounts!

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Spring Break for many area schools is quickly approaching. Before finalizing your plans, review your exclusive employee discounts through MSU Benefits Plus to determine if any may be useful to your family.

To access all the discounts, visit the MSU Benefits Plus website and log in or sign up for a free account.

Travel

National Car Rental: Enjoy up to 20% off your reservation rate when booking through our exclusive link. Discount automatically applied with the link. 

Tickets at Work: Go somewhere new in 2024 with up to 60% off exclusive hotel rates at top destinations worldwide. 

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts: Save up to 20% off the best available rooms at participating hotels worldwide.

Entertainment

Premium Seats USA: Save 10% on ticket purchases to professional and collegiate sporting events, including football, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, golf, auto racing, wrestling and more when you use promo code CORESTREAM. 

Tiqets: Save over 40% on Museums worldwide. Access top museums across the country and around the world! Save an additional 10% at checkout, just for MSU Employees!

Restaurant.com: Get 20% off all certificates. Explore new restaurants, save at old favorites or enjoy quality takeout meals. 

Find these savings as well as many other discounts by visiting the MSU Benefits Plus website. The MSU Benefits Plus Customer Care Team is available to answer questions at 888-758-7575.

Campus Deals

Wharton: Discounts are given to Wharton Center subscribers and occasional 10-15% discounts on select performances are given to MSU employees.

Munn Ice Arena: Save on public skating during spring break. Employees receive discounted rates with valid MSU ID. The next public skating day is Saturday, March 30 from 4:30-6:40 p.m.

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center: Thinking about a staycation? MSU Employees can receive special hotel accommodation rates when making reservations. A valid MSU employee ID may be required at check-in.

FSA Deadline Reminder for 2023 Funds 

Published on by MSU Human ResourcesLeave a comment

Do you still have funds left over from your 2023 flexible spending account (FSA)? If you signed up for a health care FSA, dependent care FSA or both in 2023 and still have funds remaining in your account, you have a grace period in 2024 to use these funds. 

The grace period gives you time to purchase new products or services before you forfeit unused 2023 funds. Don’t lose your money! Take note of the following important deadlines: 

  • March 15, 2024: this is the last day you can incur qualified expenses on your 2023 FSA plan. 
  • April 30, 2024: this is the last day you can submit your claims to HealthEquity/WageWorks, MSU’s FSA plan administrator. You can do this via your HealthEquity/WageWorks account or the WageWorks EZ receipts app. 

The IRS requires you to forfeit any unused 2023 funds after the deadline, so be sure to spend your money and submit claims. 

If you have a Dependent Care FSA, you can use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as child or elder daycare, preschool, and before/after school programs. Find a complete list of eligible dependent care expenses here. 

If you have a Health Care FSA, you can purchase a variety of products and services with pre-tax dollars. Find a complete list of eligible health care expenses here. If you need ideas for what to use your health care FSA funds on, check out the FSA store.  

How Do I Sign Up for an FSA? 

Benefits-eligible employees are eligible to enroll in an FSA during Open Enrollment in October each year or if they experience a qualifying life event. FSAs are a great way to save money on out-of-pocket medical and/or dependent care expenses. Be sure to learn more and take note of which FSA you’re interested in before the next Open Enrollment period. 

Questions? Please contact HealthEquity/WageWorks directly at 877-924-3967 or visit the HealthEquity/WageWorks website to learn more about how to use your leftover 2023 funds before the deadline. You can learn more about FSAs on the HR website. 

Answers to Your Questions About Vacation/Personal Paid Time Off (PTO)

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Do you have a plan for using your vacation/personal paid time off (PTO) this year? According to this  Forbes article, “American workers are notorious for being workaholics. Since March of 2020, an overwhelming majority of U.S. employees have shortened, postponed, or canceled their vacation time.” While most of us are aware that time away from work is crucial to maintaining mental health and supporting our relationships, we sometimes have a hard time truly disconnecting. 

While it may seem harmless to check in a couple of times while you’re away, to really benefit from a vacation you need to disconnect entirely. Review these tips for setting boundaries so you can get adequate rest and reset. Having a plan for setting boundaries with your team before, during, and after your vacation will help reduce pre- and post-vacation stress. 

We encourage everyone to work with their supervisor to schedule a well-deserved break. And don’t forget, employee discounts for travel are available through MSU Benefits Plus and the HR website. 

Your Top PTO Questions 

The following are the most common questions HR receives regarding PTO and answers vary based on the employee’s personal details. These answers are only applicable to regular, benefit-eligible employees working half-time or more. Please make sure to reference the appropriate policy page for further details: support staff, faculty and academic staff, librarians, and MSU extension. 

  1. How do I find out how much PTO I currently have? 
  • Log into the EBS Portal and select My Time & Payroll from the top navigation, then select the Time Quota Balances tile. For support using the application, please review the Time Quota Balances help page. 
     
  1. How do I find out how much PTO I have used? 
  • Log into the EBS Portal and select My Time & Payroll from the top navigation, then select the Time Quota Usage Monthly Report tile. For support using the application, please review the Time Quota Usage Monthly help page. 
     
  1. How do I enter my PTO in EBS for supervisor approval? 
  • Login to the EBS Portal and select My Time & Payroll from the top navigation, then select the Time Entries & Statement tile. Enter the number of hours in the cell for the correct date in the row with the appropriate absence type. For support using the application, please review the Time Entries and Statement help page. 
     
  1. What is the difference between personal leave, personal observance days, and vacation PTO? 
  • Eligible support staff are granted both personal leave and vacation PTO. Eligible faculty and academic staff are granted vacation PTO.  
     
    For support staff, up to 24 hours of personal leave PTO is granted each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). The amount granted is proportional to the employment percentage. You may not carry these hours over to the next year, so make sure you use this PTO before the fiscal year ends. Please review the support staff personal leave policy page for more details. Please note: POAM employees should review the POAM union contract for their unique personal leave policy. 
     
    Vacation PTO is granted to eligible employees and varies based on employee type, union affiliation, employment percentage, length of employment, and new hire status. Please review the appropriate policy for further details: support staff, faculty and academic staff, librarians, and MSU extension. 

Personal Observance Days are two additional days (16 hours, prorated based on the start date and percent time) of personal time that eligible faculty, support, and academic staff employees will be able to use each calendar year. As of January 2024, employees will be able to use the two additional days of personal time between January 1 and December 31. Please refer to the Personal Observance FAQ page for further details. 
 

  1. I’m a new employee. Do I have access to my vacation PTO immediately? 
  • This depends on your employee type. Eligible faculty, academic, and support staff have access to vacation PTO after 6 months of service. Eligible librarians and MSU Extension employees have access immediately upon employment. Please review the appropriate policy for further details: support staff, faculty and academic staff, librarians, and MSU extension. 
     
  1. If I leave the university – such as through retirement or termination – what happens to my unused PTO? 
  • Employees will receive payment for unused vacation PTO when they leave the university. Support staff will not receive payment for unused personal leave PTO. 
     
  1. How much vacation time can I use at once? 
  • It is up to each department to determine what is an appropriate amount of vacation time to be taken at once. Departments should make sure to consistently approve vacation requests fairly.  
     
  1. For Time Entry Roles Only: What are the absence and attendance codes? 
  1. Support Staff Only: How do I accrue vacation days? 
  • Eligible support staff accrue vacation days monthly. The amount accrued depends on union affiliation, employment percentage, and length of employment. Please review the support staff vacation time policy page for more details. 
     
  1. Support Staff Only: Is there a maximum amount of vacation PTO I can accrue? 
  • Yes. The maximum amount eligible support staff can accrue depends on union affiliation, employment percentage, and length of employment. Please review the support staff vacation time policy page for more details. 
     
    Support staff cannot earn vacation time beyond the accrual limit. You are encouraged to use your PTO so you don’t lose out on valuable vacation time. 

More information about PTO for eligible employees can be found on the HR website (support staff and faculty/academic staff). We encourage you to review the appropriate policy pages thoroughly to help answer any questions you may have. If you need further assistance, please contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434. 

Your Benefits: New Year Checklist

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

For benefit-eligible employees, the start of a new year is a great time to review all the MSU benefit options available to make sure you’re fully utilizing them throughout the year. The following list of tips and resources to consider will help you get the most out of your employee benefits: 

  1. Schedule Wellness Check-ups: if you’re enrolled in an MSU health, dental, and/or vision plan, you’ve just entered a new plan year. Even though an annual check-up is usually recommended by doctors, many people miss out each year because they forget to schedule an appointment. Set your family up for success by scheduling any annual or wellness check-ups now. 
  1. Prepare for Illness: Teladoc is an online medical care service that gives you 24/7 access to a health care professional via web, phone, or mobile app in minutes. A doctor can even write you a prescription if necessary. Enroll in Teladoc now so you’re prepared when illness strikes. Available to employees and their dependents that are enrolled in an MSU health plan. 
  1. Review Retirement Contributions: the IRS sets new retirement contribution limits each year. Make sure you’re saving as much as you can by reviewing the 2024 IRS retirement contribution limits and adjusting contributions if needed. 
  1. Note Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Deadlines: if you’re enrolled in an FSA for the 2023 and/or 2024 plan year, please note important deadlines and resources for utilizing your FSA funds. 
  1. Use Educational Assistance Funds: support staff and academic specialist employees have access to educational assistance funds to use towards professional development opportunities. These funds reset each fall, so make sure you don’t miss out. If you’re looking for learning opportunities, we recommend checking out courses offered by HR’s Organization and Professional Development department. 
  1. Note Mental Health Resources: the MSU community offers a variety of mental health resources to employees and their dependents. 
  1. Save Caregiver Resources: the MSU WorkLife Office has an extensive list of resources for caregivers. Bookmark this page so you’re prepared when you need it. 
  1. Schedule Vacation/Personal PTO: taking time to rest and reset is important to maintain mental health. Make sure you’re using all your PTO by planning out and scheduling your time off in advance. 
  1. Employee Discounts: Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website for deals and discounts on everything from travel and experiences to electronics and toys. Additional discounts can be found on the MSU Human Resources website. 
  1. Voluntary Benefit Options: you may enroll in, change, or cancel auto, home, and pet insurance benefits at any time through the MSU Benefits Plus website. Legal, critical illness and vision insurance only allow benefit changes during Open Enrollment in October. 
  1. Register for a Free Diabetes Management Program: if you or a dependent are living with diabetes, Livongo by Teladoc Health can help by providing free necessary medical supplies and optional coaching. Employees or dependents enrolled in Medicare are not eligible. 
  1. Get a Second Medical Opinion: if you are facing a serious medical diagnosis, Teladoc Medical Experts can review your case and offer a second medical opinion from leading health care specialists. Coaching and online educational tools are also available. Employees with mandated insurance under the ACA are not eligible. 

We hope this list will help keep you on track as you plan out how you and your family will use your employee benefits this year. You can learn more about all these benefit options on the HR website. 

Did You Sign Up for an FSA for 2024? Find Tips and Resources to Get Started.

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

Welcome to 2024 and your flexible spending account (FSA) funds! If you signed up for a 2024 FSA during Open Enrollment last October, you’re on your way to saving money on out-of-pocket medical and/or dependent care expenses. MSU’s FSA plan administrator is HealthEquity/WageWorks. If this is your first time participating in an FSA, make sure you register for your online HealthEquity/WageWorks account.

If you have a Dependent Care FSA, you can use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as child or adult daycare, preschool, and before/after school programs. Find a complete list of eligible dependent care expenses here.

If you have a Health Care FSA, you can purchase a variety of products and services with pre-tax dollars – which means it’s like a 30% off sale on eligible expenses.1 Find a complete list of eligible health care expenses here. Some items2 you may not know about include:

  • Allergy medication
  • Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer
  • Bandages
  • Braces
  • Breastfeeding classes
  • Cough syrup
  • Eyeglasses
  • Feminine Care Products
  • First-aid kits
  • Hearing aids
  • Humidifier/air filter
  • Pain relievers
  • Pregnancy tests
  • Prescriptions
  • Smoking cessation drugs
  • Sunscreen
  • Thermometer

To make shopping for eligible health care FSA expenses easier, visit the online FSA Store for the largest selection of guaranteed FSA-eligible products.

Managing Your FSA Account

Managing your HealthEquity account is quick and easy with the EZ Receipts App. You’ll love the convenience of submitting claims, uploading receipts, and checking account balances directly from your phone.

What if I still have funds left over from my 2023 FSA?

Not to worry – if you still have funds left over from your 2023 FSA, you have until March 15, 2024, to use these funds and until April 30, 2024, to submit receipts to substantiate these claims.

How Do I Sign Up for an FSA?

Benefits-eligible employees are eligible to enroll in an FSA during Open Enrollment in October each year or if they experience a qualifying life event. Be sure to take note of which FSA you’re interested in for the next Open Enrollment period.

Questions? For more detailed information contact HealthEquity customer service directly at 877-924-3967 or visit the HealthEquity/WageWorks website.

1 Assumes a combined tax rate of 30%, including FICA, state, and federal income taxes. Actual amounts may vary.

2 Some items may require a doctor’s prescription or other documentation from your doctor. Please see your account details for more information.

Retirement Planning: 2024 IRS Retirement Plan Contribution Limits

Published on by Megan MacGregor2 Comments

Whether your retirement is on the horizon or a faraway goal, it’s important that you continue to monitor and adjust how much you’re saving if you want to have a comfortable retirement. The IRS places limits on how much employees can contribute to a retirement plan each year and recently announced the retirement plan limits for 2024:

  • The annual employee contribution amount increased from $22,500 to $23,000 for 403(b) and 457(b) plans.
  • The age 50 catch-up contribution amount remains the same at $7,500 for 403(b) and 457(b) plans.

If you want to save as much as you can for your retirement, there is a tool in the EBS Portal called the Max Savings Contributions Calculator available to assist you. This tool automatically displays the remaining amount of retirement contributions you have available before reaching one of the limits, and the equivalent percentage of your pay to help you spread that out for the year.

To access this tool:

  1. Login to the EBS Portal with your MSU NetID and password.
  2. Click the My Benefits tab at the top.
  3. Click the Benefit/Retirement tile.
  4. Select Enroll/Change my Retirement/Health Savings Account Options in the drop-down menu and then click Next in the bottom right.
  5. Navigate in the bar graph to the Savings Plans screen by clicking Next in the bottom right.
  6. The Max Savings Contributions Calculator screen will display. This display will automatically show the remaining amount of retirement contributions you have available (if any) before reaching the IRS limit.
  7. You can adjust the percentage of your contributions to any retirement plans you participate in by clicking on the pencil icon, and then choose Select to make the change.
  8. If you want to enroll in a new plan, begin by clicking on the paper icon next to the plan and vendor of your choosing, and then enter the percentage of your new contribution and choose Select to enroll.
  9. Make sure to click on Save in the bottom right to complete and save any changes/enrollments.

If you are an academic year faculty or academic staff employee, or a Voluntary 403(b) Base participant aged 50 and over, contact the HR Solutions Center at 517-353-4434 or SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu for further assistance in calculating your maximum contribution percentage.

Learn More About MSU’s Retirement Plans

The following articles contain more detailed information about MSU’s retirement plan options and preparing for retirement:

The HR website also contains a wealth of information about the different types of retirement plans offered, retirement investment vendors, and planning tools available.

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Your Top Open Enrollment Questions

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period takes place in October each year and is your annual opportunity to enroll in, change, or cancel your benefit selections for the upcoming year. As you review your options for the 2024 plan year, take note of the following answers to the most common questions we’ve received so far from benefits-eligible employees. As a reminder, MSU Human Resources staff will be available at the MSU Benefits Fair this week on October 12 and at HR Site Labs on October 18, 24, and 31 to help with enrollment and questions.

Do I need to do anything during Open Enrollment?

This depends on your family’s benefit needs for the coming plan year. Please review the true/false statements on page 6 in the appropriate open enrollment guide to help you determine if you need to take any action during the Open Enrollment period. If you answer true to any of the statements, you must take action by October 31.

Did I do Open Enrollment correctly?

  • Completing Open Enrollment Online: Most employees will complete Open Enrollment online through the EBS Portal. After completing enrollment, you will receive an email confirmation statement. Review the confirmation statement to validate that your plan elections are correct. If your elections look correct, you have completed open enrollment successfully. If you would like to make any changes, you can go back through the open enrollment application in the EBS Portal until October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes.   
  • Completing Open Enrollment via Email/Mail: If you submitted an enrollment/change form via email or mail, you can log in to the EBS Portal, select My Benefits on the top navigation, click on Current Benefit Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate your plan elections. If your elections look correct, you have completed open enrollment successfully. If you would like to make changes, you can submit a new enrollment form by October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes. Please allow 3–5 days for the delivery of the U.S. mail. Once received, your enrollment elections will be completed within 7–10 business days.

Is there anything new for the 2024 benefit plan year?

Yes! Please review page 5 in the appropriate Open Enrollment guide to learn what’s new and notable for the 2024 plan year:

What is the Spouse/Other Eligible Individual (OEI) Affidavit and why do I need to complete this?

If you wish to cover a spouse/OEI on your benefits for the 2024 plan year, you MUST complete the affidavit as part of the Open Enrollment process in October. Find instructions to complete the affidavit as part of Open Enrollment.

The Spouse/OEI Affidavit is a form of documentation that states whether your spouse/OEI has access to health care coverage through their own current or former employer that is at or under an annual premium threshold. The premium threshold for the 2024 plan year is $1,500. This means if your spouse/OEI has access to single-person coverage for $1,500 or less annually from their own employer, they must enroll in their own employer’s health coverage.

You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health plan as a dependent, but the coverage through MSU will be considered secondary and their employer’s coverage will be primary. This is done through a process called “coordination of benefits,” which allows a person to be covered by two different health care plans. Please note that not all health plans coordinate, and you must reach out to each health care vendor to confirm coordination.

Learn more about what “coordination of benefits” means, why MSU requires a spouse/OEI affidavit, and how to complete the affidavit correctly on the Open Enrollment FAQ webpage.

Did I complete the Spouse/OEI Affidavit correctly?

Completed Affidavit Online: Most employees will complete the Affidavit online as part of the Open Enrollment process in the EBS Portal. After you complete enrollment, you will receive a benefit email confirmation statement. You must complete and save all the Open Enrollment prompts in the EBS Portal to receive a confirmation statement; you cannot simply answer the affidavit and exit the portal. Find instructions to complete Open Enrollment online. To verify you have completed the affidavit successfully, review the affidavit reply date on your benefit email confirmation statement under the Health Plan Affidavit section. If the date listed is within the Open Enrollment period (October 1-31), you have completed the affidavit successfully.

Completed Affidavit via Email/Mail: If you were mailed the open enrollment guide and you submitted the affidavit via email or mail, you can log in to the EBS Portal, select My Benefits on the top navigation, click on Current Benefit Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate the affidavit reply date. If the date is not updated, please contact the HR Solution Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free 800-353-4434) to verify receipt. It may take 7-10 business days to show an updated affidavit reply date.

How do I answer the Spouse/OEI Affidavit if my spouse/OEI also works for MSU?

If your Spouse/OEI works for MSU in a benefit-eligible position, you are not required to complete the spouse/OEI affidavit since eligibility is already in our system.

Please note: MSU only allows coverage under one health care plan per eligible employee. You have two options if you and your spouse/OEI both work at MSU:

  • You can both have your own plans OR
  • You can have one plan with one of you listed as a dependent.

You may wish to cover the entire family on one plan to reduce your employee premium contributions.

Should I enroll in the new Delta Dental PPO Premium plan option? Which dental plan is the best option?

Your Open Enrollment guide (support staff or faculty/academic staff) will give you an overview of the 2024 plan year dental options, coverage charts, and monthly premiums to help you determine which plan is right for your family.

We also encourage you to attend one of the Delta Dental presentations during the MSU Benefits Fair to learn more and ask questions about the new plan. Delta Dental will be presenting on October 12 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and again from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center.

Visit the Dental page on the HR website to find more information and resources, including a Delta Dental Cost Modeler tool to help you determine which Delta Dental plan is more cost-effective.

I don’t see my vision coverage on my MSU email confirmation statement. How do I enroll in, make changes, or cancel voluntary benefits, such as vision, legal, or critical illness insurance?

Voluntary benefits – such as vision, legal, and critical illness insurance, among others – are administered directly through a vendor called MSU Benefits Plus (not MSU) and so do not appear on your MSU benefit email confirmation statement.

You may enroll in voluntary benefits through the MSU Benefits Plus website. You will receive an email confirmation statement from MSU Benefits Plus after completing enrollment. If you are already enrolled in voluntary benefits (such as vision) and wish to continue your coverage, no action is needed. If you wish to add new coverage, make changes, or cancel existing coverage, please visit the MSU Benefits Plus website. You may also log in to the MSU Benefits Plus website to confirm which benefits you are already enrolled in. Please contact MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575 with any questions.

We hope this helped to answer some of your Open Enrollment questions! Please visit the HR website to find all Open Enrollment information and resources, including additional Open Enrollment FAQs. We hope to see you at the MSU Benefits Fair on October 12 from noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Breslin Student Event Center, or at an HR Site Lab on October 18, 24, or 31.

laptop sitting on a desk. The MSU Benefits Plus homepage is displayed on the laptop screen.

Reminder: enroll in, change, or cancel vision, legal, and critical illness insurance during October

Published on by Megan MacGregorLeave a comment

The MSU Benefits Open Enrollment period is here! As you’re reviewing your benefit options for the 2024 plan year, please note some voluntary benefits only allow you to enroll in, change, or cancel coverage during Open Enrollment in October. These include VSP vision insurance, ARAG legal insurance, and MetLife critical illness insurance.

If you’re interested in enrolling in these benefits, need to make changes (such as adding a dependent or switching to a different plan), or cancel your coverage for the 2024 plan year, you must do so in October. If you’re currently enrolled and you do not make any changes, your enrollment will continue in 2024 with the exact same coverage.

How to Enroll in, Change, or Cancel Voluntary Benefits

You can enroll in, change, or cancel these benefits via the MSU Benefits Plus website. Find a guide to help you enroll at msubenefitsplus.com/faq.

  • First-Time Users: Enter your MSU email, click Get Started, and fill out the form. Signing up for an account does not obligate you to enroll in any benefits; it just gives you access to learn about and enroll in various programs. You will need your MSU ZPID number, which is located on your MSU Spartan ID Card or in the EBS Portal. Use a capital “Z” when putting in your ZPID number.
  • Existing Users: Enter your email address and click Get Started, then enter your password and click Log In.

How to View Current Participation

To view your current participation or deduction history, log in to the MSU Benefits Plus website and click on Manage My Benefits to view a summary of your enrollment elections. Click on My Deductions to view an itemized list of your voluntary benefit deductions. Please note the My Benefits section only provides participation status on products you have enrolled in within the MSU Benefits Plus website—such as vision, legal, and critical illness insurance.

Learn More about Voluntary Benefits

Please review a brief description of vision, legal, and critical illness insurance below. For additional information on all voluntary benefits, please review the appropriate Open Enrollment guide: Support Staff Open Enrollment Guide or Faculty/Academic Staff Open Enrollment Guide.

VSP Vision Insurance can help with the cost of glasses and contact lenses for you and your family. VSP is the benefit provider, and they offer two plan options: the standard coverage plan or a premium coverage plan with an additional enhanced eyewear option of your choice. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to view a plan summary sheet with basic information about the two coverage options and rates.

MetLife Critical Illness Insurance gives you extra cash in the event you or covered family members experience a covered illness. This money can be used to offset unexpected medical expenses or for any other use you wish. Simplified plan options are offered through MetLife with no evidence of insurability requirement. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to view a plan summary sheet with basic information about the plan coverage and rates.

ARAG Legal Insurance makes it affordable to get the legal help you need. Network attorney fees are 100% paid in full for most covered matters. Life is full of legal situations. Some you plan for, like creating a will, and others are more unexpected—like fighting a traffic ticket. Choose between two plans for coverage that best fit the needs of you and your family. UltimateAdvisor® covers most common legal issues. UltimateAdvisor Plus™ includes more robust coverage plus additional services. Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website to view a plan summary with basic information about the two coverage options and rates.

Questions? You can learn more about, enroll in, change, or cancel voluntary benefits on the MSU Benefits Plus website. Learn about all your benefits options on the  HR website. If you have questions, consider participating in the MSU Benefits Fair or an HR Site Lab. Additionally, the HR Solutions Center is available for questions at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434.