For benefits-eligible employees, the start of a new plan 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. Learn About Your New Caregiving Benefit: We recently implemented Cariloop, a new benefit that can assist with caregiving in all its many forms, whether that’s caring for children, a spouse, aging parents, and more. This benefit includes professional coaching (30 days of annual continuous support with the option to extend), caregiving tools, a trusted network of providers, and access to UrbanSitter.
2. 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 an annual or wellness check-up now.  
   • View health benefits information.  
   • View dental benefits information.  
   • View voluntary benefits information (such as vision or legal).  
3. Prepare for Illness: Teladoc is an online medical care service that gives you 24/7 access to a health care professional via the 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 who are enrolled in an MSU health plan.  
4. Review Your Retirement Contributions: The IRS sets new retirement contribution limits each year, and SECURE Act 2.0 requirements have started, and the new Roth option is now available. Make sure you’re saving as much as you can by reviewing the 2026 IRS retirement contribution limits and SECURE Act 2.0 requirements and adjusting contributions if needed.  
5. Note Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Deadlines: If you’re enrolled in an FSA for the 2025 and/or 2026 plan year, please note important deadlines and resources for utilizing your FSA funds.  
6. 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.  
7. Note Mental Health Resources: The MSU community offers a variety of mental health resources to employees and their dependents, along with the recently introduced free access to the Calm Health app.
8. Schedule Vacation/Personal Paid Time Off (PTO): Taking time to rest and reset is important to maintain mental health. Make sure you’re using all your PTO by planning for the future and scheduling your time off in advance.  
9. Utilize Employee Discounts: Visit the MSU Benefits Plus website for deals and discounts on everything from travel and experiences to electronics and toys.
10. Review 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.  Accident, critical illness, legal, and vision insurance only allow benefit changes during Open Enrollment in October.  
11. 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 (a similar program is available through Medicare).  
12. 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 Affordable Care Act are not eligible.  

We hope this list will help keep you on track as you plan 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.