Support Staff Policies & Procedures

Policy & Procedure for Health and Dental Benefits for Surviving Spouses and Surviving Other Eligible Individuals

(Revised 3/11)

Policy

Surviving Spouse

Eligibility: Spouse of a deceased faculty or academic staff member, support staff member, or retiree who, during the course of employment, worked at least 50% time and had at least a nine month appointment.

Contribution: All Surviving Spouses are eligible to continue health and dental benefits under COBRA. The coverage under COBRA is available for up to 36 months, depending on the Surviving Spouse’s circumstances. Depending on the deceased employee’s date of hire and number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) service months, some Surviving Spouses will be eligible for a contribution from the University toward the cost of benefit premiums.

This contribution is subject to change.

Support Staff
Years of service of employee	Surviving spouse benefits if active employee/retiree is deceased
All employees hired prior to 7/01/02
Less than 5 years	Health & Dental: No University contribution.  COBRA for up to 36 months
5 years but less than 15 years	Health: One year of monthly premium contribution by the University based on FTE service months  Dental: No University contribution. COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years but less than 25 years	Health: One year of monthly premium contribution by the University based on FTE service months; can maintain the health plan for life by making cash payments (Cash-for-life) Dental: No University contribution. COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years and age 62 OR 25 years at any age	Health & Dental:  Lifetime monthly premium contribution by the University based on FTE service months
Hired on or after 7/01/02 and prior to 7/01/10
Less than 15 years and not age 62 OR less than 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: No University contribution. COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years and age 62 OR 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: Can maintain health and dental coverage for life by making cash payments (Cash-for-life)
Hired on or after 7/01/10
Less than 15 years and not age 62 OR less than 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: No University contribution. COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years and age 62 OR 25 years at any age	Health & Dental:  Can maintain health and dental coverage for life by making cash payments (Cash-for-life)

 

 

Faculty/Academic Staff
Years of service of employee	Surviving spouse benefits if active employee/retiree is deceased
Hired prior to 7/01/05
Less than 5 years	Health & Dental:  No University contribution.  COBRA for up to 36 months
5 years but less than 15 years	Health:  One year of monthly premium contribution by University based on FTE service months   Dental:  No University contribution.  COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years but less than 25 years	Health: One year of monthly premium contribution by the University based on FTE service months; can maintain health plan for life by making cash payments (Cash-for-life) Dental:  No University contribution.  COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years and age 62 OR 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: Lifetime monthly premium contribution by the University based on FTE service months
Hired on or after 7/01/05 and prior to 7/01/10
Less than 15 years and not age 62 OR less than 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: No University contribution.  COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years and age 62 OR 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: Lifetime contribution at 50% level based on the employee's FTE contribution eligibility
Hired  on or after 7/01/10
Less than 15 years and not age 62 OR less than 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: No University contribution.  COBRA for up to 36 months
15 years and age 62 OR 25 years at any age	Health & Dental: Can maintain health and dental coverage for life by making cash payments (Cash-for-life)

If the Surviving Spouse is also an active Michigan State University employee, the health plan coverage can only be maintained under one plan (not under the deceased employee’s or retiree’s plan and the surviving spouse’s plan simultaneously). Dental coverage can be maintained at 100% by participating as a surviving spouse and an MSU employee/retiree and, if applicable, paying both monthly premiums.

Surviving Other Eligible Individual (OEI)

Eligibility: Surviving OEI covered by a deceased Michigan State University faculty or academic staff member, support staff member, or retiree who, during the course of employment, was working at least 50% time and at had least a nine month appointment. Continuation of health and dental coverage, with University contribution, for a Surviving OEI may occur if the Surviving OEI was officially registered on or before January 1, 2009, and the deceased Michigan State University employee was retired or had met the minimum retirement eligibility criteria on or before January 1, 2009.

Contribution: If all eligibility criteria are met, then the Surviving OEI would be eligible for a lifetime monthly premium contribution by the University based on the deceased employee's FTE service months. While participating in continued coverage, a Surviving OEI may not add a new partner and/or future dependents to the plan.

If either of the above eligibility criteria were not met as of January 1, 2009, the Surviving OEI is not eligible to receive the University contribution; however, the Surviving OEI is eligible to enroll and purchase a health/dental plan consistent with the plan the employee or retiree was enrolled in.

This contribution is subject to change.

Procedure

Application for enrollment:

Surviving Spouse: MSU Human Resources will contact the Surviving Spouse by letter to notify them regarding eligibility. Surviving Spouse must take all steps required to obtain COBRA coverage, as eligible. Application must be completed within the appropriate identified timeline for continuing coverage.

Surviving Other Eligible Individual (OEI): MSU Human Resources will contact the Surviving OEI by letter to notify them regarding eligibility. Application must be completed within the appropriate identified timeline for continuing coverage.

Additional Information

• Surviving Spouses and Surviving OEI’s may maintain their current dependents if they are enrolled in health and dental, but may not add any new or future dependents.
• If there is no surviving spouse, existing dependents enrolled in health and dental are not eligible for University contribution and may elect COBRA.
• Health plan coverage beyond the end of COBRA eligibility may be converted to a private policy with the health plan company.
• Dental and prescription drug coverage (which is included in the health plan) cannot be converted to private policies.
• For Faculty and Academic Staff hired on or after July 1, 2005, and prior to July 1, 2010, the University will contribute to the lowest cost health plan's single rate for which the employee/retiree is eligible. At retirement, the employee must designate whether the employee receives the University contribution or whether the contribution is to be split 50/50 between the employee and his/her spouse. This designation is irrevocable regardless of circumstance, including returning to work or death. The designation of the 50/50 contribution is also non-transferrable to future spouses.
• If at any time Cash-for-life or applicable premiums are not made, re-enrollment at a later date will not be allowed.

For More Information, refer questions to: MSU Human Resources (telephone 517-353-4434, e-mail)

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