Benefits Overview

Who is eligible?

Regular full-time and part-time (50-89.9%) support staff; faculty, academic staff and executive management with appointments of nine months or more.

Enrollment Deadlines

  • New Hires have 30 days to enroll
  • Newly Eligible employees have 30 days to enroll

Access enrollment at hr.msu.edu and select EBS login.

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Health Care Coverage

Plan Comparisons

Plan Rates

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Caremark Prescription Coverage

  • Provided with all health plans 
  • 4-tier plan (generic, brand name on the formulary list, brand name not on the formulary list and bio-tech/specialty drugs)
  • 90 day prescriptions available via MSU pharmacy or mail order only
  • Large network of retail pharmacies

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Dental Coverage

  • Delta Dental of Michigan
    • Traditional dental plan
    • 50% of reasonable & customary charges
    • $600 maximum per person per calendar year
  • Aetna DMO
    • Managed care dental plan
    • Fixed co-pays
    • Premium Sharing (if applicable)
    • Choose primary care dentist from network

Plan Comparisons

Plan Rates

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Life Insurance

  • Basic Life
    • Provides coverage equal to one year's base annual earnings up to a maximum of $50,000
    • Enrollment is automatic
    • Eligibility varies 
  • Optional Employee-Paid  
    • This life insurance is term life insurance with maximum coverage of $2,000,000.
    • Multiple levels of coverage are available for employees and their dependents.
    • New Hires enroll within 30 days of hire and receive guaranteed coverage (up to 3x base salary), spouses/OEI maximum $25,000.
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment
    • Coverage is provided for loss of life or specific injuries due to an accident
    • Multiple levels of coverage are available up to $1,000,000
    • Coverage is available for spouses/OEIs and/or children

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 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

  • Health Flexible Spending Account
    • Health FSAs help employees save money by allowing them to pay for eligible out-of-pocket heath care expenses.
    • You may contribute up to $2,750 to an Health FSA. This is a per-eligible individual total. For spouses who both work at MSU and are eligible, this means each spouse may contribute up to $2,750
    • Convenience – Debit Card (however substantiation may be required)
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
    • Dependent Care FSAs help employees save money by allowing them to pay for eligible daycare expenses
    • You may contribute up to $5,000 to a Dependent Care FSA (household total of $5,000)

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Additional Benefits (eligibility may vary)

Voluntary Benefits

  • Vision Insurance (VSP Choice)
  • Legal Insurance (ARAG)
  • Critical Illness (MetLife)
  • Auto Insurance (MetLife or Liberty Mutual)
  • Home Insurance (MetLife or Liberty Mutual)

Additional Voluntary Benefits via MSUBenefitsPlus

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Dependents

  • Employees may elect coverage for their dependents (including spouses*, dependent children, Other Eligible Individuals (OEIs) and their dependent children)
    • Marriage license for spouse 
    • OEI form for OEIs
    • Birth certificates for dependent children
  • To be covered by an MSU health plan, spouses or Other Eligible Individuals of MSU employees who have access to coverage through their employer must purchase coverage through the other group plan if his/her annual premium contribution toward that coverage meets a minimum amount. Please refer to the table in the Dependent Access to MSU Health Plan Coverage section of the Support Staff Policy and Procedures.

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Long-Term Disability

  • Available to full-time employees after 12 full-time equivalent service months, provided eligibility requirements are met
  • Enrollment is automatic, if eligible

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Tuition Assistance

  • Course Fee Courtesy
    • Provides tuition assistance in an amount equal to one half of the applicable Michigan resident undergraduate course fees (lower division or upper division fees only - this program will not pay the higher off-campus rate if the student takes any off-campus courses).
    • The program is valid only for the first bachelor’s degree, or a certificate in the agricultural technology program, and is valid through the semester in which the 120th credit is attempted.
    • This reduction in tuition is only valid for students attending MSU. It is not applicable for any other institution.
  • Educational Assistance

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Tools and Resources

For more details about enrollment, eligibility, benefits plans options and rates for:

Executive Management

Faculty & Academic Staff

Support Staff

Retirement Plan Options

  • MSU 403(b) Base Retirement Program (BRP)
    • Employee 5% contribution matched by the University’s contribution
    • Some employees may be immediately eligible, while others may be subject to a waiting period
    • Participation may become mandatory, based on age 35 and length of service
    • The program is fully and immediately vested, including the University contribution
  • Additional Retirement Plan Options