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What's New for 2025?

Whether it's your physical, mental, or financial health, Emory offers a comprehensive benefits package to help meet your needs. Here are the highlights of what is changing for 2025:

New Structure for Medical Plan Rates

Emory is introducing a new approach for medical plan rates, where the amount you pay will be higher or lower depending on how much you are paid. The reason we are doing this is because the cost of the medical plan is more of an employee’s income if they are lower paid, and we want to ensure all our employees have access to affordable health care. In fact, Emory is making a financial investment to subsidize the additional cost of the medical premiums for lower paid employees.

We will now have three salary-based rate bands to determine employee contributions:

The bands will be determined by your salary as of October 1, 2024 and medical rates will not change at any time in 2025 even if you exceed the pay limit for your band due to a pay increase, promotion, etc.

On average, employees in Band 1 will see a reduction in their medical rates in 2025, and employees in Band 2 will see no increase in their rates. Employees in Band 3 will see an increase in their rates which are consistent with the overall increase in Emory’s health care costs, approximately 17% for this year, due to increases in utilization and cost. View rates.

Other Changes

Dental Plan Rates

Dental plan rates will increase. This is the first increase to dental plan rates in many years. If you are on an Emory dental plan, you will be impacted by the rate increase. View rates.

Vision Plan Enhancements

There are no increases in rates for the vision plan (rates remain the same as last year). The vision plan will offer some enhancements, including retinal imaging, tint, and UV at a $0 copay. If you elect vision coverage, you can receive enhanced services from the plan. View rates.

Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

The Healthcare FSA limit will increase to $3,200 (up from $3,050). Remember, you must re-enroll in an FSA each year, and decide how much to set aside. It does not roll over. If you participate in a Healthcare FSA you can set aside more pre-tax funds for eligible expenses in 2025.

Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Highly compensated employees under the IRS definition (Emory earnings of more than $155,000 for 2024), will be restricted to an annual contribution of no more than $1,800 (down from $2,400). This is due to IRS non-discrimination testing. If you make more than $155,000 annually and contribute to a Dependent Day Care FSA, the maximum pre-tax funds you can set aside will be $1,800.

Health Savings Account (HSA)

The maximum you can contribute to a Health Savings Account is increasing to $4,300 (up from $4,150) for single coverage, and $8,550 (up from $8,300) for family coverage. If you participate in a Health Savings Account, you have the option to save more towards the account.

Short Term Disability

The short term disability plan is being improved to provide a benefit equal to 70% of base salary (up from 60%) for a period of up to 180 days. Date of disability has to be 1/1/2025 or later to qualify. If you have short term disability coverage and submit a claim after 1/1/2025, you will be impacted by this improvement, which will provide a greater amount.

Long Term Disability

The long term disability plan is being improved to provide a benefit equal to 66.67% (up from 60%). Retirement income replacement will be discontinued with this new plan, but this approach is financially more advantageous. Date of disability has to be 1/1/2025 or later to qualify. If you need to use long-term disability coverage after 1/1/2025, you will be impacted by this improvement, which will provide a greater amount.

Well-being and Medical Plan Incentives

You and a covered spouse can offset your medical expenses by participating in a new menu of well-being activities such as challenges, a financial wellness checkup, the Winship 5K, and more. View incentives.

Alex Tool to Help with Benefits Decisions

Using the ALEX® tool can help you better understand your benefits options so you can make smart, cost-effective choices. The tool offers some expanded features this year. Learn more about ALEX.

Summary of Benefits and Coverage

For additional information about the medical plans, you can view the eight-page Summary of Benefits and Coverage (coming soon):

• Summary of Benefits and Coverage for HSA Plan
• Summary of Benefits and Coverage for POS Plan
• Summary of Benefits and Coverage for Kaiser Plan

Reminders

You must be actively at work with Emory (receiving a paycheck) in order to:

• Receive the Emory contribution and/or incentive payments under the HSA plan;
• Elect or increase life insurance on yourself or your dependents;
• Change disability coverage; or
• Elect a Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

Your action is required

Your current coverage will continue unless you make a new election. Remember, you must re-enroll for the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) each year.

To make changes to your current elections, complete and return the General Election Form to the Benefits and WorkLife Department by November 11, 2024. This form is in Adobe pdf format. You should download it and save it to your computer first before completing it.

Once completed, you can either print and mail your form, send by fax, or send it as an email attachment (see below).

By Mail

Emory University
Human Resources
Benefits and WorkLife Department
1599-001-1AP
1599 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA  30322

By Fax

Attn: Frances Reese
404-727-7145

By Email

hrbenef@emory.edu

Form must be postmarked by November 11, 2024.