Human Resources

UCR Health - 2024 

During open enrollment, consider the advantages of selecting UCR Health as your partner for health care.

UCR Health is a team of physicians, specialists and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health of you and your family. They are the clinical enterprise of the UC Riverside School of Medicine, so you can be confident you are receiving the highest-quality care. UCR Health contracts with most health plans, including UC Blue & Gold HMO. For more information, visit the UCR Health website.

2024 Open Enrollment - Nationwide Pet Insurance

UC offers preferred pricing on pet insurance through Nationwide, and you may enroll anytime — not just during Open Enrollment. Nationwide has two benefit options designed for the pets of UC faculty, staff, emeriti and retirees—coverage for accidents and illness or more comprehensive coverage that also includes preventive care and wellness services. Plans are available for dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and exotics (such as reptiles); animals categorized as livestock (including horses) are not eligible.

For more information on the UC Pet Insurance program, please visit the UC/Nationwide Pet Insurance website.

Behavioral Health

For employees enrolled in UC Blue & Gold HMO, behavioral health and substance abuse coverage are provided by Managed Health Network (MHN).

For employees enrolled in Kaiser Permanente, behavioral health and substance abuse coverage are provided by both Optum and Kaiser Permanente.

Behavioral health and substance abuse coverage are provided by Anthem Blue Cross for employees and retirees enrolled in:

• CORE
• UC Care
• UC Health Savings Plan (HSP)

New! Behavioral Health 2024 Plan Updates

• For employees enrolled in UC Blue & Gold HMO, Health Net Behavioral Health will replace MHN. There is no impact to provider networks and benefits.

For more information on the Behavioral Health plan, please visit the UCnet: Behavioral Health Benefits webpage.

UC Blue & Gold HMO (HealthNet)

UC Blue & Gold is an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) administered by HealthNet, with a custom network of providers created exclusively for UC. The Blue & Gold HMO network includes:

• Over 240 hospitals, 10,000 PCPs and 26,100 specialists
• Coverage in 30 California counties
• All UC Medical Centers and medical groups

New! UC Blue & Gold HMO 2024 Plan Updates 

• Health Net will replace WebMD Hospital Advisor Tool with Leapfrog, Cal Hospital Compare, and Sapphire as member resources
• New Diabetes Prevention administrator is Sharecare Eat Right Now offering:
  • Virtual 22-week program, daily lessons
  • Wireless scale Services available in English and Spanish
  • Activity tracker after 2nd milestone
  • Wellness program option if eligible
  • Integrated with Health Net's wellness platform & coaching program
• For employees enrolled in UC Blue & Gold HMO, behavioral health and substance abuse coverage is now provided by Health Net Behavioral Health which replaces MHN.

For more information regarding the UC Blue & Gold HMO plan, please visit:

• UCNet Website

Kaiser Permanente – California

Kaiser Permanente is an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) with a closed network of providers.

• You choose a primary care physician (PCP) from Kaiser Permanente’s network
• The PCP coordinates your care and refers you to specialists
• The plan covers the cost of services only when your primary care physician authorizes it
• Kaiser Permanente provides coverage for services outside of the network only in cases of emergency
• Behavioral health benefits are provided by Kaiser Permanente and Optum

New! Kaiser Permanente 2024 Plan Updates 

• FDA-approved OTC contraceptive drugs and devices will not require a prescription to be covered at $0 copay
• Requires $0 cost for male sterilization

For more information about the Kaiser Permanente plan, please visit the UCnet: Kaiser Permanente – California webpage.

CORE (Anthem Blue Cross PPO)

CORE is a high-deductible catastrophic plan. The administrator of the plan, Anthem Blue Cross, processes claims, offers a network of health care providers and pharmacies, and sets clinical policies and guidelines.

New! CORE 2024 Plan Updates 

• Male/Female Condom copays
  • Remains at $0 member cost share
  • No prescription required
• In-Network: Male Sterilization/Vasectomy
  • $0 Member Cost Share
  • Deductible applies
• OON Vasectomy member cost share remains the same
  • CORE at 20% after deductible
• CORE is once again available at $0 monthly premium for eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

For More Information visit UCnet: CORE webpage

• Benefits Preview (navitus.com)

UC Care (Anthem Blue Cross PPO)

UC Care is a PPO plan created just for UC. You may receive or obtain care from UC physicians and medical centers as well as the Anthem Preferred network of providers — the choice is yours. You also have coverage for out-of-network providers.

New! UC Care 2024 Plan Updates 

• Male/Female Condom copays
  • Remains at $0 member cost share
  • No prescription required
• In-Network: Male Sterilization/Vasectomy
  • $0 Member Cost Share
  • Deductible applies
• OON (Out of Network) Vasectomy member cost share remains the same
  • CORE at 20% after deductible

Open Enrollment Webpages

• Anthem Non-Medicare PPO Plans website
• Anthem Medicare Supplemental PPO Plans website
• UCNet Webpage
• Benefits Preview (navitus.com)

UC Health Savings Plan (Anthem Blue Cross PPO)

The UC Health Savings Plan (HSP) is a high-deductible PPO (preferred provider organization) paired with a health savings account (HSA), a federal tax-free account maintained by HealthEquity, to help pay your out of pocket costs.

New! UC Care 2024 Plan Updates 

• UC Health Savings Plan in-network deductible will increase to $1,600 for individuals and $3,200 for families.  
• The maximum contribution to the Health Savings Account is increasing from $3,850 to $4,150 for individual coverage and from $7,750 to $8,300 for family coverage. 
• Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA) participants will have the option to switch to UC Health Savings Plan without losing their carryover FSA balance (up to $610).

For more information on the UC Health Savings Plan, please visit the UCnet: UC Health Savings Plan webpage.

• Benefits Preview (navitus.com)

2024 Employee Medical Plan Costs

• Faculty and Staff Medical Plan Costs 

Supplemental Health Plans

UC offers three supplemental insurance options — Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity plans — that pay cash benefits if you experience a covered accident, illness or hospital stay.

UC’s Supplemental Health Plans are not a substitute for medical or disability coverage, but they can complement your coverage with extra protection against the unexpected. Depending on the coverage you select, you will receive a pre-determined cash payment if you’re injured, ill or hospitalized — regardless of your actual medical costs or lost income. The payment is yours to use however you choose.

During Open Enrollment, you may enroll in one, two or all three plans:

• Accident: Cash benefits if you receive services related to an accident, such as ER and urgent care visits, ambulance rides, X-rays, surgery and physical therapy.
• Critical Illness: Depending on the level of coverage you choose ($10,000 or $30,000), provides a lump-sum payment if you are diagnosed with certain illnesses, including cancer, heart attack, stroke and more. Plus, a cash payment just for getting an annual health screening exam or a mammogram.
• Hospital Indemnity: Pays a pre-determined dollar amount if you are admitted to the hospital due to an accident or illness, or for maternity care. 

New! Supplemental Health 2024 Plan Updates 

• New plan administrator Prudential Life Insurance replaces Aflac effective January 1, 2024.  Plan design remains the same with some added benefits.  

Learn more by visiting the Supplemental Health Website 

WEX Flexible Spending

WEX is the vendor for Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and COBRA. WEX offers easy claims processing, one debit card for Health and Dependent Care FSA accounts, one service account, and a mobile app.

New! WEX Flexible Spending 2024 Plan Updates 

• Must re-enroll at each Open Enrollment period to continue this benefit
• Contribution Limits for 2024
  • Health Care FSA             $ 3,050
  • Dependent Care FSA     $ 5,000
• Adoption Coverage Plan
  • WEX Health is the Claims Administrator
  • Reimbursement for up to $5,000 of eligible expenses per adoption
  • Lifetime limit of two adoptions, with a maximum of $10,000 in reimbursements

For information on the 2024 Flexible Health Spending Accounts, please visit the UCnet: Flexible Spending Accounts webpage. 

ARAG Legal Plan

ARAG Legal Insurance gives you access to basic, personal legal help. The plan provides online, over-the-phone or in-person access and covers specific legal services. These services are provided through ARAG at an annual cost much less than the average hourly rate for an attorney in California. The legal insurance plan helps mainly with routine preventive or defensive matters and covers most legal needs.

2024 Plan Changes

For more information about the ARAG Legal Insurance plan, please visit the UCnet Open Enrollment webpage

ALEX Benefits Counselor tool

ALEX is a benefits guidance tool designed to help you select the best benefit plans for you and your family. This is just a summary. Learn more about this year’s choices, changes, and costs at https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/oe/ During Open Enrollment, you can enroll in or change your coverage for:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Supplemental health
• Legal

Your coverage will continue if you don’t take any action, except you must enroll in your Health and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending

To learn more about ALEX, please visit the UC ALEX webpage.

Vision Service Plan (VSP)

See healthy and live happy with help from the University of California and VSP—the UC designated vision provider.

New! Vision Service Plan 2024 Plan Updates 

• UC will continue to pay the full cost of dental and vision coverage for employees and their dependents. 
• Up to $60 contact lens exam copay (exam and fitting) leaving full UC contribution available to be applied to cost of contact lenses

For more information, please visit the UCnet: Vision webpage. 

Delta Dental Plans

Choose a Delta Dental DHMO plan for lower costs or a DPPO plan for more flexibility. Be sure there are dentists available in your area before enrolling in the DHMO plan.

• UC will continue to pay the full cost of dental and vision coverage for employees and their dependents. 

For more information on the UC Dental Insurance program, please visit the UCnet: Dental Plan webpage.