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University benefits are designed to support eligible faculty and staff at different stages of employment and life. While each benefit program has its own eligibility rules and plan details, many structural elements are shared across benefits. Eligibility frameworks are presented at a general level, with enrollment steps, premiums and plan options detailed on individual benefit pages.

Benefit Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for University benefit programs vary by population, including active employees, dependents and retirees.

Active Employee Eligibility

A benefit-eligible employee is someone whose primary University appointment meets eligibility criteria established in HR-101 Employee Status.  

Benefit eligibility is based on the appointment type and position classification, and eligibility for one benefit does not guarantee eligibility for all benefits. However, in general, employees are considered fully benefit eligible if their appointment: 

• Is at least 75% full-time equivalent (FTE), and 
• Is expected to last nine months or longer. 

Employees who meet these criteria are typically eligible for the University¡¯s full range of benefits, including most insurance and retirement plans. Employees whose appointments do not meet these criteria may have limited or different benefit eligibility. 

Note: if you are here on a visa, you will need to determine if the UM health plan you are interested in satisfies your visa requirements. Failure to do so could jeopardize your program participation. Always review your appointment details and the applicable plan resources to understand which benefits are available to you. 

Coverage for Dependents 

Where permitted, eligible employees may enroll qualified dependents in certain benefits, such as insurance coverage or tuition assistance. Generally, dependents include: 

• A spouse or sponsored adult dependent of an employee 
• A child of an employee under age 26 
• A child over age 26 who is mentally or physically incapable of self-sustaining employment and meets plan requirements 
• A child for whom coverage is required through a Qualified Medical Child Support Order or other court or administrative order 

The precise eligibility rules can vary by plan. Always review the Summary Plan Description (SPD) for the applicable benefit to confirm eligibility and definitions. 

Retiree Insurance Eligibility

Employees who retire on or after January 1, 2018, are eligible for retiree insurance benefits if they: 

• Were employed in a UM System benefit-eligible position on December 31, 2017; 
• Reached at least five years of vesting service as of December 31, 2017 
• Reach at least 60 years old and accrue at least 20 years of creditable service to the University by their retirement date. 

The retiree insurance benefits employees are eligible for depend upon the access category in which they were placed as of December 31, 2017. Access categories are based on age and years of service; for more information, review the eligibility chart (PDF) or contact the HR Service Center to request a review of your service and access category determination. 

Employees hired on or after January 1, 2018, are ineligible for retiree insurance or subsidy through the University. Please note that special rules apply in the case of breaks in service or termination after 12/31/17. Refer to the Summary Plan Description (SPD) for the retiree insurance plans for more information.

Employees who meet these eligibility requirements can review available retiree insurance plans, subsidies and enrollment information in the Retiree Insurance section.

Benefit Funding 

The University is self-funded for many benefit plans and often makes contributions toward or subsidizes a portion of premium costs (see Benefit & Leave Rates for more regarding departmental budget processes). Premiums and plan features may change from year to year. Cost details for each benefit are available on the individual benefit pages. 

Benefit costs are based on actuarial estimates of plan usage and projected expenses and are reviewed annually to remain competitive and financially sustainable.  

Total Rewards Statement

The Total Rewards Statement is an online statement that summarizes the total value of a benefit-eligible employee¡¯s compensation from the 91Ï㽶¶ÌÊÓƵ System. The statement is designed to help faculty and staff members understand the full value of their compensation from the university, including the cost of health benefits, defined contributions to their retirement savings, paid time off and other benefits.

To access your Total Rewards Statement, and select the "Total Rewards" tile.

Review Process 

Human Resources reviews benefit offerings in collaboration with the Total Rewards Advisory Committee (TRAC), the UM System Office of Finance and vendor partners. TRAC includes representatives from faculty, staff, hospital employees and retirees across the UM System and provides consultative input on plan design. 

The University also regularly conducts a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to evaluate fees, services and offerings, with plans typically rebid every few years on a rotating basis.