Aetna will replace UnitedHealthcare and Delta Dental for medical, dental and vision plans. Express Scripts Inc. (ESI) will replace Optum for prescriptions. EBPA and TIAA will continue to administer New School benefit plans in 2021.

Please click here to access the Aetna Presentation on our medical, dental, vision and Rx plans.

Health Care Plan Contributions

The university and enrolled employees share in the cost of the health care plan. Employee and university contributions will change effective January 1, 2021 See the 2021 Health Care and Dental Care Contributions section below for 2021 employee and university premiums, including the separate contribution charts if you choose to cover a domestic partner.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Change

Per the IRS, the amount that you can contribute to your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account will increase to $2,700 in 2020 (up from $2,650).There will be no change to the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account maximum (which is $5,000).

We've created this guide to you help navigate the MyDay system and manage your Open Enrollment elections.

To access your Open Enrollment Benefit Event, log into MyDay and click on the Inbox worklet (circle). Locate the Open Enrollment Benefit Event and carefully follow the help text on each screen. The Benefits Open Enrollment period will end on Friday, November 13.

You do not need to take any action if:

• You (and your currently enrolled dependents, if any) want to continue to be enrolled in the EPO that you have in 2020, and
• You (and your currently enrolled dependents, if any) want the same dental plan that you have in 2020 and
• You do NOT want to make a 2021 Health Care or Dependent Care FSA election

Health Care Plans

There will now be 10% co-insurance when using an in-network provider when the service isn’t for a routine office visit. For example, tests such as MRI’s, will require a deductible and 10% co-insurance. These changes are similar to plan designs at several local colleges and Universities and allow for the continuance of these type of plans, despite rising medical costs. 

Review this Summary of Benefits and Coverage for the Choice EPO Plan for more details about this plan. (Paper copies are also available by contacting Human Resources.)

Finding Participating (In-Network) Providers

Enrollees in the Aetna Open Access- Aetna Select EPO plan must obtain health care services from in-network providers. To find in-network providers go to www.aetna.com

Prescription Drug Coverage

Beginning 1/1/2021 prescription drug (Rx) coverage will be administered by Express Scripts (ESI). Visit  www.express-scripts.com to determine the cost of the most common medications, Step Therapy Rules and to receive info for specialty medication (we will update info for ESI as it’s made available).

The university’s prescription drug plan with OptumRx will remain active through the end of the 2020 calendar year (OptumRx info below).

• View the 2020 Advantage Prescription Drug List to determine the cost of a the most common medications.
• Under the Optum Rx Progression Rx program, some prescriptions require that you try a "Step 1" medication before a "Step 2" medication will be covered. Refer to Progression Rx – Step Therapy Program list to view the names of these medications and details about this plan feature.
• The Specialty Pharmacy Program must be used by members with rare or complex medical conditions who require specialty medications (described in flyer). If you have an existing (active) specialty medication prescription with Optum Rx it will remain on file and you will not need to obtain a new one.

Vision Plan Coverage

As a reminder, Aetna enrollees will automatically be enrolled in the  Vision Plan at no additional cost. (You must be enrolled in the health care plan to receive vision plan benefits; there is no option to enroll separately.) The plan allows you to receive routine vision services either from participating (in-network) vision providers or from providers who do not participate in the Aetna vision network (out-of-network). To search for in-network providers, go to www.aetnavision.com You should also print your vision care member ID card once you're logged in; you will present the card at the time you receive routine vision services.

The Vision Care Plan covers an examination and new lenses (contact and glasses) every 12 months and new frames every 24 months. Review the Plan Summary for coverage details. Call Aetna at 877-973-3238 for additional information. Click here to locate a provider.

Dental Plan Coverage

The University Dental Plan will now be administered through Aetna.  If you wish to newly enroll or make a change to your current dental elections, you must do so via the MyDay system. For additional information please go to the dental care page of the New School's benefits website.

Effective January 1, 2021 the cost of the New School Health Plan will increase and your contributions will shift. Dental care costs will remain the same. Refer to the 2021 Health Care and Dental Care Plan Contribution Chart if you will be covering a yourself, a spouse and/or child(ren).

If you will be covering yourself, a domestic partner, and a child(ren), view the 2021 Domestic Partner and Child(ren) Imputed Income Chart to determine the taxation related to this coverage.

Contributions are withheld from your monthly paychecks over the course of the Academic Year (September through June). If you do not receive a paycheck in any month or do not receive enough pay to cover your monthly contributions, the amount of contributions withheld from another paycheck (or paychecks) will be increased so that your premium will be paid to the fullest extent feasible through deductions from your pay during the Academic Year (September through June). In addition, failure to make premium payments will result in termination of coverage (health and/or dental) effective the last day of the month for which the required contribution was made.

You can save money by utilizing the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This authorized benefit allows you to pay for health and/or dependent day care expenses with pre-tax dollars. By paying these expenses through your FSA you lower your taxable income, thus giving you more take-home pay and more money in your pocket.

Estimating your Flexible Spending Needs

Estimate the amount you will pay in out of pocket expenses for eligible for health care and/or dependent care expenses from January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. For health care this can include things such as doctor/dentist and prescription co-pays; cost of eyeglasses or lenses not covered by insurance; dental work such as orthodontia not covered by insurance. For Dependent care expenses estimate how much you spend in childcare for dependents age 13 and under. This can include after school care or summer camp.

Have questions on what a flexible spending plan covers? View this helpful guide from EBPA, our flexible spending vendor for IRS covered expenses.

Be conservative as you can only carryover $550 into the next plan year for the health care flexible spending account (the carryover does not apply to the dependent care account). The law requires that you forfeit amounts in excess of $550 remaining in your account after all eligible expenses have been reimbursed. You will have until March 31, 2022 to submit claims for expenses incurred during calendar year 2020.

As an example if a participant who carries over $550 from 2020 into 2021, they may still elect $2,750 (presumed maximum in 2021, limits have not been finalized by the IRS as of this date) in the Health Care FSA for 2021, and will have a total of $3,300 available for reimbursement in the 2021 plan year.

Note: should you terminate employment with The New School midyear, you will be eligible to submit FSA claims only for the dates of service incurred while you were actively employed.

2020 Annual Limits

Health Care Account- maximum of $2,750 (2021 limit is not known at this point)

Dependent Care Account- Maximum of $5,000 per year if married and filing a joint tax return or a single parent; $2,500 per year if married and filing a separate tax return.

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Qualified Transportation Expense Plans

2021 pre-tax limits have not been announced as of yet. In 2020 the pre-tax limit was $270. If you currently participate, your 2020 elections will continue into 2021. You may enroll or make changes at any time during the year by initiating a Benefit Event in MyDay. We've created this guide for Changing Your Transit and Parking Amounts to help you navigate MyDay. Use the event date of 01/01/2021 to increase your contributions for January.

For additional information regarding these plans, visit the Qualified Transportation Expense page on our website.

Tax Deferred Annuity Retirement Plan

You can choose to contribute a percentage of your base annual salary or a flat dollar amount per paycheck. The maximum annual contribution for 2021 is not known at this time, but the 2020 limit was $19,500. Employees age 50 and older (and those who will attain age 50 by December 31) are eligible to contribute an additional $6,500 annually, as set by the IRS (referred to as the "Age 50+ Catch-Up").

Your current elections will continue in 2021 but if you'd like to increase or change your contributions, you can do so by initiating a Benefit Event in MyDay. We've created this guide for Changing Your Retirement Savings Amounts to help you navigate MyDay. Use the event date of 01/01/2021 to change your contributions for January.

For additional information regarding these plans, visit the Retirement Plan page.

As required by law, The New School must provide certain notices to employees on an annual basis.