2026 Open Enrollment

Rate Sheets

Rates for Full-Time Faculty and Staff

Rates for Part-Time Faculty and Staff Over 30 hours

Medical Insurance

What you need to know:

The Point of Service (POS) plan and the High Deductible Based Plan (HDBP) will continue to be offered.

DOCUMENTS you may need:

Medical Plan Comparison
Summary of Benefits and Coverage: High Deductible with HRA
Summary of Benefits and Coverage: High Deductible with HSA
Summary of Benefits and Coverage: Point of Service

Check out the University of Hartford Aetna Microsite.

Dental Insurance

What you need to know:

The University will retain Aetna to administer the calendar year 2026 Freedom of Choice dental insurance plan, with a slight increase in premium. Inherent to this plan is a feature that allows employees to enroll in either the Dental Maintenance Organization (DMO) or a passive Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).  The plan offers members the ability to move back and forth between the DMO and PPO through the course of the year.

DOCUMENTS you may need:

Check out the University of Hartford Aetna Microsite.
Dental Plan Comparison

Vision Insurance

What you need to know:

The University will retain United Healthcare to administer the calendar year 2026 vision insurance plan, with no increase in premium. This comprehensive vision plan provides participants access to a national network of both private practices and more than 100 popular retail chain providers as well as discounts/allowances on lenses, frames, contact lenses, and laser vision correction. The plan features both in- and out-of-network benefits.

Documents you may need:

• Voluntary Vision Brochure
• Voluntary Vision Benefit Summary
• LASIK Vision Correction Program
• Maternity Vision Benefits
• Find a UHC Vision Provider

Life Insurance

What you need to know:

Regular full-time faculty and staff are automatically enrolled in a basic life insurance benefit (valued at 1x base/contracted annualized salary). The University of Hartford pays premium costs associated with this benefit. 

• If you are currently enrolled the supplemental, spousal and/or dependent child[ren] optional life insurance plan(s), you can increase your level of coverage up to the guaranteed issue limit, without proof of insurability. If, however, the increase in coverage is greater than the guaranteed issue limit, evidence of insurability is required.
• If you have never enrolled in supplemental, spousal and/or dependent child[ren] optional life insurance plan(s), you can enroll at this time.  Employees can elect supplemental life insurance up to 4x salary up to a maximum of $250,000 with no proof of insurability.  Elections will be subject to evidence of insurability.
• In order to enroll in spousal or child life insurance, you must have supplemental life insurance.  Spousal life insurance cannot be more than 50% of supplemental life.  Child life cannot be more than 100% of supplemental life.
• You can enroll in or change your current personal accident insurance election with no evidence of insurability required.

Documents you may need:

Plan documents
Rates are on the second page of this document

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA)—partners with the HDBP only.

What you need to know:

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA) – partners with the HDBP

The University will continue to offer eligible faculty and staff a HSA option for calendar year 2026.  Monies set aside by participants in a HSA carry over from one year to the next, allowing participants to accrue funds for future qualified expenses, earn interest on deposits, or invest in mutual funds. 

For 2026, the annual limit set by the IRS on deductible contributions is $4,400 for individuals with employee-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage. For employees age 55 and older, an additional catch up contribution of $1,000 can be contributed and can be included in the total election identified below.

The University will continue to contribute into these accounts based on coverage election as follows:

• $1,000 for the employee-only medical insurance coverage election
• $2,000 for the family medical insurance coverage election

The University will again deposit half of the annual employer contribution into a HSA on the first pay in January, and the other half on the first pay date in July. Please note that University contributions count towards IRS limits.

Note: Academic year employees who receive their pay on the academic year cycle will receive the second half of their HSA contribution with their first available pay in the new academic year.

IRS guidelines governing eligibility for a HSA:

• You must be enrolled in a qualifying deductible based plan.
• Dependent eligibility must meet the IRS definition of a dependent.
• You cannot be covered by another medical plan that is not a high deductible health plan.
• You cannot be enrolled in a health care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), including your spouse’s FSA.
• You must not be enrolled in Medicare (or TRICARE) Benefits. *

* If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A or B and/or collecting Social Security income and wish to enroll in a qualifying plan you can do so, but you must first notify Medicare and request dis-enrollment from Medicare.  Please refer to your tax consultant to discuss whether it is in your best interest to remain enrolled in Medicare or to dis-enroll and open the HSA.

DOCUMENTS you may need:

Check out the University of Hartford Aetna Microsite.

HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT (HRA)—partners with the HDBP only

What you need to know:

Because the IRS does not permit employees who are enrolled in Medicare, TRICARE, or collecting Social Security income to participate in a HSA, the University will continue to offer a HRA for eligible faculty and staff for calendar year 2026. The University will fund these HRAs with the same amounts as the HSAs noted above. Participation in a HRA does not preclude Medicare-eligible faculty and staff from also participating in a FSA. If a FSA is established, this account will pay first before the HRA can be accessed.

Unused HRA balances will be “rolled over” into the next plan year for any active employee. Under current IRS guidelines, only the employer is specifically permitted to contribute to a HRA and funds in a HRA stay with the employer if an employee separates from service.

DOCUMENTS you may need:

Check out the University of Hartford Aetna Microsite.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (FSA)

What you need to know:

The University will be offering eligible faculty and staff health care and/or dependent care FSA options for calendar year 2026 through Inspira. Because a FSA is subject to the “use it or lose it” provision under IRS guidelines, FSA participants are urged to carefully consider their annual election(s) based on plan and cost-share guidelines.

Health Care FSA – Faculty and staff who enroll in the POS plan, those who enroll in a HRA as well as those who do not utilize the University’s group medical insurance will continue to be able to set aside pre-tax dollars into a Health Care FSA (as a payroll deduction) for qualified expenses. The annual contribution limit for this account is $3,400 for calendar year 2026.

If you do not incur eligible expenses for your full Health Care FSA election during the plan year, the University’s plan allows a portion of your remaining FSA balance to automatically roll over into the next calendar year. The maximum amount that can be rolled over at the end of a plan year is $660. In order to be eligible for your Health Care FSA balance to roll over, you must elect the Health Care FSA for the following year. If you do not re-enroll in a Health Care FSA, any unused funds remaining in the account will be forfeited. The rollover amount is available for the next year only, and any unused rollover funds remaining in the account after one year will be forfeited.

Dependent Care FSA – Participants whose dependent care expenses meet IRS eligibility guidelines for a Dependent Care FSA will continue to be able to set aside pre-tax dollars into a Dependent Care FSA (as a payroll deduction) for qualified expenses.  The contribution limit for this account is $7,500 for calendar year 2026. 

DOCUMENTS you may need:

Check out the University of Hartford Aetna Microsite.