OSU Benefits
OSU provides a competitive benefit package which includes insurance and retirement benefits in addition to other programs and services.
Review Eligibility & Enrollment information to have an understanding of who is eligible and what you might consider when you are choosing your benefits.
Insurance and Retirement
Available Coverage and Plans
Other Benefit Resources
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COBRA
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) is continuation of group medical, dental and vision insurance coverage. PlanSource is the third-party administrator for COBRA coverage. OSU Benefits notifies PlanSource within 14 days of a loss of coverage. If you or your qualified dependent lose eligibility for university insurance coverage, PlanSource will send you a packet and application for COBRA. The notice is sent to your mailing address.
Please review your address information in your employee self-service portal, my.okstate.edu, to ensure it is up-to-date. You may only continue the coverage you or your dependents had at the time you or your dependents lost eligibility. In some cases, you may continue your flexible spending account (FSA). Contact PlanSource for information on continuing your FSA. Follow the instructions within the packet you receive from PlanSource to elect your COBRA coverage.
PlanSource contact information:
888.266.1732, option 1
Office hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST.
If you do not receive a packet, please contact:
OSU Benefits
405.744.5449
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EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
GuidanceResources®provides Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services for OSU.
Your GuidanceResources®benefits will give you and your dependents confidential support, resources and information for personal and work-life issues. These services are provided at no charge to benefits eligible employees and their dependents.
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LEAVE BENEFITS
OSU offers many different leave options for eligible employees.
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UPDATE BENEFICIARY INFORMATION
It is important to name your beneficiaries and keep the information current with major life events (marriage, divorce, birth, or adoption).
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COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN
Learn more about saving for college with the Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan.
You can download enrollment materials or have enrollment materials mailed to you. Completed enrollment materials to open an account should be mailed to the Oklahoma College Savings Plan. Within two weeks you will be sent a verification letter that contains your new account number. You will need this account number to begin contributions by payroll deduction.
OSU Payroll Deduction: If you want to make contributions by payroll deduction, open an OCSP account, then complete the Payroll Deduction Authorization Form and email it to Payroll Services. The effective date should be the first day of a payroll period for the next month.
For biweekly paid employees the form must be received by the last day (Friday) of the payroll period prior to the start of the next month in order to be processed timely.
For monthly-paid employees the form must be received by the fifth workday of the month to be processed for that month. The amount per month must be at least $15.00 per account. This means that monthly employees must withhold at least $15.00 per month per account; biweekly employees must withhold at least $7.50 per pay period per account. For both biweekly and monthly employees, amounts will be taken from each regular payroll. Be sure to list the beneficiary name, along with the account number and the percentage of the payment that should go to each account and beneficiary.
The account number should go in the Investment Option Number or Name field. The total percentage must equal 100%. The funds collected each month will be sent to OCSP by the 10th of the following month. To cancel your payroll deduction, contact Payroll Services.
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BENEFITS WHILE IN LEAVE STATUS
Your leave status could have an impact on your employer paid and employee paid benefits.
We recommend visiting the Benefits While in Leave Status page to review detailed information about what happens to your benefits while you are in leave status.
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SUMMER BENEFIT COVERAGE FOR FACULTY
Faculty and staff benefits may continue during the summer, even if you are not receiving a paycheck. Premiums normally deducted from your paycheck will be billed to your Bursar account. You can verify your coverage and deductions on your Pay Stub in your employee self-service portal,my.okstate.edu.
Full payment is due for all insurance premiums by the end of the month as billed by the Bursar. If premiums are not paid by the 15th of the month, finance charges may be added to your Bursar account. If premiums are not paid by the end of the month, all insurance coverage will be cancelled.
You will continue to receive Bursar statements at the beginning of each month via email. Log in to check your account and/or pay your bill online with theOSU Bursar. Please review your bill carefully.
Please verify with your department to be sure you have a continuous assignment for the fall semester to ensure proper insurance coverage and billing through the summer months.
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OSU WELLNESS RESOURCES
OSU Department of Wellness continually develops new programs and services to fit the ever-changing wellness needs of our Cowboy Community.
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COMPLIANCE
In accordance with federal and state regulations, the following required notices and disclosures are available to OSU/A&M System benefits plan participants. These notices provide important information about your health coverage rights and options.
HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Women's Health and Cancer Rights Notice
Premium Assistance Under Medicaid and CHIP
Special Enrollment Rights Notice
No Surprises Act/Balance Billing Protection Notice
Employer-Sponsored Wellness Programs Notice
Transparency in Coverage
Federal law requires health plans to make certain pricing information (in-network negotiated rates and out-of-network allowed amounts) publicly available in machine-readable format.
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PRE-TAX BENEFIT CONTRIBUTIONS DURING PERIODS WITHOUT PAY
Employees who elect to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), or Dependent Care Account (DCA) may experience interruptions in their pre-tax contributions during periods without pay. This is particularly relevant for faculty and staff on appointments of less than 12 months, including those who do not receive pay during the summer, as well as employees on leave without pay (LWOP).
Currently, the benefits enrollment system (PlanSource) does not support spreading annual contributions over a shortened pay schedule. Annual elections are automatically divided over 12 monthly or 24 biweekly pay periods, depending on the employee's pay schedule.
What happens when you are not receiving a paycheck?
- No HSA, FSA, or DCA pre-tax payroll contributions will be deducted during periods when you do not receive a paycheck.
- When you return to paid status, payroll deductions will resume.
- Each October, the Benefits team reviews year-to-date contributions for all employees to determine whether they are on track to meet their annual contribution elections.
- When needed, deductions for the remaining pay periods will be adjusted to help employees reach their annual contribution goals, subject to plan limits and available pay.
Important considerations for FSA and DCA contributions
Health Care FSA benefits are generally available up to the employee's full annual election at the beginning of the plan year, even though payroll deductions occur throughout the year. Missed payroll deductions must be addressed within the applicable plan year and cannot be carried into the following year. Employees should be aware that adjustments to recover missed contributions may result in larger deductions from their remaining paychecks.
Additional HSA contribution option
Employees may also contribute directly to their HSA outside of payroll. Eligible contributions made with after-tax dollars may be deductible on their federal income tax return, subject to IRS rules and contribution limits. However, the Benefits team does not have access to information about contributions made outside of payroll and cannot account for those amounts when adjusting payroll deductions. Employees are responsible for monitoring their total contributions from all sources to ensure they do not exceed IRS annual limits. This option does not apply to FSAs or DCAs.
Employees should consult a tax advisor regarding their individual circumstances.
We recognize that this process may require additional planning and are working with our enrollment partner to explore options that better accommodate employees with shortened or interrupted pay schedules. For questions about your contributions, please contact OSU/A&M Benefits at 405-744-5449.