Health, Life, and FSA
Penn provides comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family. You can choose from the four medical plan options below. All plans include prescription drug and behavioral health coverage.
When you're newly hired or become newly eligible for benefits, the effective date of coverage is based on your start date. Health benefits coverage will begin on the first day of employment if the employee starts on the first day of the month. For example, if any faculty or staff member starts on July 1, their benefits will begin on July 1. If someone begins their employment on July 2, then he or she would become eligible for benefits on August 1. This rule applies to each month of the year.
Download Your Enrollment Guide
The full-time Benefits Enrollment Guide for regular full-time faculty and staff, the Part-time and ACA Benefits Enrollment Guide, and the Postdoctoral Researchers and Fellows Benefits Enrollment Guide are available with details about the 2024-2025 plan year.
For a look at what's changing in the 2024-2025 plan year, visit the Open Enrollment webpage.
Select Your 2024-2025 Guide Below
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Coverage Options
Medical, Prescription, and Behavioral Health
Aetna High Deductible Health Plan with Health Savings Account
This High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), administered by Aetna, doesn’t require a Primary Care Provider (PCP) or referrals.
As the name implies, it carries a high deductible, and you must meet that deductible before the plan begins paying benefits. This applies to most services, including prescription drugs and office visits, but does not apply to in-network preventive care or to preventive generic prescription drugs.
This plan has a Health Savings Account (HSA), a tax savings account that you can contribute to via payroll deductions and then use the money to offset the cost of care. What’s more, Penn will also contribute money to the HSA on your behalf—$1,000 for employee-only coverage or $2,000 if any dependents are included.
You can go to any provider, but your out-of-pocket costs are based on the type of provider you use:
- In-Network Providers When you use health care providers who are part of the Aetna HDHP network:
- Preventive care services are covered at 100%.
- Provider office visits are covered at 100% after copays.
- Most other services are covered at 90% after a deductible; you pay 10% of the covered charges.
- Out-of-Network Providers When you use health care providers who aren’t part of the Aetna HDHP network:
- Most services, including preventive care, are covered at 60% after a deductible; you pay 40% of the covered charges.
PennCare/Personal Choice Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Administered by Independence Blue Cross, the PennCare/Personal Choice Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan doesn’t require a Primary Care Provider (PCP) or referrals. You can go to any provider, but your out-of-pocket costs are based on the type of provider you use:
- PennCare Network Providers When you use health care providers who are part of, or affiliated with, the UPHS network:
- Preventive care services are covered at 100%.
- Most other services are covered at 90% after a deductible; you pay only 10% of the covered charges.
- Personal Choice Preferred Providers When you use health care providers who are part of the Personal Choice network:
- Preventive care services are covered at 100%.
- Provider office visits are covered at 100% after copays.
- Most other services are covered at 80% after a deductible; you pay 20% of the covered charges.
- Non-Preferred Providers When you use health care providers who aren’t part of the PennCare or Personal Choice networks:
- Most services are covered at 60% after a deductible; you pay 40% of the covered charges.
Aetna Choice Point-of-Service (POS) II
Administered by Aetna, the Point-of-Service (POS) II plan doesn’t require a Primary Care Provider (PCP) or referrals, even when using in-network providers. You can go to any provider, but your out-of-pocket costs are based on the type of provider you use:
- In-Network Providers When you use health care providers who are part of the Aetna Choice POS II network:
- Preventive care services are covered at 100%.
- Provider office visits are covered at 100% after copays.
- Most other services are covered at 80% after a deductible; you pay 20% of the covered charges.
- Out-of-Network Providers When you use health care providers who aren’t part of the Aetna Choice POS II network:
- Most services, including preventive care, are covered at 60% after a deductible; you pay 40% of the covered charges.
Keystone/Amerihealth Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
Administered by Independence Blue Cross, the Keystone/AmeriHealth Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan requires that you choose and coordinate your care through a network Primary Care Physician (PCP). You must obtain referrals from your PCP if you need to see other network providers. This plan doesn’t provide coverage if you self-refer your care or go outside the HMO network of providers (except for emergency care).
When you use health care providers who are part of the Keystone or AmeriHealth HMO network:
- Preventive care services are covered at 100%.
- Office visits and most outpatient services are covered at 100% after copays.
- Most other services are covered at 90% after a deductible.
Prescription Drug and Behavioral Health Coverage
When you enroll in any of Penn's medical plans, prescription drug coverage and behavioral health coverage are provided for you and your enrolled dependents.
Cost
Penn pays most of the cost for the medical, prescription, and behavioral health plans. Your share—paid through pre-tax payroll deductions—depends on the plan you choose, your employee status, and whether you are covering dependents. For details, review the current rates.
If you’re unable to afford the premiums for Penn’s coverage, you may be able to get free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Payroll deductions for coverage of a same-sex domestic partner and a partner’s children are usually subject to imputed income taxes. To assist with these taxes, Penn provides a tax offset for faculty and staff covering same-sex partners under Penn’s medical plans.
Dental and Vision
Penn offers several options for dental and vision coverage so you can choose the coverage that best meets your needs.
Life Insurance
Penn offers Basic, Supplemental, and Dependent Life Insurance to all full-time faculty and staff, along with Optional Life Insurance for part-time faculty and staff, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance for all employees. Learn more about Penn's Life Insurance options here.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Penn provides both a Health Care Flexible Spending Account and a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account to eligible employees. Learn more about Penn's Flexible Spending Accounts here.