Frequently Asked Questions
As a new hire, how do I start my insurance?
After you are hired by the university, you will receive a benefits package at your work address with details about the health plans. You must complete the enclosed forms for your coverage to begin. Return them to the Office of Human Resources within 31 days of your date of hire.
The most common form, used to enroll in medical, dental and vision insurance, can be found at hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/healthplanenroll.pdf. Additional forms can be found at hr.osu.edu/forms.
As a new hire, how do I start my retirement savings?
After you are hired by the university, you will receive a retirement package at your home address with details about your retirement choices. Included in the packet will be the retirement election form hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/retire.pdf.
The amount of your retirement deduction is a fixed percentage and will automatically be withheld starting from your first paycheck. These deposits will go into the appropriate state retirement plan (OPERS if you are staff or STRS if you are faculty) until your election form is received by the Office of Human Resources.
This is a one-time, irrevocable decision. You must submit this form within 120 days of your date of hire or you will default into your appropriate state system. If you choose one of the Alternative Retirement Plans (ARP) within the 120 day deadline, your initial deductions will be transferred to your chosen vendor within 60 days.
How do I add a dependent to my medical insurance?
If you have a qualifying status change such as marriage or birth/adoption of a child, you can add the eligible dependent(s) to your medical, dental or vision coverage. You have 31 days from the date of the qualifying event to complete a health enrollment form hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/healthplanenroll.pdf and forward it to our office.
You may also wish to reference our Life Events web site at hr.osu.edu/events/home.htm for other changes you should consider regarding your benefit choices. If you do not make changes within 31 days from the qualifying event, you must wait until the annual Open Enrollment period that occurs each autumn quarter.
Any changes made through the Open Enrollment process will be effective January 1 of the next year. The only options which are allowed during Open Enrollment are to change medical, dental and vision election/coverage and enroll/re-enroll in a flexible spending account, or waive short-term disability coverage.
How do I sign up for Tuition Assistance?
If you are an employee of the university and taking classes, you do not need to complete a form to request tuition assistance for yourself. However, if a spouse, same-sex domestic partner, or eligible dependent child of an employee would like to receive the Dependent Tuition Assistance benefit, the employee must complete a Dependent Tuition Assistance Application Form, hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/tuitdep.pdf. This form must be completed by the deadline on the form each academic year per dependent, or on a quarter by quarter basis.
How do I remove a dependent from my insurance?
You can drop a dependent from your medical, dental or vision coverage due to a qualifying event such as divorce, or if a dependent has obtained other coverage. You have 31 days from the date of the qualifying event to complete a health election form, hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/healthplanenroll.pdf and return it to the Office of Human Resources.
You must attach appropriate supporting documentation of the qualifying event, such as the divorce decree indicating the date the divorce was finalized, or a document verifying the starting date of the dependent’s new insurance. You should reference our Life Events web site at hr.osu.edu/events/home.htm for other changes you should consider regarding your benefit choices.
If you do not make changes within 31 days from the qualifying event, you must wait until the annual Open Enrollment period that occurs each autumn quarter. Any changes made through Open Enrollment process will be effective January 1 of the next year. The only options which are allowed during Open Enrollment are to change medical, dental and vision election/coverage and enroll/re-enroll in a flexible spending account, or waive short term disability coverage.
How do I get reimbursed from my Flexible Spending Account (FSA)?
For reimbursement from your FSA, you must complete a FSA Reimbursement form and submit it to the Office of Human Resources. Complete the appropriate form for the account in which you are enrolled.
There are two reimbursement forms, a Health Care FSA Reimbursement form for you or your qualified dependents eligible out-of-pocket health expenses, hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/fsahlth.pdf or a Dependent Care FSA Reimbursement form for qualified child care expenses, hr.osu.edu/forms/ben/fsadep.pdf.
Be sure to follow the instructions listed on the forms and include the proper documentation in order to avoid any delays in processing. If your reimbursement form is received in our office at 1590 N. High Street, Suite 300 by Wednesday at noon, it will be processed and if the funds are available for reimbursement, a check will be produced and mailed to your home address on Friday.
How do I receive my insurance cards?
If you elect medical coverage, you will receive one card for both medical and prescription drug benefits. When we receive your health election form, it will be processed in Benefits and transmitted electronically to NGS American, OSU’s third–party organization (TPO) that processes our medical bills.
NGS American will send your medical/prescription card(s) to your home address. You should receive it approximately 14-20 business days after NGS American receives your enrollment information. If you lose your card or need additional cards, you can request a new one by calling NGS American at 1-866-442-8257. It is option number four on their phone menu.
Cards will not be sent to you in the mail for either dental (Delta Dental Premier) or vision (Vision Service Plan) coverage.
Your Member ID number for dental services for you and your dependents is your OSU employee ID number.
- 8-digit OSU Employee ID – your Delta Dental ID is your Employee ID with a leading zero added to it.
- 9-digit OSU Employee ID – your Delta Dental ID is your Employee ID with no changes.
Your Member ID number for vision services for you and your dependent is your social security number (SSN).
Additional information about health cards is included in your benefits packet, including your CareWorks card.
