YourBenefits2021 it's all about - Northwestern University
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it’s all about YourBenefits2021
What’s Inside
The Basics.................................................................. 1
Eligibility............................................................. 1
Faculty and Staff.............................................. 1
Dependents...................................................... 1
Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage Tiers.......... 1
Effective Date of Coverage.................................. 2
Premium Costs.................................................... 2
For Your Health.......................................................... 3
Medical............................................................... 3
Health Savings Account.................................... 6
Prescription Drug Benefits................................ 9
Dental............................................................... 10
Vision................................................................ 11
Health Care Flexible Spending Account............. 13
For Your Protection................................................... 15
Extended Sick Time........................................... 15
Long-Term Disability.......................................... 15
Life Insurance................................................... 17
For Your Well-being.................................................. 19
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account...... 19
Commuter Benefit............................................. 20
Tuition Benefits................................................. 21
YourLife Wellness Benefits................................ 22
Work/Life & Family Resources........................... 23
For Your Future......................................................... 24
Retirement Benefits.......................................... 24
Retiree Benefits & Privileges............................. 25
Glossary................................................................... 26
Directory.................................................................. 28
2 | Benefits Guide 2018 | Northwestern University
The Basics
Eligibility In general, you are eligible to participate in
the Voluntary Savings Plan if you are an
FACULTY AND STAFF actively-employed faculty or staff member
For Your Health/For Your Protection/ paid by Northwestern. However, if you are a
For Your Wellbeing contractor, leased employee, or nonresident
alien of the U.S. you may not be eligible to
You are eligible to participate in most of the participate. To qualify for
Northwestern University benefit plans in these
benefits coverage,
three categories if you are a: DEPENDENTS your Northwestern
§ Faculty member appointed to work You may include your benefits-eligible Depen- University salary
full-time or part-time (half-time or more) must be sufficient to
dents under your medical, dental, and vision
for the entire academic year or on a cover any premium
coverage, as well as under spouse and depen-
full-time basis for half the academic year. costs that may be
dent life insurance. Your benefits-eligible
deducted from your pay
§ Regular staff member scheduled to work Dependents can also take advantage of based on the choices
at least 18.75 hours per week (half-time certain Tuition Benefits. In addition, family you make during
or more) for at least 12 months or 37.5 members may access programs and services benefits enrollment.
hours per week (full-time) for at least six offered through the YourLife Wellness Program
months. and Work/Life & Family Resources.
For more information, see Dependent Medical
You are eligible to participate in University-
Coverage: Proof of Eligibility Required on page 2. For details regarding
sponsored Tuition Benefits if you are a
full-time faculty or staff member; a service- eligibility guidelines
based eligibility guideline also applies to these Medical, Dental, and Vision for the benefit plans
benefits. These benefits are not available to Coverage Tiers described in this
part-time faculty and staff. If you choose to participate in a medical, guide, visit http://
dental and/or vision plan, you also must www.northwestern.
For Your Future choose a Coverage Tier: edu/hr/benefits/.
You are eligible to participate in the § You Only – coverage for you only
Northwestern University Retirement Plan if § You + Spouse – coverage for you and
you are a faculty or staff member (as defined your legal spouse/civil union partner
by the plan) and: Throughout this
§ You + Child(ren) – coverage for you booklet, key terms
§ You are at least age 21 and one or more child(ren) appear in initial caps;
§ You are scheduled to work at least 18.75 definitions of these
§ You + Spouse + Child(ren) – coverage
hours per week, and terms can be found in
for you, your legal spouse, and one or
the Glossary on pages
§ You have completed two years of continu- more child(ren) 26 and 27.
ous service (24-consecutive months of
service with the University) as of the first Remember: You can include adult child(ren)
anniversary of your employment date or under your medical, dental, and vision
any subsequent anniversary of that date. coverage to age 26 – regardless of their
Note: Under certain circumstances, prior educational, marital, tax, or work status.
service with a tax-exempt educational or
research organization or a state educa-
tional organization immediately prior to
your Northwestern employment date
may be used to satisfy this service
requirement.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 1
The Basics
Effective Date of Coverage
Within the
If you are a:
Northwestern
University benefits § Current employee and you enroll for coverage during annual Open Enrollment – any
program, some new coverage options you choose will take effect on the following January 1.
benefits provide § New hire and you enroll for coverage within 31 days of start date – any coverage options you
automatic cov- choose will begin on the first day of the month after your hire date (or on your date of hire if
erage for which your hire date is the first of the month), unless otherwise noted in this booklet.
Northwestern pays
the full cost, while Premium Costs
others provide Your cost for any coverage options you elect will be deducted from your pay using Pre-Tax
coverage options Contributions or After-Tax Contributions, depending on the coverage for which the premium is
for which you and being deducted. 2021 premium costs are included in this booklet; see the appropriate section
Northwestern for each benefit.
share the cost (or
for which you pay
the full cost).
Your costs will
Dependent Medical Coverage: Proof of Eligibility Required
be based on the
coverage options If you include dependents under your University-sponsored medical coverage, you must
you choose. submit proof of eligibility for each dependent and Social Security number (for those who
have one). Coverage for a dependent will not begin until the insurance company accepts
such proof.
Benefits-Eligible Dependent Acceptable Documentation
Spouse – the person to whom you are legally married under the • Government-issued marriage certificate or
laws of your state of residence • J-2 or H-4 visa (foreign nationals only)
Partner – the person to whom you are legally joined in a civil • Government-issued civil union certificate or
union; any reference in this guide to a “spouse” also refers to a • J-2 or H-4 visa (foreign nationals only)
civil union partner
Child(ren) – to age 26, regardless of their educational, marital, tax, or work status.
• Biological child(ren) • Child(ren)’s government-issued birth certificate
• Other qualified child(ren), including foster children, stepchil- • See requirements listed at https://www.northwestern.edu/
dren, legally adopted children or grandchildren, and any child hr/benefits/eligibility-changes/verify-dependents.html
for whom you are the legal guardian, as defined by a court order
2 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern University
For Your Health
Medical
You can choose a medical plan based on While enrolling in a medical plan, you should
the protection you and your family need. assess your needs and those of your family. All four Northwest-
You can use the health cost estimator, located ern-sponsored
Northwestern offers four medical plans: in the online enrollment site, to estimate the medical plans pay
§ Premier PPO, Select PPO, and Value PPO benefits you may receive and what you may 100% of the cost
– three preferred provider options (PPOs) pay in out-of-pocket costs (premiums and of Preventive Care
that offer the flexibility to go to any Deductible, Coinsurance, and/or Copays and will help you
provider you choose (though you will combined) under different scenarios. and your family
receive greater benefits and pay lower with the costs of
Whichever plan you choose, you can enroll in
out-of-pocket costs when you see a maintaining good
coverage just for yourself, or you may include
provider who is a member of the North- health and treating
one or more eligible family members under
western Medicine or BlueCross disease and injury.
your coverage (see Medical, Dental, and Vision
BlueShield PPO Network).
Coverage Tiers on page 1).
§ HMO Illinois – a health maintenance
organization (HMO) coverage option that You and Northwestern share the cost of the
gives you access to the HMO Illinois medical coverage you choose. You pay your
provider Network, but pays no benefits share through Pre-Tax Contributions, which
when you see a provider who is not a will be automatically deducted from your
member of the Network (except in an paycheck.
emergency).
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois administers
all four medical plans.
The four medical plans differ in:
§ How you and each plan share the cost of
covered health care services – potential
out-of-pocket expenses (the amounts
you may pay in Deductible, Coinsurance
and/or Copays) vary by plan and, if you
choose a PPO coverage option, whether
you receive services from a Northwestern
Medicine provider, in-Network, or out-of-
Network (see Medical Plans At-a-Glance
on page 4).
§ How much you pay in monthly premiums
– premiums vary by plan based on
Coverage Tier and salary tier (see Monthly
Premium Costs: Medical on page 5)
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 3
For Your Health
Medical Plans At-a-Glance
Plan Feature Premier PPO1 Select PPO1 Value PPO2,3 HMO Illinois1
Northwestern Medicine Tier 1 Providers
$250 individual/ $500 individual/ $1,500 individual/
Deductible
$750 family $1,500 family $3,000 family
Coinsurance 5% 10% 10%
Out-of-Pocket $1,200 individual/ $1,800 individual/ $2,400 individual/
Not applicable
Maximum $3,200 family $4,800 family $6,400 family
10% after
Office Visit Copay $10 Primary Care Physician/$20 specialist
Deductible
$150 (waived if admitted) + Coinsurance 20% after
ER Copay
10% Coinsurance 20% Coinsurance Deductible
In-Network Providers
$400 individual/ $750 individual/ $2,000 individual/
Deductible
$1,200 family $2,250 family $4,000 family Not applicable
Coinsurance 10% 20%
Out-of-Pocket $2,400 individual/ $3,000 individual/ $3,000 individual/ $1,500 individual/
Maximum $6,600 family $8,000 family $8,000 family $3,000 family
$25 PCP/
Office Visit Copay $25 Primary Care Physician/$35 specialist
20% after $35 specialist
$150 (waived if admitted) + Coinsurance Deductible $150
ER Copay
10% Coinsurance 20% Coinsurance (waived if admitted)
Out-of-Network Providers
$800 individual/ $1,500 individual/ $3,000 individual/
Deductible
$2,400 family $4,500 family $6,000 family
Coinsurance 30% 40% after Deductible
Not applicable
Out-of-Pocket $4,800 individual/ $6,000 individual/ $7,500 individual/
Maximum $12,800 family $16,000 family $20,000 family
30% after
Office Visit Copay 40% after Deductible
Deductible
$150 (waived if admitted) + Coinsurance 20% after $150
ER Copay
10% Coinsurance 20% Coinsurance Deductible (waived if admitted)
1 Copays apply toward the out-of-pocket maximums.
2 The in- and out-of-Network Deductibles are tracked separately; a separate out-of-pocket maximum applies.
3 For Value PPO participants who choose You + Spouse, You + Child(ren), or You + Spouse + Child(ren) coverage,
the family Deductible and out-of-pocket rates apply.
4 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern University
For Your Health
Monthly Premium Costs: Medical
Premier PPO Select PPO Value PPO HMO Illinols
Coverage/Salary Tier Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time
You Only
Under $42,000 $234 $426 $47 $227 $17 $184 $106 $274
$42,001 - $75,000 $277 $453 $86 $253 $37 $196 $139 $296
$75,001 - $128,000 $334 $493 $139 $289 $84 $229 $181 $324
$128,001 - $182,000 $405 $540 $201 $331 $131 $259 $230 $357
$182,001 and above $511 $611 $293 $391 $199 $305 $307 $409
You + Spouse
Under $42,000 $512 $932 $105 $497 $39 $403 $233 $600
$42,001 - $75,000 $606 $993 $188 $552 $80 $429 $304 $648
$75,001 - $128,000 $731 $1,078 $304 $631 $182 $497 $395 $709
$128,001 - $182,000 $887 $1,182 $443 $722 $285 $568 $503 $781
$182,001 and above $1,119 $1,338 $640 $855 $432 $666 $673 $895
You + Child(ren)
Under $42,000 $435 $794 $88 $422 $34 $341 $201 $518
$42,001 - $75,000 $516 $848 $159 $468 $68 $365 $262 $559
$75,001 - $128,000 $622 $918 $260 $535 $153 $422 $341 $611
$128,001 - $182,000 $757 $1,009 $376 $614 $242 $481 $433 $673
$182,001 and above $953 $1,140 $543 $726 $368 $565 $580 $772
You + Spouse + Child(ren)
Under $42,000 $771 $1,400 $156 $745 $57 $602 $350 $903
$42,001 - $75,000 $910 $1,493 $282 $830 $120 $644 $457 $975
$75,001 - $128,000 $1,098 $1,619 $456 $946 $273 $746 $595 $1,067
$128,001 - $182,000 $1,332 $1,777 $664 $1,086 $427 $849 $757 $1,176
$182,001 and above $1,681 $2,010 $962 $1,285 $648 $997 $1,013 $1,347
The salary tier for current employees is assigned salary tier, unless you transition from
determined by your salary on September 1st full-time to part-time or part-time to full-time.
of the year preceding the plan year (e.g.,
premiums starting January 1, 2021 are based If you are covered by a collective bargaining
on your September 1, 2020 salary). Mid-year agreement, consult your contract for
changes to salary will not change your additional employee contribution information.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 5
For Your Health
HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT – When You Enroll in a Health Savings
FOR VALUE PPO PARTICIPANTS ONLY Account for the First Time:
You must renew If you choose coverage under the Value PPO You must activate your HSA upon notification
your election to medical plan: from PayFlex. Simply go to www.payflex.com,
§ You can open a Health Savings Account click on “Create Your Profile” and follow the
make Pre-Tax
(HSA) and make Pre-Tax Contributions to prompts.
Contributions to
this account. During the initial set-up of an HSA, the bank
a Health Savings
§ You can use the Pre-Tax Contributions in must fulfill certain obligations to establish
Account each
your HSA to pay for qualified health care and maintain a Customer Identification
year during Open expenses for yourself, your spouse, or Program (CIP) for each HSA participant, based
Enrollment. If you your dependent(s), including Deduct- on federal laws, including the USA Patriot Act,
don’t, your HSA ibles, Copays, Coinsurance, and eligible the Bank Secrecy Act, the Money Laundering
services that are not covered by your Control Act and other anti-money laundering
Pre-Tax Contribu-
plan. laws, as they may apply.
tion amount for
§ The amount contributed to your HSA is As part of this process, you may receive a
the next year will
subject to an annual maximum – $2,600 request from the partner bank to submit
default to $0. if you elect You Only coverage and additional information, which may include a
Northwestern will match $1,000; $5,200 copy of your driver’s license or passport, or a
if you elect You + Spouse, You + recent utility bill. You must provide the re-
Child(ren) or You + Spouse + Child(ren) quested information; if you don’t, the bank will
coverage and Northwestern will match not be able to set up your account (and you
$2,000 – and will be equally split will not be able to receive any contribution
between your own contributions and from Northwestern).
matching contributions Northwestern
will make on your behalf (see
Contributing to an HSA on page 7).
§ Any unused balance in your HSA at
year-end will rollover to the next year.
§ If you retire or leave Northwestern you
can take your HSA with you.
Important! Under IRS rules, if you open an
HSA, you cannot participate in a traditional
Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA);
however, you can participate in a limited-use
Health Care FSA (see page 13 for details).
6 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern University
For Your Health
Contributing to an HSA Enrolled in Medicare?
1 Your own contribution – You can make your If you will be turning age 65 in 2022 (and will
own Pre-Tax Contribution of up to $2,600 if enroll in Medicare), you can choose coverage
you elect You Only coverage or $5,200 if you under the Value PPO medical plan, but you will
elect You + Spouse, You + Child(ren) or You + not be eligible to make Pre-Tax Contributions
Spouse + Child(ren) coverage. to an HSA – or to receive Northwestern
matching contributions to an HSA after
2 Northwestern’s matching contribution December 31, 2021. However, you may
– Northwestern will match your Pre-Tax continue to use any balance you have in an
Contribution to your HSA up to: HSA to pay qualified health care expenses in
§ $1,000 – if you elect You Only coverage, or 2022 and beyond (and this money will remain
tax-free).
§ $2,000 – if you elect You + Spouse, You +
Child(ren) or You + Spouse + Family
coverage.
If you and Northwestern contribute the Any money added to your HSA – including
maximum allowed, the total contributions Northwestern matching contributions – is
to your HSA for the year will equal the your money to keep.
annual maximum contribution allowed
under federal regulations.
3 “Catch-up” contribution – If you are age 55
or older, you can make an annual “catch-up”
contribution4 (using Pre-Tax Contributions)
to your HSA each year. This contribution –
over and above the maximum annual
contribution – can help you accumulate
more in your HSA sooner. Northwestern does
not match any “catch-up” contributions.
Northwestern Annual Annual
Your Own Matching Maximum “Catch-Up”
Value PPO Medical Plan Coverage: Contribution Contribution Contribution Contribution4
You Only Up to $2,600 + Up to $1,000 = $3,600 + Up to $1,000
You + Spouse, You + Child(ren), or
Up to $5,200 + Up to $2,000 = $7,200 + Up to $1,000
You + Spouse + Child(ren)
4 You can make “catch-up” contributions only if you are age 55 or older – or will reach age 55 – in 2021.
Once eligible, you may continue to make catch-up contributions until the year in which you reach age 65
or become eligible for Medicare.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 7For Your Health
Qualified Health Care Expenses Using Your Health Savings Account
You can use pre-tax dollars from your HSA to If you participate in an HSA, you’ll receive a
pay qualified health care expenses only. PayFlex debit card. It’s all you’ll need whenever
Qualified health care expenses – as defined by you want to use pre-tax dollars from your HSA
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – include: to pay qualified health care expenses. If you
§ Deductible, Coinsurance, and Copay already have an unexpired PayFlex debit card
amounts you pay under your medical from prior years, you will not receive a new one.
coverage
§ Prescription drugs – including over-the-
counter drugs for which you have a
prescription
§ Acupuncture and chiropractic services
§ Dental care – including orthodontia (after
meeting your medical deductible)
§ Vision care – including contact lenses,
prescription sunglasses and LASIK
surgery (after meeting your medical
deductible)
Using the PayFlex website – www.payflex.com.
§ Hearing aids – including batteries
– you can:
§ Premiums for medical coverage while
§ Access your account information, view
receiving federal or state unemployment
transactions, and check the status of
benefits
claims
§ COBRA continuation coverage after
§ See a complete listing of qualified health
leaving your Northwestern employment
care expenses, and
§ Premiums for eligible long-term care, and
§ Obtain account-related forms.
§ Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket
expenses – including Deductibles, Important! Be sure to save itemized receipts
Copays, and Coinsurance. of all your HSA transactions in case you need
To learn more to provide documentation supporting your
about available You can use your HSA to pay qualified health use of the account for qualified health care
HSA investment care expenses incurred on or after the date expenses.
options, visit the you open your account, and you can use it to
PayFlex website – pay qualified health care expenses incurred by Over time, the balance in your HSA can grow
www.payflex.com. your spouse and children even if they are not through the contributions that you and
enrolled as dependents under your Value PPO Northwestern make to your account, rollovers
medical plan coverage. of your unused account balance from year-to-
year, as well as investment earnings.
For more information about qualified health
care expenses, visit the IRS Web site at Investing Your HSA for Growth
www.irs.gov.
Once the balance in your HSA exceeds $1,000
you can start investing the excess in one or
more mutual funds managed by Bank of New
York Mellon. You will be able to manage your
investments and track your account growth
online.
8 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Health
PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS
All four Northwestern-sponsored medical plans provide benefits toward the cost of prescription
drugs. Express Scripts – www.express-scripts.com – is the Pharmacy Benefit Manager for all
four plans.
Is a Generic
Premier PPO, Select PPO, and HMO Illinois Value PPO
Alternative
You pay a copay of: Available?
§ You pay the full cost of
§ $10 for each Generic Drug prescription
all prescription If a Generic Drug is
§ $30 for each Preferred Brand Name Drug
Retail – medications until you available but you
prescription
1 month supply5 meet the plan’s choose to fill a
§ $60 for each Non-Preferred Brand Name Drug annual Deductible prescription with a
prescription Preferred Brand Name
§ After that, you pay
§ $90 for each Specialty Drug prescription 20% of your prescrip- or Non-Preferred Brand
You pay a copay of: tion drug costs Name Drug, an ancil-
(Coinsurance) until lary charge will be
§ $20 for each Generic Drug prescription
your total out-of- added to your cost for
Home Delivery – § $60 for each Preferred Brand Name Drug
pocket expenses the medication – even
3-month supply5 prescription
reach the plan’s if your doctor checked
§ $120 for each Non-Preferred Brand Name Drug annual Out-of-Pocket the “dispense as
prescription Maximum written” box on the
§ $180 for each Specialty Drug prescription prescription form.
The ancillary charge
5 If a prescribed medication requires prior authorization, your physician must be consulted before it can be
will be 50% of the cost
dispensed. Physicians should call Express Scripts at 800-417-1764 to provide authorization.
difference between the
If you elect coverage under the Premier PPO, If You Are Prescribed a Specialty Drug: brand-name version of
Select PPO, or HMO Illinois medical plans, the the drug and the
amount you pay in out-of-pocket costs for Prescriptions for all Specialty Drugs must generic version. This
be filled through Accredo mail order; these ancillary charge will
prescription drugs each year is subject to an
prescriptions cannot be filled at a retail not apply toward the
annual $1,500 “stop loss.” This annual stop-
pharmacy. maximum cost per
loss feature applies separately to you and to
prescription or the
each covered family member. If the amount annual Out-of-Pocket
Accredo – a wholly owned subsidiary of
you pay in Copays reaches $1,500 for you or a Maximum.
Express Scripts – is a mail-order pharmacy
covered family member in a calendar year, the
whose sole purpose is specialty medication
prescription drug Copays noted above will no
management. Accredo fills prescriptions for
longer apply to prescriptions filled for you or
Specialty Drugs for oral, injectable, and
that family member for the balance of the year.
infused medications and provides on-call
Prescription drug costs that exceed the nurse and pharmacist support for patients on
approved dispensing limit in any given month these complex, expensive drugs.
– or that are for medications not covered by
Because many Specialty Drugs require refrig-
your plan – will not count toward your annual
eration, Accredo takes precautions to ensure
out-of-pocket expenses.
product preservation, including using temper-
ature-controlled packaging and working with
patients to arrange for safe and secure
package delivery. For example, if you are
unable to receive your medications at home,
you may request delivery to your workplace,
your doctor’s office, or a family member’s
home.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 9For Your Health
Dental
Free checkups help maintain good oral health. coverage must choose a dentist who is a
Both plans pay member of the Guardian Dental HMO
100% of the cost of You can choose coverage under one of two provider Network as your primary dental
preventive dental dental plans: care provider. The plan pays the full cost
health care and § BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois Dental of preventive services. For all other
will help you and PPO – You and your covered family covered services, the plan pays 100% of
your family with members can go to any dentist, but you the cost after you pay a specified Copay.
the costs of main- will generally receive higher benefits (and
taining good dental Whichever plan you choose, you can choose
pay less out-of-pocket) for services you
health and treating coverage just for yourself, or you may include
receive from a dentist who is a member
dental disease one or more eligible family members under
of the BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
and injury. your coverage (see Medical, Dental, and Vision
Dental PPO provider Network. The plan
Coverage Tiers on page 1).
pays the full cost of preventive services
when using an in-Network dental You and Northwestern share the cost of the
provider. dental coverage you choose. You pay your share
§ Guardian Dental HMO – You and each through Pre-Tax Contributions, which will be
family member you include under your automatically deducted from your paycheck.
Dental Plans At-a-Glance
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
Plan Features Dental PPO Guardian Dental HMO
Diagnostic and Preventive Services – oral exams,
Plan pays 100% – with no Deductible Plan pays 100%
x-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments
Annual Deductible $50 individual/$150 family –
Miscellaneous Services – sealants, space main-
Plan pays 80% of the cost after Plan pays 100% of the cost after
tainers, pulp vitality tests, palliative treatment to
annual Deductible specified Copay
relieve dental pain
Restorative Services, Endodontic Services, Plan pays 80% of the cost after Plan pays 100% of the cost after
Periodontal Services, Oral Surgery annual Deductible specified Copay
Plan pays 50% of the cost after Plan pays 100% of the cost after
Crowns/Inlays/Onlays
annual Deductible specified Copay
Plan pays 50% of the cost after
Implants –
annual Deductible
For dependent children under age 26
For children and adults – plan pays
Orthodontic Services – plan pays 50%, up to $3,000 lifetime
100% of cost after specified Copay
maximum
Annual Benefit Maximums $3,000 per person –
Monthly Premium Costs: Dental
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
Dental PPO Guardian Dental HMO
Coverage Tier Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time
You Only $21 $30 $7 $10
You + Spouse $45 $64 $13 $18
You + Child(ren) $51 $72 $14 $20
You + Spouse + Child(ren) $72 $102 $20 $28
10 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Health
Vision
Don’t underestimate the value of regular You can choose EyeMed Vision Care Plan
eye exams. coverage just for yourself, or you may include
one or more eligible family members under
Northwestern’s vision plan through EyeMed
your coverage (see Medical, Dental, and Vision
offers comprehensive coverage, including eye
Coverage Tiers on page 1).
exams and allowances for eyewear. With open
access to see any eye care provider, you can If you choose coverage under the EyeMed
see the one who is right for you. Eye exams are Vision Care Plan, you pay the full cost of this
an important part of overall health care for you coverage through Pre-Tax Contributions,
and your entire family which will be automatically deducted from
your paycheck.
If you choose coverage under the EyeMed
Vision Care Plan, you and your covered family While Northwestern-sponsored medical After you pay a
members can go to any optometrist, but you plans have built-in vision discounts, provided $10 Copay, the
will generally receive higher benefits (and pay through the Blue365 Discount Program (see EyeMed Vision
less out-of-pocket) for services you receive Blue365 Discount Program: Overview); you can Care Plan will pay
from a vision care provider who is a member of choose to enroll in the EyeMed Vision Care 100% of the cost
the EyeMed provider Network. Plan, which will provide coverage for vision of an annual eye
care services. Important! You cannot use exam performed
EyeMed uses a national Network of more than
both the Blue365 Discount Program and the by an EyeMed
35,000 retail chains and private practice
EyeMed Vision Care Plan simultaneously to Network provider.
providers. To locate an EyeMed Network
cover the same vision services.
provider near you, go to www.eyemedvision- Family members
care.com (choose “Members” and under Find you include
a Provider select the “Insight” Network). under your Eye-
Med coverage can
each receive an
BLUE365 DISCOUNT PROGRAM: OVERVIEW annual eye exam
for just $10, as
Blue365 is a vision services discount § HMO participants – may be applied to
well.
program sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield remaining balances for covered vision
for participants enrolled in the Premier PPO, care services (including frames,
Select PPO, Value PPO, and HMO Illinois contact lenses, and various lens
medical plans; it is not a vision insurance options) after the vision coverage
plan. provided through their HMO Illinois
coverage has been applied or
Blue365 discounts for: exhausted.
§ PPO participants – may be applied to
covered vision care services (including The Blue365 Discount Program is provided
exams, frames, lenses, contact lenses, at no additional cost.
and various lens options). These For details about how the Blue365 Discount
discounts are provided through two Program works and how it can save you
vision care providers: EyeMed and money, call BCBS at 800-327-8497 or visit
Davis Vision. Participants who are also www.blue365deals.com.
enrolled in the EyeMed Vision Care
Plan may take advantage of these
discounts only after they exhaust their
EyeMed Vision Care Plan benefits.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 11For Your Health
Vision Plan At-a-Glance
EyeMed Vision Plan
Plan Features In-Network Out-of-Network
Annual Eye Exam – once every 12
After $10 Copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $40
months
Exam Options: Contact Lenses
• Standard Fit and 2 Follow-up Visits After $10 Copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $40
• Premium Fit and Follow-up After $10 Copay, plan offers 10% discount on Plan pays up to $40
retail prices, then applies $55 allowance
Frames – once every 12 months Plan pays 80% of balance over $130 Plan pays up to $65
Standard Plastic Lenses – once
every 12 months
• Single Vision After $10 Copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $40
• Bifocal After $10 Copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $60
• Trifocal/Lenticular After $10 Copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $80
• Standard Progressive After $75 Copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $60
• Premium Progressive – scheduled After $101-$113 copay, plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $60
• Premium Progressive – other After $75 Copay, plan pays 20% less $120 –
allowance
Standard Lens Options
• UV Coating/Tint (solid and gradient) $15 –
• Standard Scratch Resistance/ No Copay; plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $5
Standard Polycarbonate
• Standard Anti-Reflective Coating $45 –
• Polarized 20% discount off retail price –
• Photochromic/Transitions Plastic $75 –
• Premium Anti-Reflective Coating $57-$68 –
– scheduled
• Other Add-Ons and Services 80% discount off retail price –
Contact Lenses – once
every 12 months
• Conventional No Copay; you pay 85% of balance over $200 Plan pays up to $160
• Disposable No Copay; you pay 100% of balance over $200 Plan pays up to $160
• Medically Necessary Plan pays 100% Plan pays up to $210
Lasik or PRK – from US Laser You pay 85% of retail price (95% of
–
Network promotional price)
Monthly Premium Costs: Vision
Coverage Tier EyeMed Vision Care Plan
You Only $12
You + Spouse $24
You + Child(ren) $28
You + Spouse + Child(ren) $33
12 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Health
Health Care Flexible Spending Account
Save money on eligible health care expenses. § You can be reimbursed for eligible
health care expenses up to the full
You can save money when you use tax-free value of the Pre-Tax Contributions
dollars from a Health Care Flexible Spending you’ve agreed to make for the year from
Account (Health Care FSA) to pay eligible the first day of the benefit year – even
health care expenses incurred by you, your before all scheduled contributions for
spouse or your dependent child(ren). Note: You the year have been made.
do not need to be enrolled in a Northwestern-
sponsored medical plan to participate in a § You can use the money you contribute
Health Care FSA. to a Health Care FSA each year to pay
eligible expenses incurred in the
If you choose medical coverage under the: calendar year (January 1-December 31)
in which they are made, as well as
§ Premier PPO, Select PPO, or HMO Illinois You must renew
medical plan – You can open (and contrib- eligible expenses incurred January
your election to
1-March 15 of the following calendar
ute to) a traditional Health Care FSA. make Pre-Tax
year (the grace period).
§ Value PPO medical plan – You can open Contributions to
(and contribute to) a limited-use Health § The deadline for submitting claims is a Health Care FSA
Care FSA. March 31 of the year following the each year during
calendar year in which the contribu- Open Enrollment.
Whether you participate in a traditional or tions are made. If you don’t, your
limited-use Health Care FSA, you can contrib- § You will forfeit any unused contribu- Health Care FSA
ute up to $2,700 a year to your account. The tions in a Health Care FSA as of the Pre-Tax Contribu-
minimum annual contribution is $240. claim filing deadline. tion amount for
the next year will
If you choose to contribute to a Health Care FSA: § Funds in your Health Care FSA are default to $0.
not “portable” if you retire or leave
§ Once your enrollment takes effect, you
Northwestern.
will not be able to change your Pre-Tax
Contributions to the account until the
next Open Enrollment unless you experi-
ence a qualifying life event.
Traditional vs. Limited-Use Health Care FSA: What’s the Difference?
According to IRS rules, if you open a Health Savings Account – which you can do only if
you choose coverage under the Value PPO medical plan – you cannot contribute to a
traditional Health Care FSA. However, you can contribute to a limited-use Health Care
FSA. Here’s how a traditional Health Care FSA and a limited-use Health Care FSA differ:
Traditional Health Care FSA Limited-Use Health Care FSA
For Premier PPO, Select PPO, and HMO Illinois participants For Value PPO participants with an HSA
• Use Pre-Tax Contributions to pay eligible health care • Use Pre-Tax Contributions to pay eligible DENTAL and
expenses at ANY time within the plan year or grace period VISION expenses at ANY time
• Use Pre-Tax Contributions to pay ALL eligible health care
expenses incurred AFTER Value PPO annual Deductible
has been met
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 13For Your Health
Eligible Health Care Expenses Using Your Health Care FSA
Eligible health care expenses you can reim- If you participate in a traditional or limited-use
burse using tax-free dollars from a Health Health Care FSA, you’ll receive a PayFlex debit
Care FSA include out-of-pocket expenses – card. It’s all you’ll need whenever you want to
Deductibles, Coinsurance, and Copays under use pre-tax dollars from your Health Care FSA
For a complete your medical coverage – as well as services to pay eligible health care expenses. However,
list of health care that may not be covered by your medical, you can pay eligible health care expenses out
services for which dental, and vision plans, including: of your own pocket and file a claim using the
you may claim Express Claims feature on the PayFlex website
eligible expenses, § Acupuncture
– www.payflex.com. Once your claim is
see IRS Publication § Chiropractic care processed, you will be reimbursed from your
502, available at § Dental and orthodontia Health Care FSA, up to the amount you have
www.irs.gov. elected to contribute to a Health Care FSA for
§ Flu shots
the year.
§ Laser eye surgery
§ Prescription drugs
§ Over-the-counter medications and
items for which your doctor provides a
prescription6
§ Vision exams, eyeglasses and contact
lenses, and
§ Weight loss programs.
6 Costs for over-the-counter medications and items
purchased without a prescription are not eligible
expenses and may not be reimbursed through a
Health Care FSA.
You may use your contributions to a Health You can also use the PayFlex website to:
Care FSA for eligible expenses incurred during § Access your account information, view
the calendar year in which the contributions transactions, and check the status of
were made, as well as those incurred January claims
1 through March 15 of the following year. The
§ Set up direct deposit
deadline for submitting claims for these
eligible expenses is March 31 of that § See a complete listing of eligible health
following year. care expenses, and
§ Obtain account-related forms, including
claim forms, direct deposit forms, letters
of medical necessity, enrollment forms,
and other IRS publications.
Important! Be sure to keep itemized receipts
of all your Health Care FSA transactions in
case you need to provide documentation
supporting your use of the account for eligible
health care expenses.
14 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Protection
Extended Sick Time Long-Term Disability
Continuing income if you’re unable to work Continuing income if you’re unable to work
due to illness or injury for up to six months. due to illness or injury for more than six
months.
Extended Sick Time (EST) will provide
continuing income in the event you are unable Long-Term Disability provides a monthly To learn more
to work due to an illness or injury unrelated benefit if – due to illness or injury – you are about EST and how
to work. unable to perform: it works – and for a
§ Your regular job – during the first two copy of frequently
If you experience an extended illness or injury asked questions
years of your disability, or
and you are approved for EST benefits, you will about the program
receive 100% of your hourly rate or monthly § Any reasonable job – after two years of
– visit http://www.
salary for up to 25 weeks following completion disability.
northwestern.
of an elimination period in which you are edu/hr/benefits/
To receive LTD benefits, you must be absent
absent from work for seven consecutive disability-plans/
from work for six months of continuous
calendar days or five consecutive business Extended-Sick-
disability, then file an LTD claim.
days. Time.html.
There are two parts to the LTD plan:
You do not need to enroll to be eligible to
receive EST benefits. Your coverage under this § Core Plan – This plan provides a monthly
program will begin automatically once you LTD benefit equal to 50% of your last
complete six months of continuous benefits- working University salary, up to a maxi-
eligible service with Northwestern. mum benefit of $11,500 per month. You
are automatically enrolled in Core LTD
The EST program is managed by The Hartford coverage.
Insurance Company. To receive EST benefits,
§ Buy-Up Plan – This plan provides a
you must be absent from work for five
monthly LTD benefit equal to 60% of your
consecutive business days, then file an EST
last working University salary, up to a
claim with The Hartford and be approved.
maximum benefit of $13,800 per month.
Northwestern pays the full cost of your It also allows for a benefit up to 70% from
coverage under this program; there is no cost all sources, including Social Security
to you. Disability Income (SSDI). You can enroll in
Buy-Up LTD coverage during any benefits
enrollment but you will be required to
submit a Personal Health Application if
you choose to enroll in any enrollment
period other than your first enrollment
opportunity as a new hire.
If you are diagnosed or receive care for a
condition within 26 weeks prior to your
effective date of LTD coverage, you will not be
covered by the LTD plan until you have been
covered under the plan for at least 12 months.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 15For Your Protection
The maximum benefit period for which LTD The LTD program is managed by The Hartford
benefits will be paid depends on your age at Insurance Company.
Northwestern the time you become disabled and your Social
requires faculty Security Normal Retirement Age. Northwestern pays the full cost of your
and staff who Core LTD coverage. If you elect Buy-Up LTD
apply for LTD Benefits typically cease at your Social Security coverage, you will pay the cost of that
benefits to also Normal Retirement Age, but may continue additional 10%. The amount you pay will be
apply for Social based on your age at disability according to based on your age.
Security Disability the following table.
Income (SSDI).
The Hartford will Age at Disability Maximum LTD Benefit Period
offset any LTD 62 or younger To Normal Retirement Age or 42 months, if greater
benefit payments 63 To Normal Retirement Age or 36 months, if greater
you receive with
64 30 months
any SSDI benefits
65 24 months
for which you are
approved. 66 21 months
67 18 months
68 15 months
69 or older 12 months
Annual Premium Costs: LTD Buy-Up Plan
Your Age Rate
Under 30 $0.082
30-34 $0.109
35-39 $0.123
40-44 $0.145
45-49 $0.187
50-54 $0.243
55-59 $0.284
60-64 $0.307
65 older $0.287
Note: To calculate your annual premium under the
Buy-Up Plan, divide your annual salary by 100, then
multiply by the rate for your age bracket.
16 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Protection
Life Insurance
Financial protection for you and your SUPPLEMENTAL, SPOUSE, AND Do you know
family. DEPENDENT CHILD TERM LIFE INSURANCE who your
beneficiaries
Northwestern provides a combination of Basic You can increase your life insurance protection are?
Term Life Insurance for you and the opportu- by electing the following types of optional
nity to purchase additional Supplemental, coverage: Your Beneficiary
Spouse, and Dependent Child Term Life is the person (or
§ Supplemental Term Life Insurance persons) who will
Insurance.
– Additional life insurance coverage for receive your Basic
This coverage is provided through Dearborn yourself in increments of your Annual and Supplemental
National. Northwestern Salary, up to a maximum of Term Life Insur-
5x your pay or $2,000,000, whichever is ance benefits if
Northwestern pays the cost of your Basic Term less. Evidence of Insurability is not you die.
Life Insurance. You pay the cost of any Supple- required for Supplemental Term Life
mental, Spouse, and Dependent Child Term Insurance coverage of up to 3x your You can name
Life Insurance you elect based on group Annual Northwestern Salary (or anyone you
insurance rates. $1,000,000, whichever is less) at time want as your
of hire; for Supplemental Term Life Beneficiary(ies) –
BASIC TERM LIFE INSURANCE Insurance in excess of this amount (or if and designate as
adding coverage during Open Enrollment) many people as
As a benefits-eligible Northwestern faculty or Evidence of Insurability is required and Beneficiary(ies) as
staff member, you receive Basic Term Life coverage will be subject to approval by you wish – for your
Insurance automatically and at no cost to you. Dearborn National. Basic and Supple-
You have the choice between Basic Term Life mental Term Life
Insurance coverage equal to: § Spouse Term Life Insurance – Life Insurance. (Note:
insurance for your spouse in increments You may not name
§ $50,000, or of $10,000, up to a maximum equal to Northwestern
§ 2.5 x your annual salary up to a the value of your total Basic Term Life University as a
maximum of $250,000. Insurance plus Supplemental Term Life Beneficiary.) You
Insurance election or $500,000, which- must specify the
If you do not make a selection, you will default ever is less. Evidence of Insurability is not
to the $50,000 coverage amount. percentage of the
required for Spouse Term Life Insurance benefit to be paid
coverage of up to $30,000 at time of hire; to each Beneficiary
Note: Under IRS regulations, the value of
for Spouse Term Life Insurance in excess (up to a maximum
employer-based basic term life insurance in
of this amount (or if adding coverage of 100% for all
excess of $50,000 is considered “imputed” (or
during Open Enrollment), Evidence of allocations).
taxable) income. If you don’t want to incur this
Insurability is required and coverage will
imputed income, you may elect the $50,000 You are automati-
be subject to approval by Dearborn
Basic Term Life Insurance option. cally the Benefi-
National.
ciary for payment
§ Dependent Child Term Life Insurance of any Spouse Term
– Life insurance for your unmarried Life Insurance
child(ren) who are under age 26 and and/or Child Term
financially dependent on you in incre- Life Insurance
ments of $5,000, up to a maximum of coverage you
$25,000 for each child. Evidence of elect.
Insurability is not required.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 17For Your Protection
Monthly Premium Costs: Supplemental, Spouse, and Dependent Child Term Life
Insurance
Supplemental Term Life Insurance/ Supplemental Term Life Insurance/
Spouse Term Life Insurance Spouse Term Life Insurance
Per person per $1,000: You Spouse Per person per $1,000: You Spouse
Under age 25 $0.021 $0.021 Age 55-59 $0.211 $0.217
Age 25-29 $0.021 $0.021 Age 60-64 $0.280 $0.288
Age 30-34 $0.026 $0.026 Age 65-69 $0.432 $0.445
Age 35-39 $0.039 $0.040 Age 70 and older $0.691 $0.712
Age 40-44 $0.048 $0.049
Age 45-49 $0.075 $0.077 Dependent Child Term Life Insurance
Age 50-54 $0.114 $0.117 Per child per $1,000 $0.128
Does This Coverage Provide Benefits in the
Event of Accidental Injury or Death?
All four types of term life insurance – Basic, For details regarding circumstances under
Supplemental, Spouse and Child – include which AD&D benefits will be paid – as well as
accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) additional details about AD&D coverage – visit
Insurance. This AD&D coverage will provide a http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/
benefit in an amount up to the applicable life resources/hw_spd.pdf.
insurance if – as the result of an accident –
you or your covered spouse, partner, or child:
§ Loses your sight, hearing, or a limb
§ Becomes paralyzed
§ Dies, or
§ Suffers certain other losses.
AD&D coverage will pay a benefit equal to all
or a specified percentage of the corresponding
life insurance coverage amount, based on the
nature of the loss.
18 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Well-being
Dependent Care Flexible Spending
Account
Save money on eligible dependent § Funds in your Dependent Care FSA
care expenses. are not “portable” if you retire or leave You must renew
Northwestern. your election to
You can save money when you use tax-free
dollars from a Dependent Care Flexible Northwestern Reimbursement make Pre-Tax
Spending Account (Dependent Care FSA) to Contributions to a
If you open and contribute to a Dependent Dependent Care FSA
pay eligible dependent care expenses. Your
Care FSA, Northwestern will reimburse each year during
qualified dependents may include your
to your paycheck an amount equal to a Open Enrollment.
children through age 12, or spouse, parents,
percentage of your contribution if: If you don’t, your
in-laws, siblings, or child(ren) over the age of
13 incapable of self-care. Those covered must § You have full-time status – 100% Dependent Care FSA
be declared as a dependent on your tax return. full-time appointment or scheduled to Pre-Tax Contribu-
work at least 37.5 hours per week tion amount for
If you are single or married filing taxes jointly, the next year will
§ Your spouse is working or studying default to $0. If you
you may contribute up to $5,000 per house-
full-time, and are eligible to re-
hold a year to a Dependent Care FSA. The
minimum annual contribution is $240. § Your combined adjusted gross household ceive a reimburse-
income is $130,000 or less. ment contribution
If you choose to contribute to a Dependent from Northwestern,
Care FSA: Combined Reimbursement
Adjusted Gross Percentage/
you must re-submit
§ Once your enrollment takes effect, you Household Income Maximum7 your application for
will not be able to change your contribu- this contribution
Up to $60,000 80% – up to $4,000
tion to that account until the next Open each year, as well.
$60,001 to $75,000 60% – up to $3,000
Enrollment unless you experience a
qualifying life event. $75,001 to $100,000 40% – up to $2,000
$100,001 to $130,000 20% – up to $1,000
§ You can be reimbursed for eligible
dependent care expenses up to your 7 The maximum reimbursement amount is based on
current account balance ONLY. Any a Dependent Care FSA annual contribution of
expenses in excess of your current $5,000. The reimbursement amount is considered
taxable income.
account balance will be reimbursed as
additional contributions are added to If you are eligible for – and wish to receive –
your account throughout the year. a reimbursement, you must :
§ You can use the money you contribute to § Complete the online Dependent Care
a Dependent Care FSA each year to pay Employer Match Application available
eligible expenses incurred in the calendar on myHR (for instructions, see the User
year (January 1-December 31) in which Guide), and
they are made.
§ Provide Benefits a copy of the page from
§ The deadline for submitting claims is your most recent U.S. income tax Form
March 31 of the year following the 1040 showing your tax-filing status and
calendar year in which the contributions adjusted gross income (line 37).
are made. To submit a request for reim-
bursement, you must complete a PayFlex If your application is received after the start of
claim form and submit it to PayFlex. the calendar year (January 1), Northwestern’s
reimbursement for the year will be pro-rated.
§ You will forfeit any unused contributions Important! The enrollment form must be
in a Dependent Care FSA at year end. completed each year if you wish to receive
these funds.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 19For Your Well-being
Eligible Dependent Care Expenses Commuter Benefit
Eligible dependent care expenses you can For your convenience, the University has
reimburse using pre-tax dollars from a partnered with PayFlex to administer our
Dependent Care FSA include: Commuter Transit and Parking program.
§ Day camp and camp activities (The campus parking programs administered
by the Evanston Parking Office and by
§ Day care for your child(ren)
For a complete list Transportation & Parking for the Chicago
of child and dependent § Day care for an elderly or disabled Campus are not included.)
care services for dependent
which you may claim The program allows you to have the cost of
§ Nanny salary and taxes, and
eligible expenses, your commuting expenses taken from your
see IRS Publication § Summer sports day camp (overnight check on a pre-tax basis.
503, available at camp is NOT an eligible expense).
www.irs.gov. See the HR Benefits website for more
When filing a claim for reimbursement with information.
PayFlex, you will be required to provide a tax ID
number for the individual or facility providing
eligible dependent care services.
Using your Dependent Care FSA
If you participate in a Dependent Care FSA,
Important! Be sure
you will pay eligible dependent care expenses
to save itemized
out of your own pocket and file a claim using
receipts of all your
the Express Claims feature on the PayFlex
Dependent Care
website – www.payflex.com. Once your claim
FSA transactions
is processed, you will be reimbursed for your
in case you need
claim from the available funds in your
to provide
Dependent Care FSA.
documentation
supporting your use You can also use the PayFlex website to:
of the account for
§ Access your account information, view
eligible dependent
transactions, and check the status of
care expenses.
claims
§ Set up direct deposit
§ See a complete listing of eligible
dependent care expenses, and
§ Obtain account-related forms, including
claim forms, direct deposit forms, letters
of medical necessity, enrollment forms,
IRS Form 2441, and other IRS publica-
tions.
20 | Benefits Guide 2021 | Northwestern UniversityFor Your Well-being
Tuition Benefits
Offering financial assistance for you, your For classes taken outside of Northwestern:
spouse, and your dependent child(ren)
§ Employee Portable Tuition8 – Reim-
under age 26
bursement of tuition for undergraduate
Tuition benefits at Northwestern are designed or graduate university degrees pursued
In addition,
to support the ongoing efforts of full-time, at schools other than Northwestern;
Northwestern
benefits-eligible faculty and staff – and their 2021 calendar year reimbursement is
offers a 25%
eligible family members – to pursue higher 100%; maximum annual benefit is
discount per
education. You can apply for these benefits $12,000 through 2020 ($5,250 for classes
class on tuition
online through the myHR Self-Service portal. that start on or after January 1, 2021).
for non-degree
§ Dependent Portable Tuition – Tuition lessons taken
For classes taken at Northwestern:
assistance for undergraduate university at the Music
§ Employee Reduced Tuition – Reduced degrees pursued by employees’ depen- Academy by
tuition for undergraduate or graduate dent children at U.S. accredited schools faculty, staff and
university courses taken at Northwestern: other than Northwestern after a five-year retirees, their
2021 calendar year discount is 90%; service period; 2021 rate is 50% of tuition spouses and
maximum annual discount is $12,000. and eligible fees for up to 8 semesters/12 dependent
§ Enhanced Employee Reduced Tuition – quarters lifetime maximum. children.
Reduced tuition for undergraduate or
Using the Online Application9
graduate university courses taken at
Northwestern after a three-year service 1. Use a Firefox browser.
period and while earning less than 2. Log into myHR Self-Service at https://
$100,000 a year; 2021 calendar year myHR.northwestern.edu with your NetID,
discount is 90%; there is no limit on the Password, and Multifactor Authentication.
annual discount. 3. Select “Benefits” and choose “My Tuition
§ Employee Northwestern Certificate Benefit Application.”
Tuition – Reimbursement of tuition for 4. Select “Submit New Application.”
non-credit, short duration certificate 5. Select the “Tuition Benefit Year.”
programs taken at Northwestern; 2021 6. Use the magnifying glass icon to select
calendar year reimbursement is 100%; the “Plan ID” (your eligible tuition benefit
maximum annual benefit is $12,000. options will appear).
§ Dependent Reduced Tuition – Reduced 7. Follow instructions to complete application
tuition for undergraduate university and upload required documentation.
degrees pursued by employees’ spouses
and dependent children at Northwestern For more information, visit http://www.
– 85% for undergraduate courses in the northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/tuition. For
School of Professional Studies (SPS) information on additional professional devel-
after a six-month service period; 50% for opment opportunities, visit http://www.
all other undergraduate level courses northwestern.edu/hr/learning/development/
after a five-year service period; 90% if index.html.
hired full-time before January 1, 2000
– for up to 12 quarters lifetime maximum.
8 This plan is not available to employees hired on or
after January 1, 2020.
9 If you do not have access to myHR Self Service,
please email tuition-benefits@northwestern.edu.
Northwestern University | Benefits Guide 2021 | 21You can also read
