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\n\tBy SUSAN JONES<\/p>\n
\n\tPitt staff and faculty who are part of the United Steelworkers-backed union bargaining units will not be seeing increases to their health insurance monthly payments, co-pays and deductibles for the 2026-27 plan year, even though the overall premium has increased by around 10% for all plans.<\/p>\n
\n\tNon-represented faculty and staff, post-docs, and those represented by several other unions on campus will see a 7% to 8% increase in monthly contributions, but co-pays and deductibles remain the same.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe staff and faculty unions are both in the middle of negotiating collective bargaining agreements \u2014 the first for the staff and the second contract for faculty. Because of this, all subjects concerning working conditions, including benefits, can\u2019t be changed without full negotiations with the union.<\/p>\n
\n\tStaff can confirm their union status<\/a> on the staffunionization.pitt.edu website.<\/p>\n \n\tAll employees have until 11:59 p.m. June 3 to enroll in a benefits plan at openenrollment.hr.pitt.edu<\/a>. There are once again three choices, although the names have been simplified to Panther HMO (formerly Panther Gold HMO), Panther PPO and Panther HDHP with HSA. Recordings of webinars specifically designed for the different employment types also are available on the Open Enrollment website.<\/p>\n \n\tThere is one benefit available to non-represented employees, but not to those represented by the USW. If you currently have or decide to choose the Panther HDHP (high-deductible health plan) with an HSA (health savings account) for the upcoming fiscal year, the University will provide a once-per-plan-year \u201cseeding\u201d contribution into your HSA of $500 for individual coverage or $1,000 if there are dependents on your plan. The seed amount will count toward the IRS maximum contribution.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThis new University-provided benefit is a definite enhancement,\u201d a University spokesman said.<\/p>\n \n\tThose covered by collective bargaining agreements other than with the USW, should consult their agreement or contact a union representative to confirm eligibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tDental and vision plans and rates remain the same for everyone.<\/p>\n \tPrescription coverage<\/p>\n \n\tThe other big change for the 2026-27 plan year is a switch in prescription drug coverage from Express Scripts to CVS Caremark, but there will be no changes to prescription copays.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cRising health care costs continue to place significant pressure on the University\u2019s employee benefits programs, requiring us to manage expenses responsibly while maintaining high-quality coverage for employees,\u201d the University spokesman said. \u201cTo accomplish this, we conducted a competitive bidding process with input from relevant shared governance partners, and after months of careful evaluation and deliberation, the University has selected a new pharmacy benefit manager beginning with the health plan year starting July 1, 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThis doesn\u2019t mean individuals have to use a CVS pharmacy. Other pharmacies may still be in the CVS Caremark network, including Giant Eagle pharmacies and the University Pharmacy. Find more information here<\/a> about participating pharmacies, the formulary list and drug costs.<\/p>\n \n\tOpen refills will automatically transition to CVS mail order, but payment information and auto fill information will not transfer. Information about switching prescription refills is available through the webinars at openenroll.hr.pitt.edu<\/a>. There also is a specialized website that CVS Caremark has set up at hr.pitt.edu\/cvscaremark<\/a> to address Pitt employee questions, and dedicated Caremark client support at 833-296-1891<\/p>\n \n\tAll individuals who participate in a University-sponsored medical plan will receive a new UPMC medical insurance card in late June with the CVS Caremark information listed. You can register on the CVS Caremark site as of June 24, but the benefit won\u2019t start until July 1. Learn more at caremark.com\/openenrollment<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tIn addition, Pitt\u2019s life insurance provider has switched from The Hartford to Securian Financial. Everything will transfer automatically from The Hartford, including beneficiaries.<\/p>\n \n\tCoverage amounts stay the same, and premiums for employee optional life insurance policies are decreasing. Rates for dependent life insurance (spouse\/domestic partner\/children) and optional accidental death & dismemberment policies will remain the same.<\/p>\n \n\tFind more information at securian.com\/pitt-insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tFor questions regarding Open Enrollment or benefits, please visit the Open Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions page<\/a>, or contact the the Human Resources Benefits Department by submitting an online request<\/a> or calling 833-852-2210.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tSusan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu<\/a> or 724-244-4042.<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tHave a story idea or news to share? Share<\/a> it with the University Times.<\/p>\n