Table of Content
- Header
-
Employee Benefits
- Introduction
- 2026 Open Enrollment
- Benefits Overview
- How To Enroll
- Additional Resources
-
Medical
- Prescription Drug Coverage
- Virtual Care
- Medica Wellness Discounts and Resources
- Health Savings Account
- Flexible Spending Account
- Dental
- Vision
- Life and AD&D
-
Disability
- Additional Free Benefits Through Unum
- Voluntary Benefits
- Minnesota Paid Family & Medical Leave
- Legal Plan
- 403(b) Retirement Plan
-
Benefit Summaries
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Life and AD&D
- Disability
- Voluntary Benefits
- Required Notices
- Contact Us
- Footer
Introduction
As a Hamline employee you have three opportunities to review your comprehensive benefits package and make your enrollment decisions:
- New hires are eligible for coverage on the first day of the month following date of hire.
- Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to enroll, make changes, or drop your benefit coverage without a qualifying event.
- If you experience a qualifying event (such as marriage, birth of a child, loss/gaining of eligibility, etc.) you will have opportunity to make changes to certain benefits. NOTE: You are required to notify the Benefits Office within 30 days of the event if you wish to make changes to your current elections.
2026 Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to enroll, make changes, or drop your benefit coverage without a qualifying life event (QLE)!
If you experience a QLE, please notify the Benefits Office within 30 days of the event.
Most common life events include:
- Marriage
- Birth or adoption of a child
- Divorce, legal separation, termination of employment, reduction in hours worked or death of spouse
- Loss of coverage under Medicaid or state child health plan
- Gaining eligibility for coverage under Medicaid, Medicare or a state child health plan
Whenever you are making changes, we strongly encourage you to confirm your demographic and beneficiary information as well.
Benefits Overview
Please review our 2026 Benefit Guide (link below) to ensure you understand all of the benefits offered to you so you can find the right fit for you and your family!
How To Enroll
All enrollments (new hire, open enrollment, or qualifying event) are completed online through Workday.
To access Workday:
- Scroll to the bottom of www.hamline.edu and click on Internal Logins.
- Under the For Faculty and Staff section, click on Workday login.
- Log in using your Hamline username and password
Please click the below link to log in to Workday.
Medical
Hamline offers four medical plan options and three network options. All options provide high-quality, affordable medical care, including preventive care, doctor’s visits, hospitalization, and emergency care. However, each plan has unique characteristics and advantages.
PLAN CHOICES
- Plan A: $6,500 / $13,000 - 100% HSA Plan
- Plan B: $3,500 / $7,000 - 75% HSA Plan
- Plan C: $1,700 / $5,400 - $35 Copay Plan
- Plan D: $850 / $2,500 - $35 Copay Plan
NETWORK CHOICES
- Choice Passport – Medica’s largest, national network has access to more than 715,000 providers and more than 5,400 hospitals across the U.S. For care received within the Medica service rea, you have the Medica Choice Passport open access network. For care received outside of the Medica service area (students, while traveling, etc.) you have access to the UnitedHealthcare national network. You are free to see any provider in the Medica network (without a referral) and you are not required to select a primary care clinic.
- Elect – A separate, smaller network of providers delivering services at lower rates. You save money on your monthly premium, as well as the services you receive. For care received outside of the Medica service area (students, while traveling, etc.) you have access to the UnitedHealthcare national network (see next page for specifics). The network has a number of “care systems”, a group of primary care clinics, specialists and hospitals. You choose a primary care clinic, within a care system, to be your medical home. You do not need referrals within your care system, but referrals can be issued outside of the care system.
- VantagePlus – A combination of several major care systems and independent providers offering a broad geographic access and a greater focus on lowering health care costs and improvements in service. It includes 3,500 primary and specialty care physicians, 650 clinics, and 12 hospitals in the Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas.
For additional information about your medical plan options, click the link below to the Welcome to Medica site specifically created for Hamline employees. You can do a side-by-side comparison of different plans, find a doctor, learn more about your prescription drug benefit, and find information about Medica's value added benefits. Please also review your 2026 Benefit Guide, SBCs, and plan SPDs for more information.
Please refer to your 2026 Benefit Guide and Workday system for rate details.
Medica partners with Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI), as the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) for health plans across all of Medica’s segments. High-cost specialty drug management is provided (through Accredo) or medical pharmacy management (through Magellan). Covered drugs are listed on the Medica Preferred Drug List, which is comprised of drugs that provide the most value and have proven safety and effectiveness.
How you pay for your prescriptions will vary by your plan choice and where you fill your prescription.
Tools and resources are available on www.Medica.com/SignIn.com, as well as a mobile app, that makes it easy for you to check drug costs, locate pharmacies and view your prescription history.
- Retail Pharmacy – Participants in Plans A and B are responsible for the full cost until the deductible has been met. Once the deductible is met, then the plan pays 100% for the remainder of the calendar year. Participants in Plans C and D pay a based on the type of drug purchased.
- Mail Order Pharmacy – Exress Scripts, Inc. is Medica’s prescription mail order provider. Mail order provides the convenience of receiving a 3-month supply mailed directly to your home. Plan C and D participants also get a 3-month supply for the cost of two (2) copays. Before deciding if mail order is right for you, compare prices using the Medica Price a Medication tool available on www.Medica.com/SignIn.com. Members will be able to easily start, manage and refill eligible mail order prescriptions using the Exress Scripts website (accessible through Medica.com/SignIn.com) or the Express Scripts mobile app. You can also contact Express Scripts Pharmacy 24/7 by phone at 1.800.263.2398.
- 93-Day Refill Option – You can get up to a 93-day supply of ongoing medications from a participating pharmacy with the 93-day refill option. You’ll pay three retail copayments or coinsurance amounts (depending on your plan) and get the convenience of saving trips to the pharmacy. To use this option, ask your provider for a 93-day prescription and bring it to a participating pharmacy.
- Specialty Drugs – These medicines treat health care conditions like cancer, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Medications considered “specialty” drugs must be filled through an approved specialty pharmacy or there will be no coverage.
- Accredo – Medica partners with Accredo to provide specialty pharmacy services. The Accredo clinical team offers one-onone counseling and assistance as well as opportunities to engage through web, mobile, text, chat and email to make refilling medications as easy as possible. Specialty medications are conveniently delivered to members via FedEx or UPS. You can contact Accredo by phone at 1-877-ACCREDO (222-7336) or access their website: www.accredo.com
You can access virtual care through providers in your plan’s network. Your virtual care options may include:
AMWELL
24/7 online clinic available in every state.
Services
- Treatment of common medical conditions. Each visit is $64 or less, depending on your plan’s coverage for virtual care.
- Behavioral health care services including therapy and psychiatry. Cost per visit varies by type of service. Eligible services are covered under your plan as a behavioral health office visit.
- Amwell also offers other online services, but is not an in-network provider for those services. You can use those services, but you will pay the full cost.
VIRTUWELL
24/7 online clinic available in select states.
Services
- Treatment of common medical conditions.
Please review more information your 2026 Benefit Guide or referenced the below links to each respective vendor website for additional details.
Medica has a wealth of discounts and resources available for members, all included at no charge as part of your plan:
Behavioral Health Support
Connect with on-demand help for stress, depression and anxiety through the Self Care program through AbleTo. Access coping tools, daily mood tracking, guided journeys and weekly progress check-ins to stay engaged and manage symptoms. You receive premium access as part of your plan’s behavioral health benefits. Download the AbleTo app from the App Store or Google Play and select Upgrade Through Your Insurance to get started.
Omada
Empowers you to build healthy behaviors that last. Omada is a digital lifestyle change program for people at risk for chronic conditions like prediabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Participants learn how to make meaningful changes and sustain behaviors.
Value for Your Health Care Dollar
Cost and quality can vary significantly among providers. Knowing the difference can help you save money and have better results. Look up cost ranges for common procedures at dozens of facilities using Main Street Medica. Or use the online provider search tool to find doctor-specific cost and quality information with Premium Designation. Both tools are available on Medica.com/SignIn.com.
My Health Rewards Program
Taking steps to improve your health might be easier than you think. Whether you want to stress less, quit smoking or eat more fruits and veggies, My HealthRewards by Medica® makes it fun — and rewarding. You’ll earn rewards as you complete activities personalized just for you. To get started with My Health Rewards, download the Virgin Pulse app, free in the App Store and on Google Play.
24-Hour Health Support
Worried that your stomach bug could be serious? Wondering what to do about that cough that won’t go away? The advisors and nurses at Medica CallLink® can help. They’re available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to answer your questions and help you make smart decisions about your health. Just call 1(800)962-9497 (TTY users, call 711).
Health Savings Account
If you enroll in Plans A or B, you can contribute to an HSA on a pre-tax basis through payroll deduction. Annual contributions are limited by federal law depending on the level of health coverage you elect. You can start, stop or change your HSA contribution at any time during the year.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AN HSA?
There are many benefits of using an HSA, including the following:
- It is portable. The money in your HSA is carried over from year to year and is yours to keep, even if you leave the company.
- It is a tax-saver. HSA contributions are made with pre-tax dollars. Since your taxable income is decreased by your contributions, you'll pay less in taxes.
- It works for you. Once you accumulate a minimum balance of $3,000 in your account, you can choose to invest money in various funds offered by Lively.
The maximum amount you can contribute to an HSA in 2026 is $4,400 for individual coverage and $8,750 for family coverage.
Additionally, if you are age 55 or older, you may make an additional “catch-up” contribution of $1,000. You may change your contribution amount at any time throughout the year as long as you don’t exceed the annual maximum.
In order to contribute to an HSA, you must not:
- Be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return
- Have other health plan coverage that provides benefits covered under the HDHP Plan (for example, a Health Care Flexible Spending Account, a separate prescription drug plan, or a spouse’s non-HDHP plan)
- Have a spouse with a Health Care Flexible Spending Account that could reimburse your medical expenses
- Be enrolled in a government health plan, such as Medicare or Medicaid
- You must re-enroll in your HSA each year during open enrollment to participate in the plan
Flexible Spending Account
The Medical Flexible Spending Account gives Plan C or D participants the opportunity to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified medical, dental and vision expenses. Examples of eligible expenses include deductibles and copays, prescription drug costs, over-the-counter medicines (if prescribed by a doctor), and other non-covered medical, dental, vision and hearing care expenses.
Plan A & B participants can contribute to a Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account for dental and vision expenses ONLY.
CONTRIBUTIONS
The election you make during enrollment is your election for the entire plan year. You may change it only if you have a qualifying life event and the change request must be consistent with the event.
YOU MAY CONTRIBUTE AS FOLLOWS
Healthcare FSA
- Up to $3,400 annually
- All benefit eligible can participate, unless you or your spouse are contributing to an HSA
- Reimbursements allowed for unreimbursed medical, prescription, dental and vision expenses
Limited Purpose FSA
- Up to $3,400 annually
- Employees who enroll in ABC Company medical plans may participate in the Limited Health Care FSA
- Reimbursements allowed for unreimbursed dental and vision expenses
Dependent Care FSA
- Up to $7,500 annually
- Limited to $3,750 if you are married and file separate tax returns
HOW THE PLAN WORKS
You must incur your eligible expenses during the plan year — January 1 to December 31. An expense is considered to be incurred when the service is performed, not when you are billed or pay for the service. You do, however, have until March 31st annually to file your claims. If you do not use up all the Healthcare FSA dollars you elected to have deducted for the year, you will be able to carry over up to $680 from the current plan year into the new plan year. However, Dependent Care FSA still has the “use it or lose it” rule and unspent dollars cannot be carried over into the next plan year.
Dental
Staying healthy includes good dental care. Hamline’s dental plan provides the comprehensive coverage necessary to help you and your family maintain good dental health. The dental benefit is administered by Delta Dental.
HOW THE PLAN WORKS
Plan participants have the flexibility to see any dentist they choose. But greater discounts and benefits are available by seeing an in-network dentist. The provider options include:
- Delta Dental Premier – larger network; discounts
- Delta Dental PPO – smaller network; larger discounts
- Out-of-Network – all other providers; no negotiated discounts
FINDING NETWORK PROVIDERS
Dentists who participate in the Delta networks will:
- Save the participant and the plan money,
- File claims on behalf of the covered participant, and
- Agree not to charge more than the plan’s negotiated rates (or “allowed amount”).
To find in-network preferred providers, go to www.deltadentalmn.org (link below), select “members,” click “Find a Dentist,” then “Get Started.”Enter your zip code and the distance you are willing to travel to find a provider in your area. Or you can also call 1.800.448.3815.
Please refer to your 2026 Benefit Guide and Workday system for rate details.
Vision
Hamline offers a vision plan administered by EyeMed. This coverage is a voluntary benefit that features coverage for prescription glasses and contact lenses, as well as other vision-related items.
To find network providers, view your benefits and claims information or see special offers, go to eyemed.com. Under “choose your network” select the Insight Network.
To access a list of Lasik providers, go to eyemedlasik.com or call 877-5LASER6
To find our more of what EyeMed has to offer, please visit their website via the link below.
Please refer to your 2026 Benefit Guide and Workday system for rate details.
Life and AD&D
BASIC LIFE AND ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERMENT (AD&D)
Eligible employees automatically receive the basic portion of the Life and AD&D benefit – there are no choices to be made. Per IRS regulations, you pay tax on the premium paid by Hamline for coverage over $50,000. Any benefits paid out are tax-free to the recipient. Benefit amount is 2x annual salary; minimum benefit of $10,000 and maximum benefit of $500,000.
Age Reduction:
- At age 65, benefit reduces to 65% of the original amount
- At age 70, inforce coverage reduces to 50% of original amount
VOLUNTARY LIFE AND AD&D
You decide if you want to purchase voluntary coverage. You need to choose the level of coverage and who you want to cover – yourself, your spouse and/or your dependent children.
EMPLOYEE
- Lesser of 5x annual earnings or $500,000 in increments of $10,000
- Note: Maximum is $50,000 for age 70+
- Guarantee issue of $200,000
SPOUSE
- $250,000, may not exceed 100% of the employee amount in increments of $5,000
- Guarantee issue of $50,000
DEPENDENT CHILD(REN)
- $10,000 in increments of $2,000
Life insurance coverage amounts will be reduced by 35% at age 65, at age 70 benefits will reduce an additional 25% of original amount, and at age 75 benefits will reduce an additional 15% of original amount.
REVIEW YOUR BENEFICIARY
Naming a beneficiary is a crucial part of electing life insurance. Don't forget to update your primary or secondary beneficiary if you experience a life event, such as a divorce or birth of a child.
Please refer to your 2026 Benefit Guide and Workday system for rate details.
Disability
Disability benefits replace a portion of your pay if a non-work-related illness or injury prevents you from doing your job for a long period of time.
VOLUNTARY SHORT-TERM DISABILITY (STD)
Hamline offers Voluntary Short-Term Disability insurance through Unum to all benefit eligible employees who work at least 20 hours per week.
Many people live paycheck to paycheck. In the event of a covered injury or illness occurring, Short-Term Disability insurance replaces part of your income if the ailment causes you to temporarily be away from work. As long as you remain disabled, you may receive payments for up to three months depending on the plan you choose.
Benefit Highlights
- Can replace up to 60% of an employee’s regular monthly income
- Money is payable directly to employees to use however they choose
- Maximum monthly benefit: $5,000
- Maximum benefit period: three months
- Pre-existing condition limitation: 12/12
- Benefit does not offset with other disability benefits the employee receives
- Premium waiver
- Employee-paid benefit
LONG TERM DISABILITY (LTD)
At Hamline University, we want to do everything we can to protect you and your family. Serious illnesses or accidents can interrupt your life, and your ability to work for months – even years. Long term disability provides financial protection for you by paying a portion of your income, so you have financial support to manage your disability and your household.
You and Hamline share the cost of Long Term Disability (LTD) coverage 50% / 50%
Benefit Highlights:
- Maximum monthly benefit: 66.6667% up to a maximum amount determined by job class
- Benefit duration: Social Security Retirement Age
- Definition of disability: 3-Year Regular Occupation
- Elimination Period Injury/Sickness: 90 days
- Pre-existing condition limitation: 3/12
Pre-Existing Limitations: You may not be eligible for benefits if you have received treatment for a condition within 3 months prior to your effective date under this policy until you have been covered under the policy for 12 months.
Please refer to your 2026 Benefit Guide and Workday system for rate details.
MEDICAL BILL SAVER
Hamline University faculty and staff have access to experienced negotiators who can assist with confusing and difficult medical bills. Using fee benchmarking databases to help reduce non-covered medical and dental bills that exceed $400 (regardless of insurance or benefit status), this team will contact doctors, dentists, hospitals and other providers on employees’ behalf to negotiate discounts on the balance due and/or create payment plans.
Call 1.800.854.1446 to learn more!
WORLDWIDE EMERGENCY TRAVEL ASSISTANCE
Unum partners with Assist American to provide this service. The Worldwide Emergency Travel Assistance program helps you obtain quality care when you have a health emergency while traveling 100 miles or more from home or in another country. The program can also assist with replacing lost or stolen prescriptions and passports, legal and interpreter referrals and much more.
For assistance within the U.S. call 1-800-872-1414, for assistance outside of the U.S. call (U.S. access code) +609-986-1234 or email medservices@assistamerica.com.
LIFE PLANNING FINANCIAL AND LEGAL RESOURCES
Find clarity and comfort during trying times. When a covered employee or spouse dies or is terminally ill you will have access to Life Planning services which include:
- Financial and Legal Resources
- Impartial, accurate advice
- Emotional support
- To speak to a counselor by phone, call 1-800-422-5142.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)
Your EAP is designed to help you lead a happier and more productive life at home and at work. Call for confidential access to a Licensed Professional Counselor who can help you.
A Licensed Professional Counselor can help you with:
- Stress, depression and anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Anger, grief and loss
- Job stress and work conflicts
- Family and parenting problems
- And more
WORK/LIFE BALANCE
You can also reach out to a specialist for help with balancing work and life issues. Just call and one of our Work/Life Specialists can answer your questions and help you find resources in your community.
Ask our Work/Life Balance Specialists about:
- Child care
- Elder care
- Financial services, debt management and credit report issues
- Identity theft
- Legal questions
- Even reducing your medical/dental bills!
- And more
Who's Covered?
Unum’s EAP services are available to all eligible partners and employees, their spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law.
Help is easy to access
Phone Support: 1-800-854-1446
Online Support: Visit
Voluntary Benefits
CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE
Critical illness, including cancer, impacts so many lives. Critical illness pays a lump-sum cash benefit that can help with expenses if you or a covered family member is diagnosed with a covered condition. This plan also includes an annual Wellness Benefit of $50. Refer to the flyer below for additional details on how you can be reimbursed for may routinely performed tests.
Covered Conditions
- Receive 100% of the benefit amount for: Cancer, Heart Attack, Blindness, Major Organ Failure, End-stage Kidney Failure, Benign Brain Tumor, Stroke (who’s effects are confirmed at least 30 days after the event), and Permanent Paralysis (at least two limbs due to covered accident).
- Receive 25% of the initial benefit amount: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, and Carcinoma in Situ (defined as cancer that involves only cells in the tissue in which it began and has not spread to nearby tissues).
Coverage Options:
- Employee Coverage - $5,000 to $50,000 in $5,000 increments (Guaranteed issue - $10,000)
- Spouse Coverage - Up to $30,000 in $5,000 increments as long as the employee has purchased coverage for themselves. (Guaranteed issue - $5,000)
- Child Coverage - Child(ren) automatically covered at 50% of employee coverage amount at no additional cost
Plan Features:
- Portability included
- 12/12 pre-existing condition limitation
- Benefits reduce to 50% of coverage amount at age 70
HOSPITAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE
Can help ease the financial impact of a hospital stay. Typically, a lump sum amount is paid directly to you for admission and a daily amount is paid for each day of a hospital stay.
Benefit Highlights:
- Covers hospital stays due to accidents, sicknesses, or childbirth
- Money is payable directly to employees to use however they choose
- No geographical limits on covered injuries and treatments
- HSA-compatible
Benefit Coverages:
- Hospital admission - $1,000 per insured, paid once a year
- Daily hospital confinement - $100 per day to a maximum of 65 days per year
Plan Features:
- Family coverage option available
- Guaranteed issue coverage – no medical questions!
- 12/12 pre-existing condition limitation
Minnesota Paid Family & Medical Leave
Effective January 1, 2026, Hamline University employees who work more than 50% of the time in Minnesota are entitled to Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) under the Minnesota Paid Leave law. This program has been put in place by the State of Minnesota and provides partial wage replacement to employees who take leave from work for qualifying family or medical reasons. The
private plan will be administered by Unum.
The PFML program is separate from, but will run concurrently and in conjunction with, other leave entitlements such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Short-Term Disability, and any other leave programs.
Eligibility
All employees who live and work at least 50% of the time in Minnesota and have earned sufficient wages to qualify under the state program are eligible for PFML benefits. Eligibility is determined by Unum in accordance with the rules set in place by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Please refer to your 2026 Benefit Guide for more details regarding this new plan as well as costs of the plan.
Legal Plan
Metropolitan General Insurance Company (MetGen), a wholly owned subsidiary of MetLife, Inc., provides you with an unlimited number of telephone and office consultations with the attorney of your choice from within the MetGen network.
The monthly cost of $20 covers you, your spouse and dependents. Your premium is automatically deducted from your paycheck on a post-tax basis. Additional services for legal representation and family matters are available at an additional fee.
During the consultation, the attorney will review the law, discuss your rights and responsibilities, explore your options and recommend a course of action. Areas of legal consultation include:
- Estate planning
- Family law
- Juvenile matters
- Money matters
- Traffic offenses
- Consumer protection
- Real estate matters
- Document preparation
- Defense of civil lawsuits
- Elder law matters
- Immigration assistance
- Personal property protection
For more information, click the link below and enter access code GETLAW. You can also call 800.821.6400.
403(b) Retirement Plan
As an employee of Hamline University, you are eligible to participate in our 403(b) Retirement Plan, which allows you to save on a pre- or post-tax basis through convenient payroll deductions. If you are 18 years of age or older, you are eligible to enroll in the 403(b) Retirement Plan upon date of hire. Hamline’s 403(b) plan is administered by TIAA.
As a Participant under the Plan, you may elect to reduce your compensation by a specific percentage and have that amount contributed to the Plan as an elective deferral.
There are two types of elective deferrals: Pre-Tax Deferrals and Roth (after-tax) Deferrals
To elect and change your deferrals you can:
- Call TIAA’s customer services at 800.842.2252
- Log onto the Hamline TIAA portal (link below)
NEW AS OF 1/1/26
All employees will be vested at 100% of Hamline University’s matching and non-elective contributions regardless of date of hire and years of service.
Please review your 2026 Benefit Guide for further information on contribution maximums and Hamline's contributions.
Benefit Summaries
Required Notices
Contact Us
Please email the Benefits Administrator at glund02@hamline.edu or call 651.523.2464 if you have questions regarding your eligibility or the benefit enrollment process.