Self-insured Dental Plan
Administered By Delta Dental of Iowa
The university offers eligible employees two self-insured plans to cover health expenses.
Special Note: Effective July 1, 2024, due to a recent audit all employees having a qualified life event and making any changes to their family health and/or dental coverage must verify all dependent relationships by providing corresponding legal documentation. For detailed information, visit I am Experiencing a Life Event.
Dental Benefits Eligibility
Non-temporary Employees
Non-temporary employees must work at least 20 (50%) hours per week and have an appointment for nine (9) months or greater.
Temporary Unit Faculty
Temporary unit faculty are eligible for dental insurance when their current assignment is 50% or greater FTE and they also had a 25% or greater FTE assignment in the prior academic semester or prior academic year.
| Life Event | Coverage Starts | Days to Initiate a Change |
|---|---|---|
| New Hire | Based on your start date, coverage begins the first day of the next month. | 30 Calendar Days After the Event |
| Qualifying Employment Event | Based on the event date, coverage begins the first day of the next month | 30 Calendar Days After the Event |
| Qualifying Life Events | Based on the event date, coverage begins the first day of the next month. | 30 Calendar Days After the Event |
| Adoption, Placement for Adoption | Coverage starts as of the date on the adoption decree. | 60 Calendar Days After the Event |
| Birth | Coverage starts the date the baby is born. | 60 Calendar Days After the Event |
| Open Enrollment | Changes not associated with a life event must be made during the Annual Open Enrollment period. These changes will be effective January 1 of the upcoming year. | Defined Open Enrollment Period |
| Life Event | Coverage Ends |
|---|---|
| Reduction in Working Hours | Coverage ends the last day of the month the appointment is no longer eligible. |
| Separation of Employment | Coverage ends the last day of the separation month. |
| Qualifying Life Events | Coverage will end the last day of the life event month. |
| Open Enrollment | If there are changes to end coverage during the Annual Open Enrollment period, coverage will end December 31 of the current year. |
If someone on the UNI dental insurance plan becomes ineligible for coverage they will be offered coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
Other dental care options may be available to you through the Iowa Retired School Personnel Association (IRSPA).
Benefit Enrollment
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When You Can Make Changes to Your Benefits
Annual Open Enrollment
If you do not make any changes during open enrollment your coverage selection will remain the same.
Qualifying Life Event
You may also enroll, waive, or change your coverage selection based on a qualifying life event.
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How to Make Changes to Your Benefits
UNI Works
UNI Works is designed to help you enroll, make changes, and view your current benefit elections, dependents and beneficiaries all in one location. When logging into UNI Works, select Benefits and Pay from the Main Menu.
Coverage
Coverage is available for:
- Yourself
- Your spouse
- Common law spouse or domestic partner
- Children to age 26;
- Children who are unmarried full-time students over the age of 26;
- Qualified children over age 26 who are totally and permanently disabled, provided the disability existed prior to age 26.
Returning to Work
If a retiree returns and is eligible for benefits, they can either:
- Select the active employee benefits and waive retiree coverage
or - Waive the active employee benefits and continue with the retiree benefits.
Once the retiree coverage is waived, the retiree cannot re-enroll in retirement coverage.
An employee can only retire from UNI once.
What Does Self-insured Mean?
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When a plan is self-insured the employee and employer premiums are put into an account. When a claim occurs, money from that account is used to pay that claim. If claim costs increase, then premiums must increase to cover the additional costs.
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Own Your Benefits
UNI Dental Plan
Plan Information Effective: January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2024.
Dental insurance helps you cover the costs of routine dental check-ups, treatment, and care of dental disease and accidents to teeth. Delta Dental offers a large network of providers, with a broad range of dentists, which helps to keep your out-of-pocket costs down.
Delta Dental has two networks, the Delta Dental PPO, and Delta Dental Premier. A list of participating providers may be found at deltadentalia.com. You may also ask providers whether they have a participating agreement with Delta Dental or contact Delta Dental at (800) 544-0718 to ask about specific providers.
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Dental Plan Summary of Benefits Coverage
A simplified summary overview of benefits offered by the plan.
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Dental Plan Summary Plan Description
This benefit booklet describes your rights and responsibilities under your group dental plan.
| Coverage | Employee 1/12 Annual Premium | Employee Annual Premium | UNI Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $6.00 | $72.00 | $306.00 |
| Family | $54.75 | $657.00 | $657.00 |
| Dual Spouse Discount for Family Coverage | $46.50 | $558.00 | $756.00 |
Dental Premium Payroll Deductions
Dental premiums are withheld from your pay as a pre-tax deduction, which reduces your taxable income and the amount of taxes you pay at the time of payroll. This is a default selection by the university.
If you would like to opt-out of the pre-tax premium option, please complete the After-Tax Premium Option Form and submit to the Human Resource Services Office.
Additional Delta Dental Member Features
Enhanced Benefits Program
Your dental plan includes Delta Dental of Iowa’s Enhanced Benefits Program, which offers additional dental services to members with certain conditions. This program is available to employees and their family members who are enrolled in the UNI Dental Plan.
To GoSM Program
Delta Dental's To GoSM Program allows you to carry over any unused annual benefit from one year to the next. This program offers more flexibility and helps you plan for more extensive and costly dental treatments for yourself, or your covered family members, in subsequent years. This program does not cost anything and is automatic for anyone enrolled.
Delta Dental Offers Vision Discounts
University of Northern Iowa employees enrolled in Delta Dental of Iowa are automatically eligible for a vision discount program through EyeMed Vision Care at no extra cost.
Dental Insurance Coverage - What To Do When Traveling Internationally
The UNI Dental Plan offers coverage for covered services while out of the country. In case of a dental issue while traveling:
- Schedule and proceed with the service needed. Cost of service is determined by the provider. The co-insurance is the same as an out-of-network service, or a charge that would be charged in the Premier network.
- Email Delta Dental at claims@deltadentalia.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
- 1Q: How do I add/drop a dependent?
You may add or drop dependents within 30 days of a qualifying life event. Qualifying events may include marriage, birth, death, divorce, a dependent’s return to full-time student status and a spouse’s loss of group coverage. To make a change due to a life event, please utilize the Benefits Self-Service System to make your election changes.
- 2Q: Can the Enhanced Benefits/To GoSM Program be used for dependents?
Yes, if you are covering a spouse or child/ren on your plan, they too can take advantage of the Enhanced Benefits or To GoSM Program through UNI’s Dental Plan.
- 3Q: For how many years, or for what amount, does the To GoSM program continue to carry over the annual benefit maximum?
The carryover amount may not exceed the amount of the regular annual maximum and the total combined annual maximum may not exceed twice the annual maximum.
- 4Q: When can I make changes to my plan?
You are only allowed to make changes to your dental insurance when a life event such as birth, death, marriage, or divorce takes place. You must contact the Human Resources Office within 30 days of the life event. All other changes must take place during the Open Enrollment period.
- 5Q: When does coverage begin?
Coverage begins on the first day of the month following the date of employment or life event, providing you enroll within 30 days of your date of employment.
- 6Q: When is the open enrollment period?
The university conducts an open enrollment period annually. Information is sent to employees each October outlining the provisions of the open enrollment period. Informational sessions are also held each year. Changes and new enrollments are effective January 1.
- 7Q: How do I change my address with Delta Dental?
To ensure that all covered individuals receive information properly and efficiently, it is important that you notify HRS of any address changes. Home address information can be viewed and updated via MyUNIverse. The Benefits department will make the necessary changes within the UNI and Delta Dental systems; there is no need to contact Delta Dental with an address change.
- 8Q: How do I request a new Insurance ID card?
Order new insurance ID cards by calling customer service at 800-544-0718.