Health Benefits

Syracuse University is committed to providing comprehensive health plan options for our staff and faculty. Three health plan options and two dental plan options, with or without vision coverage, are available. All plans have a comprehensive, national network of participating providers, and include worldwide coverage for emergencies.


You can request new ID cards by contacting the administrator.

Note that the VSP vision plan does not produce member ID cards to mail to you, but you can print a copy of an ID card by logging into their site.

Have a smartphone? Download the mobile apps for Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield (BCBS), Optum Rx, Delta Dental and VSP to make sure you have access to your electronic member ID at all times. The mobile apps also allow you to see plan benefits, find participating providers, order prescription refills and much more.

By logging into MySlice, you can update most of your personal information, including your address, phone number, email, emergency contact and military status. You can also add a Preferred Name, which will display in many University software systems, including as your email display name. To change your name in University records, you must provide a copy of your new Social Security card issued in your new name and complete a Name Change form [PDF]. To update your gender, please contact HR Shared Services directly.

Please review the information about reaching age 65 under balancing your life events.  Should you have more specific questions, contact our HR Shared Services team.

You have 31 days from the date of the event (marriage, birth, adoption, etc.) to make changes to your benefits.  Contact HR Shared Services to add your new eligible family members to your existing coverage. If you do not contact us within 31 days, you must wait for the next annual enrollment (generally held in early November) to make changes to your benefits. Read more about life events such as getting married and becoming a parent, and contact HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042 with any questions.

For most plans, you may enroll the following dependents (as long as they meet the criteria listed in the Benefits Eligibility Policy):

  • Your legal spouse or your eligible domestic partner*
  • Your child under age 26 who is your biological or adopted child; the child of your eligible spouse or eligible domestic partner; or a child who has been placed in your legal custody or for whom you are the appointed legal guardian
  • Your child over age 26 who is incapable of working or self-support due to a mental or physical disability that was present prior to age 26; the child must qualify as a tax dependent of you or your eligible spouse or eligible domestic partner*

For more information, review the Benefits Eligibility Policy. Remember, when you add a spouse, partner or child to your coverage, you must provide supporting documentation to HR Shared Services to confirm their eligibility.

*For dependent life insurance, only same-sex domestic partners may be enrolled (except Texas residents). For child life insurance, the child must be unmarried and rely on the employee for at least half of his or her annual support.


Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this website is accurate. However, benefits are governed by legal documents (which, in certain circumstances, may include insurance contracts). If there is any difference between the information in this website and the official documents, the official documents will control. As is the case with all of Syracuse University’s employee benefit plans, the University reserves the right to modify or terminate these benefits at any time.