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Health Plan

Announcement: For information regarding contract negotiations between Excellus BCBS and local medical providers, please visit our FAQ webpage.

As a benefits-eligible employee, Syracuse University offers you the option of three health plans: SUBlue, SUOrange and SUPro. All three health plan options include medical benefits administered by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (Excellus BCBS) and prescription drug benefits administered by Optum Rx. In general, the same services are covered under all three plans, but with a different deductible and copay/coinsurance structure.

It is important to highlight that the University self-insures its plan for the benefit of its faculty and staff. With a self-insured plan, costs are generally lower than a fully insured plan, as the University pays only for the health care claims costs of its own participants. Additionally, the plan has more flexibility to customize benefit plan design, as it is not regulated by most state requirements.

Partnering with a third-party administrator, such as Excellus BCBS and Optum Rx, provides support to process claims, review for medical necessity, provide superior customer service support, contract with providers to participate in the network and administer other medical and prescription drug utilization management programs.

Coverage Details

Excellus BCBS uses their internal Medical Policies (reference the Let Us Help section at the bottom of the webpage and click on Medical Policies) to help determine how certain services are covered under the plan. The Excellus BCBS Medical Policies are a guide to be used by participating health care practitioners and are not intended to certify coverage or reimbursement. Medical services are constantly evolving and Excellus BCBS reserves the right to periodically review and update the Medical Policies. Pre-certification for certain services may be required; refer to the plan documents or contact Excellus BCBS for more information.

Summaries of the University’s three medical plan options can be viewed here:

For complete coverage details, consult the University’s Medical Benefits Summary Plan Description (SPD) and the Medical Benefits Booklet, available on MySlice under Employee Resources. If you would like to receive a copy of the SPD or the Medical Benefits Booklet, please contact HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042.

The following table highlights some key differences among the plans:

Plan DetailSUBlueSUOrangeSUPro
Network CoverageProvides in-network and out-of-network coverageProvides in-network coverage onlyProvides in-network and out-of-network coverage
ReferralsNot requiredNot requiredNot required
In-Network Cost-SharingGenerally deductible and copaysGenerally deductible and copaysGenerally deductible and coinsurance
Schedule of Benefits SUBlue for CY 2024 [PDF]

SUBlue for CY 2025 [PDF]		SUOrange for CY 2024 [PDF]

SUOrange for CY 2025 [PDF]		SUPro for CY 2024 [PDF]

SUPro for CY 2025 [PDF]

Coverage Highlights

If you’re enrolled in health coverage through the University, you and your eligible dependents have access to the following:

  • Telehealth Coverage: Telehealth coverage ensures members have access to care. These services include both provider-facilitated telehealth coverage as well as telehealth through MDLIVE, at the equivalent cost-sharing associated with in-person visits.  MDLIVE is a national telehealth provider that provides patients with 24/7 access to a network of board-certified doctors and licensed therapists that can treat more than 50 non-emergency conditions via a computer, mobile device or simply by calling 866.692.5045 (TTY: 800.770.5531). In addition to the services provided through MDLIVE, if your health care provider, including a behavioral health provider, offers virtual and telephonic options for care, eligible services will be covered under the health plan.
  • 24/7 Nurse Call Line: Contact a nurse by phone anytime—24 hours a day, seven days a week—by calling 800.493.0318 (TTY: 800.662.1220). Specially trained registered nurses from Excellus BCBS can provide support and education for members with chronic or complex health conditions, or provide answers to more general health questions.
  • Excellus BCBS Dedicated Customer Care Team: If you have medical benefit questions and would like personalized assistance, you may contact the Excellus Dedicated Customer Care Team at 800.493.0318 (TTY: 800.662.1220) Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST or Friday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. EST.

Preventive Care

Many common preventive care services are covered at no cost to you. For a list of covered services, please review the following website. These standards will apply to in-network services only, unless specified otherwise in the Schedule of Benefits. Frequency and age limitations may apply.

Provider Network

You will maximize the value of your benefit when your physician or facility participates with the Excellus BCBS network. You should confirm that your medical providers are in the network before each visit because the network is subject to change.

It is important to consider the following when evaluating the University’s health plan options and your access to providers:

  • The SUBlue and SUPro health plans cover eligible services provided by out-of-network providers, however, this means you will generally be responsible for higher out-of-pocket costs.
  • The SUOrange health plan does not provide coverage for services through an out-of-network provider.  If you enroll in SUOrange and are seen by an out-of-network provider, the cost of the visit will not be covered, and you will be responsible for paying the entire amount.
  • If any of your providers are currently out-of-network, it is recommended that you consider enrolling in SUBlue or SUPro to have access to out-of-network coverage. If you would like to learn more about in-network providers or would like to request that your provider be recruited by Excellus BCBS, call the University’s dedicated customer care team by calling 800.493.0318 (TTY: 800.662.1220).

Your Cost

The University pays a significant portion of the cost of your medical coverage and you pay the remaining cost of the premium through payroll deduction. The Schedule A contributions for medical coverage automatically apply, unless you qualify, apply and are approved for reduced Schedule B contributions. Certain employees represented by the SEIU collective bargaining agreement are automatically enrolled in the Schedule B medical contributions.

The monthly costs listed below are based on the 12-month calendar year. Actual deductions from each paycheck will vary depending upon your deduction cycle (e.g., weekly vs. semi-monthly, academic year vs. calendar year).

2024 Monthly Health Plan Contributions

Schedule A

Coverage TierSUBlueSUOrangeSUPro
Employee Only$165.21
$160.40
$150.67
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner$421.60
$409.49$386.89
Employee + Child(ren)$367.37$356.80$336.91
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner + Child(ren)$608.24$590.82$558.84

Schedule B

Coverage TierSUBlueSUOrangeSUPro
Employee Only$140.66$136.56$128.27
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner$309.43$300.43$282.20
Employee + Child(ren)$271.46$263.56$247.57
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner + Child(ren)$440.24$427.43$401.49

2025 Monthly Health Plan Contributions

Schedule A

Coverage TierSUBlueSUOrangeSUPro
Employee Only$181.73$176.44$165.73
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner$463.76$450.44$425.58
Employee + Child(ren)$404.11$392.48$370.61
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner + Child(ren)$669.06$649.90$614.72

Schedule B

Coverage TierSUBlueSUOrangeSUPro
Employee Only$150.50$146.12 $137.25
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner$331.10 $321.46$301.96
Employee + Child(ren)$290.46 $282.01 $264.90
Employee + Spouse/Domestic Partner + Child(ren)$471.05$457.35 $429.59

Should you have any questions, or require accommodations to access any information on this webpage, please reach out to our HR Shared Services team at 315.443.4042.

Helpful Links

Excellus BCBS

Marketplace Coverage Notice

Other

  • As required by the Federal transparency in coverage requirements, as of July 1, 2022, we are posting in-network and out-of-network pricing information that is maintained on an Excellus BCBS website.  Please note that, as required by Federal regulations, the information is posted in a machine-readable format and may not be of practical use to you.  If you are enrolled in Syracuse University medical benefits, you may find it more useful to login to your online Excellus BCBS account.

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.