State Medical Plans
The Arizona Department of Administration provides medical insurance to state employees, including University of Arizona employees and their legal dependents. Review the information below carefully for details on your options.
Learn more about the medical plans.
View the 2023 Benefits Guide (PDF)
View the 2023 Benefits Summary (PDF)
Note: The following plans are not available to employees who wish to enroll a domestic partner. Please visit the University Alternative Plans webpage for more information about domestic partner coverage.
Definitions
Premium: The amount you pay each month for coverage. Premiums are automatically deducted from your paycheck twice each month.
Deductible: The amount you must pay each year before insurance begins covering costs.
Copay: The set amount you pay for each healthcare service you receive.
Coinsurance: A percentage of the provider’s bill that you are responsible for paying. For example, if the provider bills $200, and you have 10% coinsurance, you pay $20.
Out-of-pocket maximum: The most you will pay each year. Once you have paid this amount, your insurance will pay 100%.
Quick Facts
Preventive care (e.g., physicals, immunizations, screenings): Both medical plan options cover preventive care at $0 cost.
Specialist referrals: You do not need to designate a primary care physician or receive referrals for specialist services in either plan.
Covered benefits: Both plans cover the same services. Your cost of these services could differ between plans.
Nationwide coverage: Both plans offer networks with nationwide coverage.
Pharmacy coverage: Pharmacy is included with whichever plan you choose and offered through MedImpact.
How to Show Proof of Coverage
Insurance Card: Your insurance carrier will mail you an insurance card, which helps identify your coverage. Present your insurance card to your provider.
Alternate Employee ID: You can also present your 9-digit Alternate Employee ID to a provider to identify coverage. This is not the same as your Employee ID or Social Security Number. To learn your Alternate ID, visit UAccess and select Employee/Manager Self Service > Employee Main Home Page > University Benefits. The Alternate ID number will appear below your name on the Benefits Summary.
Triple Choice Plan (TCP)
Watch this short video about the TCP
The TCP is a single plan for which you pay one premium.
In the TCP, you have access to two tiers of in-network providers plus the option to go out-of-network with a third tier. If you visit an in-network provider, you pay copays for service; out-of-network you pay 50% coinsurance.
The provider you choose determines your deductible. If your provider is in Tier 1, your deductible is lower than if you choose a Tier 2 or Tier 3 provider. Note: all Arizona hospitals, emergency room providers, and urgent care providers are Tier 1.
You are responsible for the cost of services until you meet the deductible. Once the deductible is met, you will pay copays for services until you reach the out-of-pocket maximum. Once you reach the out-of-pocket maximum, you pay nothing.
All preventive services are free and do not count toward the deductible.
Summary of Benefits and Coverage - TCP
2023
2023 TCP SBC - English (PDF)
2023 TCP SBC - Español (PDF)
High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
With Health Savings Account (HSA)
Watch this short video about the HDHP with HSA
The HDHP has lower premiums and is paired with an HSA.
You are responsible for the cost of services until you meet the deductible. Once you meet the deductible, you pay 10% (coinsurance) and the plan pays 90% until you reach the out-of-pocket maximum. Once you reach the out-of-pocket maximum, you pay nothing.
With the HDHP, the University will open an account on your behalf with Optum Bank and contribute to your HSA every pay period ($30 per pay period for employee-only and $60 per pay period for family). You may choose to contribute as well for additional tax savings.
Your HSA monies can be used toward your deductible, coinsurance, or other qualified medical expenses. All preventive services are free and do not count toward the deductible. You do, however, pay a copay for preventive prescriptions.
Summary of Benefits and Coverage - HDHP
2023
2023 HDHP SBC - English (PDF)
2023 HDHP SBC - Español (PDF)
View ADOA's full HDHP with HSA description (PDF)
You are ineligible for the HDHP if you have a Health Reimbursement Account, or have coverage through Medicare or TRICARE. You also cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return.
Step 2: Compare Insurance Carriers
The provider networks may differ between the two insurance carriers. Search for your providers with both carriers to help determine the best choice for you.
Watch this short video about how to find Tier 1 and Tier 2 providers in the TCP.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Find network doctors and facilities
- Visit www.azblue.com/stateofaz.
- Click the "Find A Doctor" tab.
- Choose a medical plan to search.
- Type in the doctor or facility name.
For the TCP:
Look for the Tier 1 ribbon for lower costs. Providers without the ribbon are Tier 2. Providers not listed are Tier 3.
For the HDHP:
Look for the Total Care icon. These providers can result in lower coinsurance costs.
Note: Tier 1 providers are only located in Arizona. Outside of Arizona, in-network providers will always be Tier 2.
UnitedHealthcare
Find network doctors and facilities
- Visit www.whyuhc.com/stateofaz.
- Click the "Search for a Provider" tab.
- Choose a medical plan to search.
- Type in the doctor or facility name.
For the TCP:
Look for the Tier 1 dot for lower costs. Providers without the dot are Tier 2. Providers not listed are out-of-network and Tier 3.
For the HDHP:
Look for the Premium Care heart. These providers can result in lower coinsurance costs.
Note: Tier 1 providers are located in Arizona and also outside of Arizona.
Triple Choice Plan (TCP)
- This plan has higher premiums but lower deductibles.
- For the lowest deductible of $200 (single) or $400 (family), you must visit only Tier 1 providers. If you visit Tier 2 providers, your deductible will increase to $1,000 (single) or $2,000 (family).
- You may have to change your provider to achieve the lowest out-of-pocket expenses.
- This plan has fixed copays and more predictable costs at the time of service. Because you pay a fixed copay rather than coinsurance, this could mean lower out-of-pocket costs if you experience unexpected medical expenses.
High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
With Health Savings Account (HSA)
- This plan has higher deductibles of $1,500 (single) or $3,000 (family), but much lower premiums.
- If you are generally healthy and receive mostly preventive and routine care, your out-of-pocket costs may be less.
- If you have unexpected medical expenses, you may experience higher out-of-pocket costs because of the deductible and less predictable amount of 10% coinsurance. However, in most cases, the copays on the TPC are more than 10% of the cost of care.
- The University contributes to an HSA account each pay period to help you cover the deductible, coinsurance, or other qualified medical expenses. Annually, this contribution is $720 (single) or $1,440 (family) - about half of the deductible.
- You may make pre-tax contributions to the HSA through payroll deduction, allowing you to build tax-free savings to pay for healthcare. You also do not pay taxes when you withdraw the money to pay for your medical expenses.
- All funds in the HSA belong to you. There is no use-it-or-lose-it requirement, and you keep your HSA even if you leave the University.
Reduce Your Out-of-pocket Medical Expenses
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Open a healthcare flexible spending account.
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Enroll in the Enhanced Wellness Program.
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Choose high-value and in-network physicians.
Dental and Vision Plans
University of Arizona employees have the option to add one of two dental insurance options and/or the Avesis vision plan. Click the button to learn more.
All ADOA and University medical insurance plans cover only emergency treatment for accident or sudden illness. For international insurance coverage, you will have to purchase a plan from an insurance company that matches your needs.
If you are traveling on University business, you are also covered for liability, work-related injuries, and emergency assistance. For details on required preparation for international travel, see Risk Management's International Travel Insurance page.
You may only make changes to your elections during new hire benefits enrollment, the annual Benefits Open Enrollment period (usually in October and November), or if you experience a qualified life event, such as marriage, divorce, or birth of a child.
To view your benefits, visit UAccess and select Employee/Manager Self Service. Log in with your UA NetID and password. Make sure you are on the UA Employee Main Home Page (you can select this from the drop-down menu at the top of the page). Select the University Benefits tile to see your current enrollments.
The Tier 1 deductible applies to Tier 2 and vice versa. For example, once you meet the Tier 1 deductible of $200 single/$400 family, you will only pay copays for any Tier 1 provider you visit. If during the year, you visit a Tier 2 provider, the $200/$400 deductible you've already paid will count towards the higher Tier 2 deductible of $1,000 single/$2,000 family. You will pay toward that higher deductible each time you visit a Tier 2 provider, but your Tier 1 provider visits will continue to require only copays. If you use doctors in both tiers, the most you will pay toward your deductible is $1,000 individual/$2,000 family.
Under the HDHP - Any combination of family members must meet the deductible before coinsurance begins.
Under the TCP - Once a single family member meets the single deductible, that family member begins paying copayments for visits. The remaining amount of the family deductible may be met by any combination of the other family members before they will begin paying copayments.
Under the HDHP - All BUMG physicians are in-network with both Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare.
Under the TCP - All BUMG physicians are Tier 1 with Blue Cross Blue Shield. With UnitedHealthcare, BUMG physicians may be Tier 1 or Tier 2. Please check the UnitedHealthcare provider directory.
Gender-affirming surgery and fertility treatments are currently excluded by the state health plans.
To help supplement the state health plans and support employee well-being, the University of Arizona is establishing a Health Reimbursement Arrangement. This HRA aims to assist University employees with out-of-pocket expenses related to gender-affirming surgery and fertility treatments.
Learn more about the HRA and how to submit claims for funds.
Do you need more assistance?
Connect with HR Solutions for help
reviewing your options.
Email: hrsolutions@email.arizona.edu
Call: 520-621-3660.
Connect with individual insurance carriers' and other providers' customer service departments.