OPEN ENROLLMENT 2025

Welcome to the 2025

Youngstown State University

Open Enrollment


 

Annual Open Enrollment provides employees with the opportunity to enroll, continue, change, or waive benefits coverage. Employees are encouraged to review YSU's benefits and determine the best selection for your needs.

Annual Open Enrollment will be held from

October 12, 2025, through October 25, 2025.

All benefits elected during this period will become effective January 1, 2026. 

**IF YOU ARE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING TO YOUR CURRENTLY ELECTED BENEFITS (Medical, Dental, Vision, any Voluntary Life insurance, or Long-Term Disability coverage), DO NOT SUBMIT NEW ENROLLMENT PAPERWORK. ALL ELECTED BENEFITS WILL ROLL OVER TO 2026, EXCEPT FOR ENROLLMENT IN FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS AND HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.

All forms must be ELECTRONICALLY submitted no later than Friday, October 25, 2025 through the secure document upload. YOU MUST SELECT BENEFITS AS THE RECIPIENT.


 

Medical and vision employee premiums will remain at the current payroll deduction amounts. NEW dental rates will be in effect 1/1/2026.

Health Care Insurance Rates (1.1.2026)

HEALTHCARE INSURANCE ENROLLMENT/CHANGE FORM

 
 

YSU offers two medical plans to benefit eligible employees to meet the needs of the employees and their families. Through Medical Mutual of Ohio employees can choose between two plans: the Traditional Plan or the Consumer Driven Health Plan with a Health Savings Account (read more about the HSA below).
Open enrollment is the time for employees to review these plans and elect coverage to support their needs.

YSU offers dental coverage through Delta Dental. Employees are encouraged to review the plan summary before electing coverage.

YSU offers vision coverage to benefit eligible employees through NVA. Employees are encouraged to review the summary plan before electing coverage.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow an employee to set aside money to reimburse themselves for health and dependent care expenses. Once enrolled, the elections are fixed for the remainder of the plan year. Qualifying events allow employees to make mid-year changes in contribution amounts.

Elections for the healthcare and dependent care programs must be made annually during the annual open enrollment period. Elections do not roll over into subsequent years. IRS rules indicate that claims must be submitted by March 31 of the following year, or funds will be forfeited.

2026 Maximum Contribution Limits for FSA Account 

  • Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts Maximum Contribution Limit is $3,400.
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Maximum Contribution Limit is $7,500 per household.

 

Health Care Reimbursement FSA

This program lets YSU employees pay for certain IRS-approved medical care expenses not covered by their insurance plan with pre-tax dollars.

Some examples include:

  • Co-pays, deductibles, and coinsurance for which the employee is responsible.
  • Hearing services, including hearing aids and batteries.
  • Vision services, including contact lenses, contact lens solution, eye examinations, and eyeglasses not already covered by the plan.
  • Dental expenses such as deductibles, coinsurance or services not covered by the plan.
  • Chiropractic services
  • Acupuncture

Claims may be incurred from January 1 to March 15 of the following year using a 14 ½ month plan year.


 

Dependent Care FSA

The Dependent Care FSA lets YSU employees use pre-tax dollars towards qualified dependent care such as caring for children under the age of 13 or caring for elders. 

Examples include:

  • The cost of child or adult dependent care
  • The cost for an individual to provide care either in or out of your home
  • Nursery schools and preschools (excluding kindergarten) FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (SECTION 125 BENEFITS)

YOU MUST COMPLETE AN FSA PAYROLL DEDUCTION FORM ANNUALLY
 

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT AND DEPENDENT CARE ENROLLMENT FORM*


 

Health Savings Account (HSA)

YSU employees who enroll in the Consumer Driven Health Plan are eligible to participate in the Health Savings Account (HSA) plan. The University will contribute $500 for single coverage or $1000 for family coverage when an employee enrolls in the Consumer Driven Health Plan for 2026. Employees may also elect to contribute additional money into the account through payroll deductions. Once enrolled, the elections are fixed for the remainder of the plan year. Changes in family status allow employees to make midyear changes in coverage consistent with the family status change. Please contact the Human Resources department to determine if a family status change qualifies under the plan document and IRS regulations.

2026 Maximum Contribution Limits for HSA Account  

  • Single Annual Maximum Contribution Limit is $4,400
  • Family Annual Maximum Contribution Limit is $8,750

Funds deposited into your HSA remain in your account and automatically roll over from one year to the next.

YOU MUST COMPLETE A HSA PAYROLL DEDUCTION FORM ANNUALLY

Health Savings Account Payroll Deduction Form*

Securian

YSU provides life insurance in the amount of 2.5 times the employee's basic annual compensation (rounded to the next higher $1,000) to a maximum benefit of $250,000. Basic compensation does not include supplemental pays such as overtime and overload. It does include deferred earnings under the retirement plans such as STRS, OPERS, ARP and voluntary 403(b) contributions.

 

Additional Coverage

Employees who want to supplement their group life insurance benefits may purchase additional coverage. Employees are responsible for the full cost which is deducted through payroll deductions. You can purchase coverage for yourself and your spouse in $10,000 increments. For plan minimums and maximums, review the group life insurance program listed below for voluntary employee, spouse, and dependent coverage.

 

UNUM

YSU employees are enrolled in the Long-Term Disability Insurance plan if they have less than 5 years of Ohio Retirement System service.

BENEFIT INDICATOR - AMOUNT  

  • Elimination Period - 90 days
  • Percentage of Income Replaced - 60% of monthly income
  • Maximum Monthly Benefit - $7,500
  • Minimum Monthly Benefit - $100

Voluntary coverage is available after the completion of the first five years of public service and is 100% cost to the employee. Employees may enroll upon the completion of their first five years of service, due to a qualifying event or during the annual open enrollment. Employees are encouraged to review their benefits through their state retirement system to determine availability and effective date before enrolling in coverage.

In the event you become disabled from a non-work-related injury or sickness, disability income benefits are provided as a source of income.

 
 

If you have specific questions about your benefits, please contact the Benefits Office at benefits@ysu.edu