What's New In 2025
Updates to Benefits
Download the 2025 Benefits Brochure in PDF format.
Important Reminders
Review Beneficiaries
Update your beneficiary information for life insurance (CUBES) and retirement plans (TIAA/Vanguard).
Qualified Life Status Change
You can update benefits elections on CUBES if you experience a Qualified Life Status Change event such as marriage or divorce, or birth or adoption of a child. You have 31 days from the eligible event to make updates. Learn More.
Retirement Contributions Changing
Beginning January 1, 2025, the catch-up contribution limit is increasing for those ages 50+. Learn More.
University Contribution to Healthcare FSA
Starting January 1, you can now enroll in the Choice Plus 90 Plan. If you enroll in that medical plan, you can receive a University contribution to your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account. Learn More.
Learn About Tax Savings Accounts
All tax savings accounts can save you money by setting aside pre-tax dollars from your paycheck to pay for expenses you will incur throughout the year. These include a Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP), Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HC FSA), and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DC FSA). Learn More.
2025 Tax Savings Accounts
* IRS limits are subject to change.
Compare Plans & Evaluate Costs
Compare Medical Plans
View the Medical Plan Comparison Chart.
Starting January 1, 2025, Columbia University will offer the UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus 90 plan to 1199 East members and their families, along with the Choice In-Network medical plan.
If you participate in the Choice Plus 90 plan, the University will make a contribution on your behalf to the Healthcare FSA. The contribution will be made at the beginning of the year and it will not count toward the $3,300* IRS limit for 2025 ($3,200 in 2024). You may also contribute your own funds to the FSA, up to the IRS limit, but to do so you must enroll in the Healthcare FSA during the Open Enrollment period. UHC will send two Health Care Spending Cards in your name to your home mailing address. These cards can be used as debit cards to make eligible purchases, such as prescription drugs or office visit copays.
University Contribution to Healthcare FSA
* IRS limits are subject to change.
Compare Vision Plans
1199 East members and their covered dependents who participate in the University’s medical plan are also covered by a basic vision benefit through UnitedHealthcare (UHC). This embedded plan provides coverage for eye exams, corrective lenses, frames and contact lenses.
Optional Vision Plan
For enhanced vision benefits, 1199 East members can elect to purchase optional UHC vision coverage in place of the basic vision coverage for themselves and their covered dependents. You do not have to be enrolled in a medical plan to purchase this optional coverage.
2025 Vision Plan Comparison Chart
* Child is defined as a member less than age 19.
** Available for either frames and lenses or contact lenses.
Note: Provider might require payment in full at the time of service. The patient then submits a claim to UHC for reimbursement.
* Child is defined as a member less than age 19.
** Available for either frames and lenses or contact lenses.
*** 30% discount available at most participating provider locations (in network)—may exclude certain frame manufacturers.
Note: Provider might require payment in full at the time of service. The patient then submits a claim to UHC for reimbursement.
Medical Costs
Contributions are the amount you pay toward the cost of medical (includes prescription drugs and basic vision), dental, and optional vision coverage through pre-tax payroll deductions.
2025 Monthly Medical Contributions for 1199 East
Your pre-tax contributions are based on the plan you select, which dependents you cover, and your Annual Benefits Salary, calculated as of July 1. Annual Benefits Salary is the greater of (a) your base salary or (b) your prior 12 months’ compensation from the University as of June 30 each year, including certain approved additional and private practice compensation, excluding any housing allowance.
Dental & Optional Vision Costs
Vision Costs
Basic vision coverage is included in medical costs. All 1199 East members and their covered dependents who participate in Columbia’s medical plan are covered by a basic vision benefit.
2025 Monthly Optional UHC Vision Contributions
Dental Costs
1199 East members at Columbia University may choose to participate in the EmblemHealth Preferred Dental Benefits Plan A, which covers preventive, basic and major services. You can find a participating EmblemHealth Preferred Program dentist or go to a nonparticipating dentist. When you receive care from a nonparticipating dentist, you pay the provider up front, and then file a claim for reimbursement. You’ll be reimbursed up to the allowance on the EmblemHealth Dental fee schedule for covered services, which is available from EmblemHealth. If you use a participating dentist, no forms are required.
For EmblemHealth dentists, go to emblemhealth.com/find-a-doctor/directory and select “Dental Preferred” from the menu. For more information, call EmblemHealth: 212-501-4443.
2025 Monthly Dental Contributions for EmblemHealth
Enrollment Information
Questions?
Columbia Benefits Service Center
Contact:
212-851-7000
[email protected]
Open Enrollment Hours:
Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What Happens If I Don't Enroll
You will no longer have coverage for:
- Healthcare FSA
- Dependent Care FSA
- Child Care Benefit
You will also be ineligible to newly enroll in the following Voluntary Benefits:
- Accident Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Hospital Indemnity Insurance
- MetLife Legal Services
- Universal Life with long-term care insurance
You will be automatically re-enrolled in your current year benefits:
- Medical
- Dental
- Optional Vision
- Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP)
- Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
- Voluntary Benefits
How to Enroll in Benefits
The Columbia University Benefits Enrollment System (CUBES) gives you secure access to personalized information about your benefits. CUBES is available 24/7 to enroll online anytime from anywhere during the annual benefits Open Enrollment period.
- Go CUBES to Enroll
- Log in with your UNI and password
- Confirm access using multifactor authentication (DUO).
Note: You must enroll in your 2025 benefits by November 22, 2024.
Remember: The choices you make during Open Enrollment will stay in effect all year—unless you experience a Qualified Life Status Change
- Select "Get Started" to make your elections.
- Be sure to "Checkout" in order to save and submit your elections.
Disclaimers
The Benefits Brochure and Open Enrollment website summarize changes to the benefits programs that are available to benefits-eligible employees of Columbia University. This communication is intended to be a Summary of Material Modifications (SMM) to the Medical Plans and other benefits programs. It does not include important information about exclusions and limitations.
For additional details of benefits coverage, eligibility, limitations and exclusions, you must refer to the Summary Plan Description (SPD) and the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC). You may also want to request to receive a paper copy of an SPD, SBC or SMM by contacting the Columbia Benefits Service Center at 212-851-7000.
As a requirement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Columbia University must provide a SBC to all participants and their dependents. The SBC is designed to provide you with an easy-to-understand summary about a health plan’s benefits and coverage and to help you better understand and evaluate your health insurance choices. You are entitled to receive these Plan documents under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). You also have other important rights and protections under ERISA, which are explained in more detail in the SPDs.
If there are any discrepancies between the information in the Brochure publication, website, or verbal representations and the Plan documents, the Plan documents will always govern. Columbia University reserves the right to change or terminate these benefits Plans at any time. The Brochure publication and website are in no way intended to imply a contract of employment. The Columbia University Group Benefit Plan (the “Plan”) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.