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Your Health, Your Way
Auburn University's PPO option is administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization. With a PPO, you don’t need a referral to make an appointment with another healthcare provider.
If you have a PPO, you can schedule appointments with providers and facilities outside of your network and still have those services covered by your insurance, although the costs for the majority of services will be higher than in-network.
facts
Did You Know?
The PPO, like the HDHP plan, is administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. You can utilize the same BCBS network whether you are in the state of Alabama or traveling out of state.
The PPO allows you to pair with a Flexible Savings Account (FSA) for tax advantages. An FSA helps you pay for eligible medical expenses that are not covered by your insurance plan.
The PPO has higher premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs than the HDHP. The FSA can help offset some of these expenses with pre-tax dollars.
For Auburn's PPO plan, preventive care may be covered at no expense, even if you have not met your deductible. This can help you catch problems early and better manage your health.
important Links
Eligibility and Enrollment
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Active full-time, non-student employees are eligible if the most recent appointment period is continuous for a minimum of one year (9 or 12 as appropriate to the appointment).
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Auburn University also offers health insurance to all employees who work an average of 30 or more hours per week over a measurement period. Graduate assistants and part-time employees who are not benefits eligible, but work an average of 30 hours or more weekly (1,560 hours/year) during a 12-month period, will be eligible under the Affordable Care Act to participate in the Auburn University Health Plan.
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In addition, newly-hired part-time employees who may consistently work 30 hours per week (or 130 hours per month) for the first 90 days of part-time employment will be monitored to determine if they may be ACA-eligible to enroll in the Auburn University Health Plan. If determined to be ACA-eligible, the employee will be contacted directly by Benefits.
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Participation in the program is optional.
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There is no waiting period for pre-existing conditions.
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New employees must enroll within 30 days of the date of beginning full-time employment.
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All eligible full-time employees may apply for enrollment during the annual open enrollment period.
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Employees experiencing a Qualified Life Event (QLE) must submit enrollment updates/changes within 45 days of the event. (See the Qualified Life Events website for details.)
Plan Design
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In-Network Benefit |
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|---|---|
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Preventive Care |
The plan pays 100%. |
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Primary Physician Co-Pay |
$30 |
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Specialist Office Visit Co-Pay |
$40 |
|
Facility Inpatient Co-Pay |
$300 |
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Facility Outpatient Co-Pay |
$300 |
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Emergency Room Facility Co-Pay |
$300 |
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Deductible |
$500 per person (three-member family maximum) |
Out-of-Pocket Maximum
In 2025, the annual out-of-pocket maximum will decrease to $9,200 for Employee Only coverage and $18,400 for the other coverage tiers -- Employee + Spouse, Employee + Child(ren), and Family.
After the maximum is met, the plan will pay 100% of the allowed amount for the remainder of the year.
Premium Rates
IMPORTANT: Employees whose annual salaries are $40,799 or less will receive a monthly subsidy to help offset their premium costs.
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Auburn contributes a portion of the biweekly or monthly premium. The employee's share is deducted from their paycheck and is exempt from Federal, State, and FICA/Medicare taxes.
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Premium rates for each year are effective from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.
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PPO premiums rates are significantly higher than HDHP rates. However, the PPO features lower deductibles than the HDHP.
Employee Only
|
Pay Frequency |
Employee Pays |
Subsidy (If applicable) |
|---|---|---|
|
Biweekly |
$115.50 |
$21.82 |
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Monthly |
$250.25 |
$47.27 |
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18-Pay |
$166.84 |
$31.51 |
Employee + Spouse
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Pay Frequency |
Employee Pays |
Subsidy (If applicable) |
|---|---|---|
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Biweekly |
$323.40 |
$61.09 |
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Monthly |
$700.71 |
$132.36 |
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18-Pay |
$467.14 |
$88.24 |
Employee + Children
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Pay Frequency |
Employee Pays |
Subsidy (If applicable) |
|---|---|---|
|
Biweekly |
$219.45 |
$41.45 |
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Monthly |
$475.48 |
$89.81 |
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18-Pay |
$316.99 |
$59.88 |
Family
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Pay Frequency |
Employee Pays |
Subsidy (If applicable) |
|---|---|---|
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Biweekly |
$346.50 |
$65.45 |
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Monthly |
$750.76 |
$141.82 |
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18-Pay |
$500.51 |
$94.54 |
Flexible Spending Account
You can save several hundred dollars annually by establishing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through HealthEquity.
These are tax-advantaged accounts that let you use tax-free money to pay for eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses and/or adult/dependent care expenses. Since you do not pay taxes on this money, it means more money in your pocket.
did you know
Did You Know?
The amount that can be deferred into an FSA Medical Spending Account for 2025 increased to $3,200. The Dependent Care Spending Account limit remains at $5,000.
HealthEquity has teamed with fsastore.com to offer an online store stocked with FSA-eligible products, helping you eliminate the confusion of which products are eligible with your account.
The Health Care FSA carryover limit from 2024 to the 2025 plan year will be $640.
Prescription Costs and TigerMeds
In 2025, prescription drug co-payment tiers will remain the same. Participation in TigerMeds will eliminate the co-pay for certain Tier 1 generic prescriptions and will reduce the co-pay for certain Tier 2 generic prescriptions.
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Prescription Tier |
AU Employee Pharmacy |
In-Network |
CVS/Target* |
|---|---|---|---|
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Tier 1 |
No co-pay |
$15 |
$30 |
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Tier 2 |
$10 |
$25 |
$40 |
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Tier 3 |
$55 |
$55 |
$70 |
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Tier 4 |
$85 |
$85 |
$100 |
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Tier 5 |
Employees pay 25% co-insurance, a maximum of $800 per prescription. |
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* CVS/Target has chosen to remain a non-preferred pharmacy in 2025.
TigerMeds
The Auburn University Employee Pharmacy (AUEP) offers the TigerMeds® program as a benefit for Auburn University employees and their dependents who have AU medical insurance.
Through TigerMeds®, employees who transfer all of their prescription medications to the AU Employee Pharmacy (located on campus at 2155 Walker Building, inside the Harrison College of Pharmacy) can obtain most generic prescription medications free of charge ($0 co-pay).
Mental Health Wellness
Auburn University offers dedicated resources to sustaining and enhancing the physical, psychological and emotional health of our employees and their dependents.
For additional information, email benefit@auburn.edu.
Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is administered through Uprise Health. An EAP is a confidential assessment, counseling and referral service for all full-time, benefit-eligible employees and their eligible dependents who need help with issues in life to include:
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Marital and family issues
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Alcohol and other drug dependency
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Stress-related issues
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Financial/legal referrals
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Emotional problems
Call Uprise at 800-925-5327 or visit the Uprise website for more information. (Company Code: AUBURN)
Mental health coverage and substance abuse treatment are available to employees, dependents and retirees covered under the Auburn medical plan.
Uprise Health assists employees and families by identifying and working through conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention. While our EAP addresses everyday living problems, mental health benefits address clinical issues such as:
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Abuse
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Childhood trauma
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Substance abuse
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Other serious conditions
Auburn University along with Uprise offer a variety of resources to employees and dependents. These include short videos, longer webinars and articles on a variety of topics to help employees and their dependents of all ages.
Tobacco Premium
Auburn University employees who are enrolled in the health insurance plan do not have to pay the $20 per month tobacco premium if they certify that they (and their spouse/sponsored adult dependent, if applicable) are not tobacco users.
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Employees must certify their tobacco use status to University Human Resources to avoid paying the premium. (An employee only has to certify once. Re-certification is not required.)
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As an alternative, the employee and/or spouse/sponsored adult dependent may complete the Pack It Up program, which is available through the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center, to avoid paying the premium. Contact the AUPCC at 334-844-8348 for more information.
Baby Yourself
Baby Yourself is a free maternity program from Blue Cross Blue Shield that includes:
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A personal nurse to answer questions during and after pregnancy
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Gifts and educational resources
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Information on breastfeeding
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An app to track the pregnancy
Call 1-800-222-4379 (or 733-7065 in Birmingham) for more information.
PPO Only - Auburn University will waive the $300 inpatient hospital deductible and calendar year deductible (or remainder of deductible at time of admission) through the end of the calendar year for covered members, spouses, and dependents who enroll in Baby Yourself during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. The waiver of the calendar year deductible is only for maternity care.
Key Documents
International Travel
Auburn University Health Plan participants can carry their healthcare benefits with them through Blue Cross and Blue Shield Global.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama partners with the other Blues to provide this service for employees and the covered members of their family at no additional charge. This resource, BCBS Global Core, provides instructions for accessing medical care while traveling internationally.
Employees traveling outside the United States on University business should complete the Banner RAT50 on-line form in AU Access> Employee>self serve> RAT50.
Upon completion of the RAT50, with all approvals, the employee will be enrolled in the AU International Travel Emergency Plan with CISI/ AXA Assist and will be sent a CISI welcome package via email.
The employee should follow the directions and download the CISI Traveler app. This app will contain the employee's insurance card, benefits and claim info. For more information email rat50@auburn.edu.
Dependents (spouse, children) who travel with the employee can also be enrolled in this insurance by completing the Banner RAT50 dependent form.
Coverage Continuation and Termination
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Upon termination of employment an employee and his/her dependents will be covered for the time period for which his/her last premium was deducted. Coverage shall cease automatically and without notice unless coverage is continued under COBRA.
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The coverage of the spouse of an employee shall terminate automatically and without notice as of the date of divorce or other termination of the marriage, and on such date the spouse shall cease to be a member unless coverage is continued under COBRA.
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The coverage of a child as a member shall terminate automatically and without notice as of the date such child ceases to be dependent unless coverage is continued under COBRA.
Important Reminder
Auburn University will not provide specific advice or recommendations on whether you should choose an HDHP or PPO plan. Our role is to share information about these options so you can make an informed decision based on your individual needs and circumstances.
Information about the benefit plans and programs contained in this communication is not meant to interpret, extend, or change the plans and programs in any way. In the event of any conflict between the content of this communication and the actual plan or program documents, the wording of the applicable plan or program document will govern.
