Premiums are paid in the month for which there is coverage.

Premium payments are paid in the month for which there is coverage. For more information, please visit the Payroll Department's website.

4/4 Non-Grandfathered* (Non-GF) Appointments

Your health and welfare benefits are deducted at a single rate monthly to cover that month the deduction was taken. For example, for September’s coverage, your deduction will occur in the September monthly payroll. If you are only appointed for the fall term, your deductions will be taken monthly, September through December. If you are only appointed for the spring term, your deductions will be taken monthly, January through April. If your appointment is for the summer term, your deductions will be taken monthly, May through August.

Should the appointment end for any reason, coverage will end at the end of that month. For example, if your appointment ends Dec. 31, your coverage will also end Dec. 31, and COBRA will be offered for Jan. 1.

* Non-Grandfathered faculty refers to faculty hired after the ratification (effective May 15, 2024) of the faculty CBA.

4/4 Grandfathered* (GF) Appointments

If your appointment is September through December, health and welfare benefits are only deducted September through December. If your appointment is January through April, the benefit deductions are doubled January through April to cover January through August since no deductions are made during the summer term. If your appointment is May through August, you will be manually billed. If your pay cannot support the double deductions, you will be manually billed for anything that could not come out of your January through April payroll.

8/8, 9/9, and 10/10 Appointments

Monthly benefit deductions are withheld for September through December. Double deductions are withheld for January through April to cover the January through August period since no deductions are made during the summer term. If your pay cannot support the double deductions, you will be manually billed for anything that could not come out of your January through April payroll.

Additional Information

Those benefits that are included in the double deductions are: Medical^, Dental, Vision, Optional Life, Optional AD&D, Spouse/Domestic Partner Life, and Child(ren) Life.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are not included in the double deduction schedule. Those accounts can be elected at a higher monthly maximum (annual maximum over eight monthly pays September through April). The FSA and HSA limits are based on the plan year of July through June. IRS increases are adopted at the beginning of each plan year and cannot be increased until July 1.

Any Less than Annual paid employee that had double deductions in January through April and is still actively working in the following fall term will see a "catch up" process run in their October payroll. This process will include premium increases effective July 1 for the new plan year that could not be deducted in the January through April double deduction process.

Those who terminate their employment (leave the University or retire) on or after April 30 and were double deducted will have active coverage through Aug. 31. Those that retired from the University will have their retirement benefits begin Sep. 1 with Benefit Management Service (BMS).

If you terminate employment (leave the University or retire) between Jan.1 but before April 30, your benefits will end according to the following schedule:

• If you terminate in January, your coverage will end Feb. 28 (Feb. 29 on leap years) 
• If you terminate in February, your benefits will end April 30 
• If you terminate in March, your benefits will end June 30
• If you terminate in April through August, your benefits will end Aug. 31

* Grandfathered 4/4 faculty (GF) refers to faculty eligible for double deductions prior to the ratification (effective May 15, 2024) of the faculty CBA. 

^ $50 monthly Benefit Credit for those that waived medical and are in a position eligible for the credit.

Effective May 1, 2024, UPMC Benefit Management Services (BMS) is the University’s administrator of the direct billing program. Individuals eligible for coverage, but not receiving a payment from the University will transition to being direct billed for their coverage through BMS. Individuals will be placed on direct billing the month following a missed payroll deduction and sent an invoice to the home address on file with the University via U.S. Postal Mail from BMS.

Please review instructions on how to update your address with the University on the payroll website.

To setup your portal, inquire on electronic invoices, make payments or general questions, please call BMS at 888-499-6885.

Failure to submit payment by the due date listed on the invoice will result in coverage being terminated. Should your coverage be terminated for non-payment, an appeal may be requested by submitting an online inquiry to the Benefits Department.

Once coverage is terminated, you will be offered COBRA. Your next opportunity to re-enroll in University coverage would be if you have experienced a qualified life event throughout the year (and contact the Benefits Department within 60 days of the event date) or have enrolled via the next Open Enrollment Period for coverage effective July 1.

See below for a sample of the invoice and mailing envelope you will receive in the mail.

Retirement Savings: Deductions will only be taken from eligible payrolls during January to April and September to December. However, if you receive a summer appointment and are paid during that time, retirement savings deductions may still apply to those payrolls.

If you are a Less than Annual employee and have the elected the maximum, also known as the 402(g) limit, the system will divide the maximum (the 402(g) limit) against your available pays. This will be higher than the TIAA portal calculation as TIAA automatically divides against 12 pays for estimates. For the maximum limit, please reference the Retirement Savings for Current Employees page.

If you have the maximum elected on your record and receive pay during a summer month, the University payroll system has a calculation in place to divide the remaining amount needed to contribute by five remaining pays (current month + fall term).

If you are unsure of your deductions or are planning to work over the summer, please contact the Benefits Department.

When submitting your inquiry to the Benefits Department, select Benefits from the Service Area dropdown, select Retirement Savings Plan from the I Need Help With... dropdown, and select Maximizing Contributions/IRS Limits from the Regarding Specifically: dropdown.