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Basic Health & Life Insurance

Contact Information

  • Minnesota Life Insurance Company
    1.866.881.0631
    Basic Term Life and Special Accident, Optional Special Accident and Optional Term Life
    2024 Member Handbook

Enrollment/Change Periods
If you do not elect coverage for yourself (or your qualified dependents) as a new employee, you may only apply later through a Special Qualifying Event.
 
In addition, there is an Annual Enrollment/Open Enrollment Transfer Period during which employees may opt in or out of coverage.
 
Health insurance premiums are deducted on a pre-tax basis.

Eligibility
Employee eligibility:

  • Full-time employees regularly scheduled to work a minimum of 30 hours a week
  • Faculty employed a minimum of 30 hours a week for the full academic year
  • Part-time employees with 24 months of service regularly working 1450 hours per year

Dependent eligibility:

  • Legally married spouse as defined under TN State law
  • Natural or adopted children up to age 26
  • Step-children up to age 26, if you or your spouse has legal or joint custody or shared parenting

Proof of a dependent’s eligibility is required. Please see the Definitions and Required Documents list for acceptable proof.

Description of Plans
The State of Tennessee offers three health plans.  Members can choose from Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) options or a Consumer-driven Health Plan (CDHP) option.

  • Premier (PPO) - Highest premiums, but you pay less for copays at the doctor's office and pharmacy than the PPOs and less coinsurance.
  • Standard PPO - Lower premiums than the Premier PPO, but you pay more for copays at the doctor's office and pharmacy.
  • CDHP/HealthSavings Account (HSA) - Lower premiums and lower out-of-pocket maximum, but you have a higher deductible.  You get an HSA to use for qualified healthcare expenses, including your deductible and to save for retirement. - State puts $500 employee only/$1,000 family tiers in HSA if eligible. If your insurance coverage starts on or after Sept. 2 of this year, the state will not contribute funds to your HSA in this calendar year. [2024 HSA Authorization form]

All healthcare options cover the same services and treatments, but medical necessity decisions may vary by network carrier.  Please refer to the Health Plan Comparisons & Costs Chart for the plans' deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance and out-of-pocket maximum amounts, as well as for the associated monthly premiums.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network Providers: You can see any doctor or go to any health care facility you want. However, if you use an “in-network” provider, you will always pay less. That’s because an in-network provider agrees to provide services to our members at discounted rates. Broad networks of doctors and hospitals will continue to be available.

In addition to health insurance, the program includes a basic term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance for both employee and covered dependents. This is package program and the three parts cannot be separated. The life and accident is underwritten by Securian. The coverage amount is dependent upon the employee's annual salary. Please see the Securian handbook for complete coverage amount.

Cost
Pretax note: Medical insurance premiums are automatically deducted on a tax-free basis under the Flexible Benefits Plan. Because your premium is taken on a pretax basis, you must remain in the health coverage through the end of the plan year (January through December) unless you experience a family status change. If you are not experiencing a family status change, you may cancel or change your coverage only during the Annual Enrollment Transfer Period for an effective date of January 1 of the following year.

State of Tennessee Life Insurance Information