Annual Enrollment—your once-a-year opportunity to discover and enroll in JHU's benefits that best fit your needs—is coming soon. Wherever you are in your life and on your health and well-being journey, now's your chance to explore all that's offered by JHU. The university is here to support you every step so that you can make the most of your choices.
As a reminder, if you don't enroll by Oct. 31, you won't be able to make any changes to your benefits unless you experience a big personal change in 2025, such as getting married or divorced, welcoming a baby, or having a spouse or partner switch jobs.
What to expect for 2025
The university is committed to helping you improve your health, your savings, and your future. That's why it continues to invest in a range of resources to support all aspects of your well-being. For example, in 2025, JHU is:
- Adding hospital indemnity insurance to its list of insurance benefits for anyone looking for extra financial support to cover gaps and unexpected costs of a hospital stay
- Enhancing the retirement 403(b) plans to automatically enroll all employees who are not participating in a 403(b) plan at a 3% savings rate and gradually increasing savings rates for employees saving between 3% and 10% on an annual basis
More information about these enhancements will be available on the Benefits & Worklife website when the enrollment window opens.
In terms of medical, dental, and vision insurance plan options, you'll have the same selection of plans that you did for 2024, at 2025 costs. Monthly paycheck contributions for medical and dental premiums will go up a little, while deductibles, copays, and limits will remain the same. Because rising health care costs are a concern, the university will continue to absorb a large share of the increases, up to 75%, to lessen the effect on you and your family.
Savings opportunities through tax-advantaged accounts
If you elect the CareFirst high-deductible health plan for your medical insurance, you'll be able to set aside more money in your health savings account in 2025. The maximum contribution limit is increasing to $4,300 from $4,150 for individual coverage and to $8,550 from $8,300 for family coverage. Note that these maximum contribution amounts include JHU's contribution.
Potential increases for other benefits with contribution limits determined by the IRS, including health care flexible spending accounts, dependent care flexible spending accounts, and commuter benefits, have not been announced yet.
Child care vouchers and scholarships
If you have children who are under 6 years old and not yet in kindergarten, you must apply and reapply for the child care voucher and/or scholarship program each year. You may be able to receive additional tax-free assistance because of changes to the adjusted gross income limits for families and the corresponding award tiers:
| One pre-K child under age 6 | Two pre-K children under age 6 | Three pre-K children under age 6 | Voucher (tax-free, per family) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family adjusted gross income (AGI) | Annual voucher award | ||
| < $62,400 | < $72,400 | < $82,400 | $5,000 |
| $62,401-$93,600 | $72,401-$103,600 | $82,401-$113,600 | $2,500 |
| $93,601-$124,800 | $103,601-$134,800 | $113,601-$144,800 | $1,000 |
| For each additional child under the age of 6, the income caps rise $10,000. | |||
Let ALEX show you the way
Need help deciding which medical plan is right for you? In October, you can ask ALEX, an interactive decision support tool, to help you decide which benefits might fit your needs in the coming year, including which medical insurance plan might work best for you. ALEX will ask you questions about your current situation and any changes you may be anticipating, and then it will generate personalized recommendations for you to consider as you enroll. For a more complete picture to help you decide, ALEX even lets you add your spouse's or partner's medical insurance benefits to the equation.
Questions about JHU medical plans? Quantum Health has answers
During Annual Enrollment, and all year long, Quantum Health offers live, personalized support to help you use and understand JHU's medical benefits.
If you're considering enrolling in any of JHU's CareFirst medical insurance plans, Quantum Health's team of experts can answer questions about the way a specific service will be covered under a medical plan or how the deductible or out-of-pocket maximum works.
Prepare to enroll by Oct. 31
Here are a few tips to help you get ready for Annual Enrollment:
Explore JHU's benefits. Bookmark JHU's Benefits & Worklife website for quick access to details about all your JHU benefits and how to enroll.
Save the date for the university's benefits fairs at the following locations. Each event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Oct. 15 at East Baltimore (Turner Concourse); Occupational Health on-site for walk-in flu shots
- Oct. 16 at Homewood (Glass Pavilion)
- Oct. 17 in D.C. (555 Pennsylvania Ave.)
Attend a town hall webinar.
Think about your health care experience in 2024. For instance:
- How many office visits and prescriptions did you need?
- Did you meet your deductible, or pay for coverage you didn't use?
- Did you spend more than you needed to on out-of-network providers?
- Do you anticipate any changes to your health or family next year, such having surgery or expecting a baby?
Gather information ahead of time. You'll need:
- Your JHED ID
- Social Security numbers and birthdates for your dependents, if applicable +Names and birthdates of your beneficiaries
Questions about enrolling?
Contact the Benefits Service Center by emailing benefits@jhu.edu or calling 410-516-2000, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More information will be available in the coming weeks on the Benefits & Worklife website. Enroll through the myChoices Health & Life benefits portal by Oct. 31.
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Tagged hr newswire
