Employee benefits
Employee benefits

This is a once-a-year opportunity for Colorado Higher Education Insurance Benefits Alliance (CHEIBA) benefits-eligible faculty and professional staff members to review coverage options and make benefit decisions for 2023 without experiencing a qualified life event. This year’s Open Enrollment is passive, meaning that if an employee takes no action during Open Enrollment, their medical, dental and vision-plan elections will roll forward to 2023.  

Employees who have a Flexible Spending Account and want one in 2023 must reenroll.  

This year, the University will use an internal forms process for benefit selection; next year, the process will move to Workday. 

MSU Denver to cover premium increases 

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the health care habits of many employees and their families. As the pandemic has subsided, many Roadrunners have returned to regular medical-care routines, pursued delayed procedures and refocused on their personal well-being, resulting in increased use of medical benefits. 

“MSU Denver is glad to see employees taking care of their health needs by taking advantage of the University’s generous and competitive benefits package,” said George Middlemist, Ph.D., associate vice president of Administration and Finance and chief financial officer. “Our University community is stronger and better able to meet its mission when our people are tending to their physical health, mental health and overall wellness.” 

However, due to increased benefits use, MSU Denver’s medical premiums, along with those of the other universities in the CHEIBA benefits alliance, will increase by 7.1% in 2023. Attuned to the increased usage driven by pent-up demand for health care services as the pandemic winds down, the University anticipated and prepared for medical-premium increases and will be able to absorb this year’s increase at this juncture.   

“In anticipation of the increased use and potentially elevated premiums, we did not readjust flexible benefit charges last year,” Middlemist said. “Therefore, the University has the capacity to cover the increase for at least the next year.” 

Deductible and co-pay changes for 2023 

MSU Denver strives to be clear about changes to ensure that employees have the information they need to make the best decisions for themselves and/or their families. While the University will cover the premium increase for 2023, individuals will see changes in their deductibles and increases in co-pays. Additionally, due to the overall increase in costs to CHEIBA, there will not be a benefits holiday in December. 

 Health 

  • Deductibles and co-pays will vary by plan. Please reference Page 11 of the 2023 CHEIBA Trust Employee Benefits Guide, available in the Benecenter, for more details.  

Dental 

  • Premiums will remain the same for 2023. 
  • Moving from three cleanings per year to two cleanings per year. 

 Wellness Program 

  • The program will expand to include new awards-eligible activities and to include employee spouses.  

 All other lines of coverage will remain the same, as will premiums for: 

  • Vision 
  • Optional Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment 
  • Accident Insurance 
  • Critical Illness 
  • Hospital Indemnity 

See 2023 CHEIBA Rate Sheet.
See 2023 CHEIBA Benefit Guide. 
Visit the Benecenter.
Visit MSU Denver’s Employee Benefits portal. 

Employee next steps

  • Watch the Open Enrollment video outlining 2023 plan and coverage changes.  
  • Review coverage by Nov. 18 
  • Make desired adjustments through mybensite.com/cheiba (User ID: CHEIBA; Password: msudenver). 

For more information, please contact a member of the Total Rewards Team: