The Commonwealth of Virginia provides options for health benefits coverage for eligible VCU employees and their eligible family members. Participants choose plans based on coverage needs and geographical location. Salaried faculty members, Classified staff, University and Academic Professionals, and Postdoctoral Scholar employees who work:
20 or more hours a week are eligible to participate in health coverage.
COVA Care and COVA HealthAware participants are eligible to earn premium rewards for the plan year July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. See the Premium Reward FAQ for more information.
Enrollment
Health benefits coverage is not automatic upon employment.
Eligible faculty and staff may enroll in the plan on a pre-tax basis within 30 days of employment. If the enrollment request is received within this 30-day period, coverage is effective on the first of the month coinciding with or following the date of employment. Once the 30-day period expires, coverage is considered waived.
If you waive health benefits coverage as a new employee, you cannot elect coverage after the 30-day period unless you have aqualifying life event change (qualifying mid-year event) or until the next open enrollment period.
Coverage ceases at the end of the month in which you terminate employment or if you are delinquent in paying your health insurance premiums following the end of the month in which you pay your last full premium.
Eligible faculty and staff who wish to elect dependent coverage must provide documentation verifying dependent eligibility along with the enrollment form. For details, see Eligibility Definitions and Required Documentation for Health Coverage (PDF), a publication of the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM).
Open enrollment
The Commonwealth of Virginia holds an annual health benefits open enrollment period in the spring of each year, during which time eligible participants can change their health plan options (for example, add or drop expanded coverage) or membership levels (for example, add or drop dependents). Documentation verifying dependent eligibility is required whenever adding or reinstating dependents to coverage.
Qualifying mid-year event
Faculty and staff may make certain changes to their benefits — such as adding or dropping dependents — within 60 days of a qualifying mid-year event. Documentation verifying dependent eligibility must be provided when adding any dependent.
Eligible faculty and staff can participate in COVA Care plans.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Medical, vision and hearing benefits, and prescription drug program. Member services: (804) 355-8506 in Richmond; (800) 552-2682 outside Richmond
Available only to eligible faculty and staff who live or work in the plan’s service areas: Northern Virginia; Fredericksburg, VA.; Maryland; and the District of Columbia.
Kaiser Permanente: Medical, behavioral health and vision benefits Member services: (301) 468-6000 in service areas; (800) 777-7902 outside service areas my.kp.org/commonwealthofvirginia/
Available only to eligible faculty and staff who live or work in the service area, which is defined by the zip code. The service area includes Chesapeake, Franklin, Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, James City County, Mathews, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Southampton, Suffolk, Surry, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and York County.
The TRICARE Supplement Plan is available to eligible faculty and staff who are military retirees or spouses/surviving spouses of military retirees. This plan requires that participants have TRICARE Standard/Extra or TRICARE Prime as their primary coverage.
SelmanCo ASI: All services Member services: (866) 637-9911
To qualify for Premium Rewards for the 2024-2025 health plan year (July 2024 - June 2025) employees must complete or update a health assessment on or after May 1, 2024. Employees who participate in a COVA Care or COVA HealthAware health plan can earn a $17 per month ($8.50 per paycheck) discount on health plan premiums. Spouses enrolled on a plan can earn an additional $17 monthly discount by completing the assessment, making the total monthly discount $34 ($17 per paycheck).
After completing your Health Assessment, keep a copy of the completion confirmation for your records. It does not need to be returned to VCU HR. Your health plan company will report your completion of the activity directly to the State Health Benefits Program. Review the status of your Premium Reward inCardinal ESS on or after the expected effective date, and check your paystub to confirm that the correct premium is charged. VCU deducts the amount billed by the State Health Benefits Program.
If you and/or your enrolled spouse did not complete the health assessment by May 15, you may still be completed to receive premium reward(s) beginning later in the plan year. Completing the health assessment is voluntary. If you decide not to participate, you will pay the regular premium for your plan with no discount.
VCU requires J-1 scholars to have health insurance that meets Federal requirements described in 22 CFR 62.14. J-1 scholars must provide evidence of coverage to the Global Education Office The health plans available to employees meet some, but not all, of the J-1 requirements:
The state employee COVA Care plans (available statewide) and Kaiser Permanente HMO (available to employees who live or work in the plan’s service area) offered by VCU meet the J-1 medical coverage and deductible requirements. J-1 scholars who enroll any other plan offered by VCU must obtain additional coverage outside of VCU to satisfy these requirements, and provide evidence to the Global Education Office. Once you enroll in a plan through VCU, you cannot change your plan selection or cancel coverage until the annual open enrollment period in May or unless you experience a qualifying mid-year event that permits changes during the year.
None of the state employee health plans offered by VCU include the required medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. J-1 scholars must obtain additional coverage for these items outside of VCU, and provide evidence to the Global Education Office. Many providers offer low cost coverage on the commercial market. VCU Human Resources does not endorse or recommend any particular provider for these products.
Employees are not required to enroll in coverage through VCU. Those who obtain coverage outside of VCU to meet the requirements must provide evidence to the Global Education Office.
On April 7, 1986, the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) was enacted. COBRA requires employers that sponsor group health plans to offer employees and their families the opportunity to temporarily extend their health coverage at group rates in certain instances where plan coverage otherwise would end.
Thegroup health continuation coverage under COBRA notice includes information for you and your spouse about your rights and obligations under the COBRA provision and provides answers to several frequently asked questions. COBRA election notices are mailed to the home addresses of eligible qualified beneficiaries. Enrollment forms are not available online.
Retirees and Long-term Disability Participants
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) retirees are eligible to enroll in the state retiree health benefits program within 31 days of immediately retiring from VRS-covered employment. Employees who defer VRS retirement when they leave employment are not eligible. VRS is the health benefits enrollment administrator for VRS retirees.
Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) retirees are eligible to enroll in the state retiree health benefits program within 31 days of immediately retiring from ORP-covered employment. ORP participants who defer retirement when they leave employment are not eligible. VCU Human Resources is the health benefits enrollment administrator for ORP retirees.
Eligible employees and former employees on approved long-term disability (LTD) claims under the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) or VCU's long-term disability insurance may participate in the state retiree program under similar conditions to retirees although they are not considered retired. VRS is the health benefits administrator for VSDP LTD participants and VCU Human Resources is the health benefits administrator for VCU long-term disability insurance participants.
Need verification of your state health benefits coverage through VCU? Print a copy of your benefits confirmation from Cardinal (consult the Cardinal Instructions for assistance).
Member Identification Numbers
If you are a COVA health plan participant, your health plan member identification number is based on your Cardinal ID number.
COVA Care and COVA High Deductible Health Plan participants: Replace the first two zeroes in your Cardinal ID number with FVI and the last two zeroes in your Cardinal ID number with XU. For example, if your Cardinal ID number is 00123456700 your Anthem health plan ID number is FVI1234567XU. For your Delta Dental ID, remove the FVI prefix.
COVA HealthAware participants: Remove the last two zeroes from your Cardinal ID number. For example, if your Cardinal ID number is 00123456700, your ID number is 001234567 for Aetna, Delta Dental, and Anthem Pharmacy/IngenioRX.
If you participate in Kaiser Permanente, Sentara Health, or the TRICARE Supplement Plan, your health plan ID is assigned by the insurance company. Contact your insurance company using the information under "Kaiser, Sentara Health, and TRICARE contact information" above.
Notice
The State and Local Health Benefits Programs of the Department of Human Resource Management (the "Health Plan"), sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia (the “Commonwealth”) complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. The Plan does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Read the full Health Plan non-discrimination notice.