All VA state employees (including wage employees and those who have waived health coverage) can use free online EAP resources. Access articles, videos, self-assessments & more at Anthem EAP: www.anthemeap.com/cova. Available until June 30, 2025.
Please open the Special Announcements panel below for additional timely announcement information.
Nationwide Change - Healthcare Cyber Security Incident
The Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) Office of Health Benefits was notified of a data breach. It was determined that the breach may have impacted members of the health plans administered by Evelance (Anthem) and Aetna; DHRM has been monitoring the incident.
Change Healthcare disclosed a cyber security incident in their computer system that substantially impacted the healthcare industry including past and present health care providers, health plans, and related vendors. They are working with the administrators (Anthem and Aetna) to better understand the potential impact to our members.
On July 29, 2024, Change Healthcare began mailing written notices to individuals affected by the incident, and will continue to send notices over the coming weeks, as well as offering free credit monitoring and identity protection services for two years.
For more information or questions regarding this incident, members should reach Change Healthcare’s call center at 1-866-262-5342, consult Change Healthcare’s website, which is periodically updated, or you can learn more at changecybersupport.com.
Annual Medicare Creditable Coverage Notice: VCU Human Resources will mail a notice during October to all employees who are:
- enrolled in the state health benefits program and eligible for or entitled to Medicare
- enrolled in the state health benefits program and covering a family member who is eligible for or entitled to Medicare
The notice verifies that the state employee health plans are, on average for all plan participants, expected to pay out as much as standard Medicare prescription drug coverage pays, and are therefore considered creditable coverage. Because the state employee coverage is creditable coverage, Medicare-eligible employees can keep the coverage and not pay a higher premium (penalty) when enrolling in Medicare drug coverage later.
Please keep the notice when you receive it by mail at your home address, as you may be required to produce it when and if you decide to enroll in a Medicare drug program in the future. For more information about Medicare and state health coverage through VCU, read the FAQ.
Health Benefits
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.
- 30 or more hours a week are eligible for the employer-paid contribution toward their 2024-2025 employee premiums (PDF).
- 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 a qualifying 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, 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.
COVA Care Plan
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
Delta Dental Plan of Virginia: Dental benefits
Member services: (888) 335-8296
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Member services: (855) 223-9277
(see access information at your personalized EAP Website; enter Commonwealth of Virginia to login)
COVA HealthAware Plan
Eligible faculty and staff can participate in COVA HealthAware plans.
Aetna: Medical, behavioral health, vision, and hearing
Member services: (855) 414-1901
Anthem Pharmacy/IngenioRX: Pharmacy benefits
Member services: (833) 267-3108
Delta Dental Plan of Virginia: Dental benefits
Member services: (888) 335-8296
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Member services: (888) 238-6232
(see access information at your personalized EAP Website; enter Commonwealth of Virginia to login)
COVA High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
Eligible faculty and staff can participate in COVA HDHP plans.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: All services; except dental
Member services: (804) 355-8506 in Richmond; (800) 552-2682 outside Richmond
Delta Dental Plan of Virginia: Dental benefits
Member services: (888) 335-8296
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Member services: (855) 223-9277
(see access information at your personalized EAP Website; enter Commonwealth of Virginia to login)
Kasier Permanente HMO Plan
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/
Dominion Dental Services, Inc.: Dental benefits
Member services: (888) 518-5338
www.dominiondental.com/kaiserdentists/
Beacon Health Options: Behavioral health and employee assistance program (EAP)
Member services: (866) 517-7042
www.achievesolutions.net/kaiser
Sentara Health Vantage HMO Plan
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.
Sentara Health: Medical, behavioral health and vision benefits
Member services: (866) 846-2682
www.sentarahealthplans.com/group-pages/cova/
Dominion National: Dental benefits
Member services: (877) 847-5754
DominionNational.com
Sentara EAP: Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Member services: (800) 899-8175
sentaraeap.personaladvantage.com
TRICARE Supplement Plan
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
Contact Us
For questions about your benefits, please submit a help ticket through the HR Service & Support Tool. You can also contact benefits@vcu.edu or call (804) 827-1723.
Your HR Professional may also be able to answer some benefits related questions.