Getting the Most Value
Medical
Prescription drugs
Additional wellness benefits for health screenings
Lower your taxes with these benefit plans
Using your benefits is as important as choosing them. The following tips will help you save money and get the most value as you use your benefits throughout the year.
Use network providers
The medical, dental and vision plans all include provider networks. You save money when you use network providers because the plan generally pays a higher benefit level for those services and network providers agree to discounted rates. For the EPO medical plan, all services must be provided exclusively through the Aetna Premier Care Plus Network (APCN+).
To locate EPO providers, view Aetna's online directory for the APCN+
To locate PPO providers for the CDHP plans, view Aetna's instructions
Get regular checkups and health screenings
Annual checkups can help detect early warning signs before they become serious—and costly—health issues. Don't wait until you're sick to visit the doctor. Regular checkups, even when you feel fine, will help you stay on track to a healthy lifestyle. And when you receive routine exams and preventive-related tests and lab work from a network provider, the Company picks up your entire bill.
But that's not all. The critical illness, accident, and hospital insurance plans pay you money to get health screenings and recommended mammograms.
Follow recommended preventive care guidelines
Preventive care health screenings and tests help detect problems early so your doctor can treat them before they become more serious. Follow the recommended preventive care guidelines and any tests your doctor recommends.
Get free advice from a registered nurse
Do you ever wish you could get medical advice from home or while you're traveling? Aetna registered nurses are available around the clock, whether you have a medical question or you're facing a serious health issue. Learn about home treatment options, get questions to ask your doctor at your next appointment, or find out if your situation requires urgent care. Call NurseLine anytime at 800-556-1555.
Don't pay for coverage you won't use
If your spouse/domestic partner has medical, dental, and vision coverage available from his or her employer, see how they compare to Canon Medical Systems options. Paying for two plans doesn't mean you'll receive the full benefit of both plans.
Use the prescription drug mail order program
If you take prescription drugs on a daily or ongoing basis (e.g., contraceptive drugs, medicines for chronic conditions, and diabetes-related supplies and insulin), take advantage of the mail order program. You will spend less money and avoid unnecessary trips to the pharmacy.
Review applicable prescription drug lists to save money
Shop for medications
You might be surprised how many retail options you have besides the neighborhood pharmacy. Retailers such as Costco and Walmart often charge less than chain drug stores.
CMSU’s Critical Illness, Hospital Insurance, and Accident Insurance plans each offer a cash wellness benefit payable to you for getting certain health screenings. Some of those screenings, such as triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and serum cholesterol HDL and LDL are the same screenings that you receive if you participate in the Annual Wellness Incentive. Even if you don’t participate in the Annual Wellness Incentive, you may get these screenings as part of your routine medical care. If you received one of these screenings, you can file a claim for three separate cash benefits!
Learn more about wellness cash benefits for critical illness, accident insurance, and hospital insurance.
The following CMSU benefits enable you to save on your federal income taxes. These benefits allow you to make contributions into the plans to pay for certain eligible expenses or other future financial needs. The specific tax advantage varies by plan according to IRS and state rules. If you have questions regarding how participating in CMSU’s tax-advantaged benefits affect your individual taxes, consult with your tax advisor.
Health Savings Account (comes with the CDHP medical plans)
- Purpose: Tax-advantaged way to pay for eligible medical expenses.
- Tax advantage: Pre-tax contributions lower current tax year federal income tax, no federal tax on investment earnings, and no federal tax on withdrawals for eligible expenses. In some cases, states offer state income tax advantages for participating in these plans as well.
- Company contributions: Annual Company contribution of $250 for the “Employee Only” coverage tier and $500 for all other coverage tiers. You can earn an additional $500 Company contribution each for yourself and your spouse/domestic partner by completing the Annual Wellness Incentive.
- Contribution limit: $4,300 total combined contribution if you cover just yourself and $8,550 if you cover any dependents.
Note: CMSU's Company contributions count toward the IRS-allowed annual contribution maximums.
Learn more about Health Savings Accounts.
Limited FSA
- Purpose: Tax-advantaged way to pay for eligible dental and vision expenses as well as medical expenses you incur after you have met your full family medical plan deductible.
- Tax advantage: Pre-tax contributions lower current tax year federal income tax, and there is no tax on reimbursements for eligible expenses.
- Contribution limit: $3,300.
Note: FSA participation does not carry over from year to year. If you want to participate in an FSA, you must enroll for coverage during the annual Open Enrollment.
Learn more about the Limited FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
- Purpose: Tax-advantaged way to pay for eligible dependent or elder care expenses.
- Tax advantage: Pre-tax contributions lower current tax year federal income tax, and there is no tax on reimbursements for eligible expenses.
- Contribution limit: $5,000.
Note: FSA participation does not carry over from year to year. If you want to participate in an FSA, you must enroll for coverage during the annual Open Enrollment.
Learn more about the Dependent Care FSA.
401(k)—Traditional and Roth
- Purpose: Tax-advantaged way to save for retirement.
- Tax advantage: For traditional 401(k) contributions, pre-tax contributions lower current tax year federal income tax by deferring taxes on that money—and any investment earnings it makes—until the money is withdrawn later in retirement. For Roth 401(k) contributions, after-tax contributions do not lower current tax year federal income tax, but earnings grow tax free, and withdrawals in retirement are exempt from federal tax.
- Company contributions: Each pay period the Company matches your contributions at 50%, up to 8% of your pay.
- Contribution limit: $23,500, plus a "catch-up contribution" up to the IRS annual catch-up limit. For 2025, if you are age 50-59 and 64 or older, the catch-up contribution is $7,500. If you are age 60-63, the catch-up contribution is $11,250.
Note: If you are age 50 or older, you have an opportunity to boost your 401(k) pre-tax contribution over the usual IRS annual dollar maximum by making a catch-up contribution. If you are getting close to retirement, making the catch-up contribution can help you reach your 401(k) retirement goal.
Learn more about the 401(k) Savings Plan.
Commuter Benefit
- Purpose: Tax-advantaged way to pay for public transit and/or parking for your commute.
- Tax advantage: Pre-tax contributions lower current tax year federal income tax, no tax on reimbursements for eligible expenses.
- Contribution limit: $325 per month for transit and $325 per month for parking.
Learn more about the Commuter Benefit Plan.
529 College Savings Plan
- Purpose: Tax-advantaged way to pay for higher education or K-12 tuition for your child, yourself, or another family member.
- Tax advantage: After-tax contributions do not lower current tax year federal income tax, but earnings grow tax-free, and withdrawals for eligible expenses are exempt from federal income tax.
- Contribution limit: You can contribute until your total account value (contributions and investment earnings) equals $395,000.
Learn more about the 529 College Savings Plan.