Insurance Programs

The university offers a rich and flexible menu of insurance options to meet your needs. Review the quick overview below and use the links to the left for more information.

For benefits-eligible employees, the university's contribution to your core benefits (medical, dental, life, and AD&D) is called Sooner Credits.
Full-time and part-time benefits-eligible employees must enroll in insurance within the first 31 days of employment. Benefits-eligible employees are covered the first day of the month following their date of hire.

Insurance Program	Summary
Medical Insurance	OU offers two plans through Cigna. Your options include the PPO plan and the HDHP plan. The university contributes to medical premiums for benefits-eligible employees.
Health Navigation - Garner Health	The University of Oklahoma has partnered with Garner to help you and your dependents find top doctors in your area and receive reimbursement for eligible costs when you visit them. These doctors follow best practices to keep you healthier.
Health Navigation - ZERO Health	Get The Care You Need for $0. OU has partnered with ZERO to help alleviate the financial burdens of healthcare. Members on the University's medical plan can receive scheduled healthcare for $0 out of pocket.
Dental Insurance	OU offers BlueCare Dental from Blue Cross and Blue Shield, available in a Basic Plan and an Alternate Plan. Both plans cover preventive, basic, and major services, but they differ in how they pay for covered services. Under each plan, you can visit any licensed dentist. The university contributes to the premiums for benefits-eligible employees. BlueCare Dental Web Portal
Vision Insurance	VSP offers a standard vision plan and a premium vision plan. Both vision care plans provide coverage for prescription lenses and frames, contact lenses (in lieu of eyeglasses), and a complete annual eye exam. Under the plans, you can visit an optometrist within the VSP network or you may choose to visit an out-of-network provider, which may result in higher out-of-pocket costs. Check out vsp.com
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)	Healthcare and dependent daycare Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are reimbursement accounts that can decrease the amount of taxes you pay on your income by allowing you to set aside pre-taxed income for eligible expenses. A healthcare FSA reimburses you for out-of-pocket expenses, meaning those expenses that are not covered by your medical, dental, prescription, or vision programs. These expenses include deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, and certain over-the-counter (OTC) expenses. A dependent daycare FSA reimburses you for expenses you incur to allow you and, if married, your spouse to work. These expenses include day care, before-and-after school programs, nursery school or preschool, summer day camp, and even adult day care. Optum Financial Web Portal
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)	Members enrolled the HDHP medical insurance plan will have a health saving account (HSA) to which employees and employers can contribute pre-tax money. To be eligible for an HSA, you must meet the following requirements, as defined by the IRS: You must be covered under a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP) on the first day of the month. You have no other health coverage except what is permitted by the IRS. You are not enrolled in Medicare, TRICARE, or TRICARE for Life. You can’t be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return. You haven’t received Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits within the past three months, except for preventive care. If you have a disability rating from the VA, this exclusion doesn’t apply. You do not have a health care flexible spending account (FSA) or health reimbursement account (HRA). Alternative plan designs, such as a limited-purpose FSA or HRA, might be permitted. Other restrictions and exceptions may also apply. We recommend that you consult a tax, legal or financial advisor to discuss your personal circumstances. You can visit the myCigna.com website to manage your account.
Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)	AD&D coverage is inexpensive and provides a benefit in the case of dismemberment as a result of an accident or an untimely death. You can purchase increased levels of coverage and dependent coverage. The university contributes to the premiums for benefits-eligible employees.
Life Insurance	Life insurance provides a benefit in the case of death. You can purchase increased levels of coverage and dependent coverage. The university contributes to the premiums for benefits-eligible employees.
Long-Term Disability	Long-term disability coverage provides long-term income if you've been off work for longer than six months because of illness or injury.
Short-Term Disability	Short-term disability coverage provides a short-term source of income in the case of illness or injury.

2024 OU Benefits Guide

Click here to read the 2024 OU Benefits Guide.

2025 Benefits Guide

Click here to read the 2025 OU Benefits Guide

Sooner Credits

The university pays a portion of the insurance premiums for benefits-eligible employees as part of their total compensation package. These contributions are called "Sooner Credits" and are used for the core insurance programs: medical, dental, life insurance, and accidental death & dismemberment.

Full and part-time employees classified to work between 20 and 40 hours per week are eligible for benefits. The Sooner Credit amount contributed for each employee is prorated based on their full-time equivalency (FTE) as shown below.

FTE	% of Sooner Credits
.5-.59	50%
.6-.74	75%
.75-1.0	100%

Affordable Care Act

Review information about the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace and how it affects OU employees.

Both Spouses Employed by OU

When both spouses are employed by OU, both employees must carry insurance as the primary insured. Neither employee can be enrolled as a dependent on the other spouse's OU insurance. In future years, that could change depending on the university’s contribution to dependent coverage.

Medical yearly deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums can be linked for families that have children and two spouses who both work at OU. Employees can do this after the plan year begins. Contact Cigna at 1-800-332-4462 for more information.