Eligible employees of UAB, UAB Hospital and UAB Hospital Management LLC will have the option to choose or decline health care coverage from VIVA Health and Blue Cross/Blue Shield during the annual open enrollment for benefits Oct. 18-Nov. 4.

A benefit option that enables employees to pay lower monthly health care premiums in exchange for higher out-of-pocket expenses for covered services continues to grow in favor among eligible employees.

Stay tuned to the UAB Reporter as UAB begins rolling out open enrollment information to provide benefit-eligible employees time to review upcoming changes and make informed decisions. Open enrollment begins 7 a.m. Oct. 18 and concludes 5 p.m. Nov. 4.

As a diverse, public institution of more than 50,000 students, faculty and staff, UAB will remain neutral on political and social issues that do not directly affect the institution’s core operations.

UAB employees who want to ensure their financial security in their golden years can take advantage of services provided by the UAB Benefits Office and UAB’s retirement providers, including retirement counseling and investment support for mandatory and voluntary retirement plans. If you are contacted by other vendors claiming to be authorized, do not give out your personal information. 

Two Tuesdays, Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, will be designated as paid holidays to enable UAB and UAB Medicine employees additional time to spend with their families and friends.

Eligible employees in Workgroup A will complete self-evaluations in the UAB Perform App and faculty evaluations will be uploaded into the app. Managers must have conversations with employees and complete evaluations by Sept. 30.

UAB Human Resources is hosting the third annual Meet HR & Friends on the Green on Friday, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Campus Green. The annual come-and-go event is free and open to faculty, staff, students and members of the UAB community, and features outdoor fun, giveaways, games and prizes, music and more.

There have been no significant plan design changes to copays and deductibles for UAB’s medical plans since 2015. For UAB to remain competitive in the market, stay in line with national benchmarks and keep costs down as much as possible for all employees, there will be medical plan design changes for 2024.

Health plans from Viva Health and Blue Cross/Blue Shield are available during the annual open enrollment Oct. 20-Nov. 6.

A benefit option that enables employees to pay lower monthly health care premiums in exchange for higher out-of-pocket expenses for covered services continues to grow in favor among eligible employees.

A pandemic-era exception to UAB vacation accrual policy, originally set to expire Dec. 31, now is extended through 2023.

UAB and UAB Medicine employees will be able to keep and roll over any unused personal holidays though June 2022 and get an extra day to celebrate Juneteenth. 

Discount program can cut hundreds from prices at dozens of area businesses, from car dealers to cellphone service plans and popular restaurants.

UAB researcher David Vance, Ph.D., has helped prove that boosting cognitive reserve can protect your brain as it ages. Here’s how you can leverage your UAB benefits to make it happen.

UAB health plans cover preventive vaccinations, including MMR, at 100% for children — and adults. Do you need one? Are you sure?