Five Cost Terms
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Premium
- Amount deducted from your paycheck for coverage.
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Deductible
- Amount you pay before the plan begins sharing the cost of many covered services.
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Copay
- is a fixed amount you pay for certain services or prescriptions.
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Coinsurance
- Percentage of the allowed cost you pay after meeting the deductible.
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Out-of-pocket maximum
- Annual limit on your covered cost sharing.
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Open Enrollment
2027 Premiums
Plan Information
2027 Plan Comparisons
Prescriptions
Choose a Medical Plan with Confidence
This year all employees are required to make a medical election during Open Enrollment. Choosing a medical plan can feel complicated, but focusing on a few important factors can make the process easier.
Choose a Medical Plan with Confidence Video
Before comparing plan costs, start by asking yourself four questions.
Are your providers in the plan’s network?
This includes doctors, hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, and behavioral health providers.
- NAU PPO or HDHP: azblue.com
- State of AZ PPO or HDHP: azblue.com/stateofaz whyuhc.com/stateofaz
Are your prescriptions covered?
Review the drug list, medication tier, coverage rules, and participating pharmacies.
What could you pay during a typical year?
Consider both your annual premiums and your expected healthcare expenses for the year.
Review the Medical Comparison for premiums & plan details. Tip: to calculate the annual cost – multiple the per pay period amount by 26.
- Click the button below and download and open a modeling spreadsheet to estimate your total cost.
Could you comfortably manage a high-cost year?
Compare each plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum with the savings you would have available.
- Review the Summary of Benefits & Coverage for each plan for more details.
Narrowing your choice
Once you have done you research you can narrow you choice based on what is most important to you.
- Lower paycheck deductions – Start with the HDHP options. Check whether you can manage the deductible.
- Low cost when you receive care – Check the plans deductible and copay. PPOs have lower deductibles and copays.
- Build health savings – Review HSA eligibility, NAU funding, and your contribution amount. Save for future expenses.
- Keep specific providers -Start with the network. Remove plans that do not include your care team.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to Choose a Medical Plan
Use the plan’s provider search.
- NAU PPO and NAU HDHP use the same nationwide PPO network. You can search for a providers at find-a-doctor
- State of AZ has two vendors BlueCross/BlueShield and UnitedHealthCare. Both have vendors have different nationwide networks. You can search for a provider at BCBS of Provider Search or UHC provider search
Look up your prescription on the plan’s pharmacy list
- NAU BCBS (PPO & HDHP)- Open Drug List
- State of AZ (PPO & HDHP) – Medimpact Pharmacy Lists
Questions to ask yourself
- Do I take any medications regularly?
- Are any medications expensive or specialty drugs?
- With most plans, drugs are assigned to pricing tiers. What you pay for a certain drug will depend on which tier it belongs to.
- Have I checked how my medications would be covered under the HDHP?
- PPO: Prescription drugs are covered before you meet the deductible. You pay the applicable prescription copay based on the drug’s tier.
- HDHP: Prescription drugs are generally subject to the deductible. After you meet the deductible, you pay the applicable prescription copay. Preventive prescriptions on the HSA Preventive Drug List are not subject to the deductible, and your copay is based on the drug’s tier.
You can review your medical and prescription claims and current deductibles in your vendor portal – azblue.com or https://myuhc.com/
You can then compare how those claims would be covered under another medical such as the NAU’s HDHP\HSA.
Questions to ask yourself
- How many primary care visits did I/we have last year?
- How many specialist visits did I/we have last year?
- Do I expect similar usage next year?
- Do I anticipate any surgeries, maternity care, or major procedures?
You can find both the 2026 (current) and 2027 employee costs on the Benefit Premiums page.
The difference is based on your coverage level.
Review the NAU PPO vs HDHPHSA comparison for amounts.
Use the Estimate Your Total Medical Cost. It uses the estimated out-of-pocket cost your provide along with the 2027 premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.
You could use savings, credit card, health savings account or set up a payment plan with the provider. Remember NAU contributes to the Health Savings Account for both HDHP plans.
2027 NAU Plan Deductibles
NAU Plans
- NAU HDHP: In-network deductible $1,750 individual/$3,500 family
- NAU PPO- In-network deductible $600 individual/$1,200 family
State of AZ Plans
- State of AZ HDHP: In-network deductible $1,785 individual/ $3,570family
- State of AZ PPO: In-network deductible $0 deductible individual/$0 deductible family
NAU HSA Contributions
NAU HDHP
NAU will contribute $1,000 individual and $2,000 family towards your health savings account. NAU will deposit $500 and $1,000 in January, $250/$500 in July and October.
State of AZ HDHP
NAU will contribute $720 and $1,400 over 26 pay periods for the State of AZ HDHP. Equal portion is deposited each pay period.
You can find the year-to-date premium cost on your latest check.
- There are 26 pay periods in a year.
- The last pay period for current benefits is 12/07/2026-12/20/2026, paid on 12/11/2026.
- More pay period dates can be found- https://in.nau.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/244/2026/09/Payroll-Schedule.pdf
Your paycheck history is accessible in Employee Self-Service through LOUIE – HR > Payroll and Compensation > View Paycheck>Select most recent paycheck by clicking on check
On your check look at Before-Tax Deductions for your premium cost.
If you want to see what NAU pays look at Employer Paid Benefits
Open Enrollment pages
Plan Information
Tools, calculator
Open Enrollment
October 19 through November 6, 2026. All employees will need to make an affirmative selection during that window to choose their medical plan for 2027.
If you do not make a medical plan election or FSA medical, dependent election, you will not have medical coverage or flexible spending account for 2027.
Your current dental, vision, life insurance, and short-term disability coverage will continue into 2027 if no changes are made.
When you’re ready, you will make changes to your benefits through LOUIE Self Service.
- Sign on to LOUIE – HR with your NAU credentials.
- Click the ‘Benefits’ tile on the HR Home Page.
- Select ‘Benefits Enrollment’.
- Click ‘Select’ for the event displayed.
- Click ‘Edit’ next to each benefit you want to change.
- Click ‘Save and Continue’ after you make your changes.
- Finally click ‘Submit’ to finalize your enrollment.
- For questions, contact Human Resources at nauhrbenefits@nau.edu or call 928.523.2223.
Shortly after you submit your elections you will receive an email after you have submitted your enrollment elections.
The day after you make your elections you can check your elections by logging into Louie-HR>Click on Benefits>Benefits Summary> change date to 01/01/2027 and click go. You will be able to see your elections for 2027
NAU Benefits will send an enrollment confirmation late November. Please review once you receive this email, if you see an issue, please contact NAU Benefits immediately.
Yes, you can.
- If enrolled in the NAU HDHP you will pay the allowed amount for the service until you meet your deductible then you will pay the coinsurance.
- If enrolled in the State PPO you will pay the copay.
- If enrolled in the State HDHP you will pay the allowed amount for the service until you meet your deductible then you will pay the coinsurance.
The HDHP is a PPO with a high deductible and uses the network as PPO.
Look at the deductible amount listed on your card to verify the plan.
Social Security and Medicare
Medicare is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services, so NAU can provide only general guidance. For questions about Medicare enrollment, costs, or timing, we recommend contacting SSA directly or scheduling an appointment.
Download the Medicare and You Handbook
You and your dependents are not required to enroll in Medicare while covered under NAU’s active employee medical plan. When you retire or leave NAU, you may qualify for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period. SSA will provide a form verifying your active employee coverage, which NAU can complete for you.
If your spouse enrolls in Medicare at age 65, gaining Medicare coverage is a Qualified Life Event (QLE). You may choose to remove your spouse from your NAU medical coverage by submitting the QLE documentation within 31 days. Learn more about Qualified Life Events.
If you choose to enroll in Medicare while actively employed and remain enrolled in NAU coverage, NAU’s plan would generally remain primary and Medicare secondary. You would also continue paying the applicable premiums for both coverages.
Social Security will be hosting an online seminar for NAU employees on October 27, 2026 at 11:00 am. Link to join meeting below.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/263640270725328?p=ZbOei2WYCjGifY0vjo
Meeting ID: 263 640 270 725 328
Passcode: EC24Nm6B
Medicare
Social Security
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