COVID-19 Impact on Benefits

Health Benefits

This notice serves to provide benefits-eligible employees information about updates to the University of Rochester health plans upon the ending of the COVID Public Health Emergency. Under the COVID Public Health Emergency (first declared by the Department of Health and Human Services to be effective on January 27, 2020), group health plans have been subject to special rules in order to provide relief and enhanced coverage during the pandemic. The COVID Public Health Emergency will end on May 11, 2023, and the health plans’ special COVID coverage rules will generally revert back to the rules that applied before the COVID Public Health Emergency. Accordingly, the following changes will be effective May 12, 2023:

COVID-19 lab-based testing will revert to the cost sharing associated with diagnostic testing coverage under the University of Rochester health plans.
Over the counter COVID-19 test kits will no longer be covered by the health plans.
COVID-19 related telehealth visits will revert to the cost sharing associated with telehealth visit coverage under the University of Rochester health plans.

Please note, in-network COVID-19 vaccinations will continue to be covered in full as they are preventative care services.

For more information, or if you have questions, please contact the Excellus Dedicated Care Team at (800) 659-2808 or by email at EROC.SelectDedicated@excellus.com.

* This summary of material modifications is intended as a non-technical summary of certain changes to the University of Rochester’s health plans, so it does not contain all the details. It modifies the information set forth in the Plan’s summary plan descriptions (SPDs) that were previously provided to you. Please keep this document with your copies of the SPDs for future reference.

As is true with all benefits, the University reserves the right to amend or terminate its benefit programs. In the event of a discrepancy between this summary of material modifications and the official plan documents, the plan documents will prevail.

Unemployment

As a furloughed employee, you may qualify for unemployment in NYS. In order to apply for this benefit, please contact the New York State Department of Labor.

The best way to apply is online. The Department of Labor has a streamlined application process. This University of Rochester unemployment guide and this University filing for unemployment video can help you understand how to apply.

Information about the University of Rochester that is needed for unemployment application:

Address: University of Rochester, Employee Records
910 Genesee Street, Box 278829, Rochester NY 14611-3847
Phone Number: (585) 275-8747
NYS Employer Registration Number is 0451219
Federal Identification Number (FEIN) is 160743209

You should receive notice from the Department of Labor within 72 hours after your application is submitted. If you have not, please check to see if you have received a claim number. More information is available here. It can take 2 to 4 weeks or more to receive your unemployment benefits.

If you are approved for unemployment insurance benefits, you will be required to update the Department of Labor each week with your work status and demonstrate you still meet the eligible criteria. This is called “certifying for benefits.” You can provide your weekly certification online or by phone. Certification needs to be completed after your first week of furlough and each subsequent week.

If you receive an email or document through the post office indicating that you have applied for unemployment and you have not, it could be a case of fraud where someone has applied for unemployment using your name and information. To report a potential case of fraud please see the Department of Labor unemployment website. Please also alert Kathy Miner at HR Admin Services at kathy.miner@rochester.edu. Upon notice of a potential case of fraud the HR office will monitor claims we receive as well.