The Health Savings Account (HSA) PPO is a high deductible health plan (HDHP) paired with a Health Savings Account. Franciscan Ministries contributes towards your Health Savings Account on your behalf. See page 8 for more detail. If you plan to elect the HSA plan, please notify your local HR leader if you are enrolled in Medicare, as this will impact your eligibility for associate and employer HSA Contributions.

The PPO is a traditional type of medical plan using varying copays for doctor visits and prescriptions. You have the flexibility to see in and out of network providers, but will save the most money by staying in network.

• Blue Choice Select PPO [BCS] Network Information
  The Blue Choice Select PPO [BSC] network is only available in the Chicago Metro and Quad City locations. Members and covered dependents must live in the network service area. You can confirm that your provider is in-network by using the BCBS Provider Finder look-up tool online. You are not eligible to elect the Blue Choice Select PPO [BSC] if you do not reside in these counties: Chicago: Cook, Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane, Grundy, Kankakee, Kendall and Will
  Quad Cities counties: Bureau, Hancock, Henderson, Warren, Whiteside, Henry, Mercer and Rock Island
• The National PPO is ONLY available if you do not reside in the designated counties in Illinois as listed above.

The Bronze PPO offers quality coverage with the lowest cost of premiums, however includes significantly higher deductibles

Universal Life (Permanent Life) with Long Term Care (LTC) offers flexible but permanent protection. Life insurance protects your family with money that can be used any way they choose after your passing. It can be used for things like mortgage or rent, education for children or grandchildren, retirement or even burial expenses. Long Term Care benefits provide financial support to cover the cost of care you might need as a result of an accident, illness or aging. Benefits for LTC are paid regardless of whether your care is formal through a licensed professional or through informal caregiving from a loved one such as a spouse, child, friend, etc.

Guarantee issue:

• Associate: During your initial enrollment period, up to $100,000 (ages 18–70)

• Spouse: During your initial enrollment period, up to $15,000 without answering medical questions

• Child(ren): During your initial enrollment period, up to $20,000 without answering medical questions

Note: additional coverage is available beyond the Guarantee Issue with medical questions and underwriting and increased premium costs.

How LTC works:
This benefit allows the death benefit of the Group Universal Life certificate to be used to provide a monthly advance of the death benefit (6% per month) for qualified long-term care services after a 90-day elimination period. While this does eat away at the face value of the life policy, it also provides monthly income support to help pay for the care you need and deserve while still living.

Example:
Alexis lost her dad unexpectedly as a teen, so she knows the importance of having a plan to safeguard her family’s financial future. Alexis enrolled in a $100,000 Universal Life Insurance policy through her company. If Alexis is certified chronically ill by a licensed healthcare provider, she can utilize the Long Term Care feature on her policy.* This would provide Alexis with 6% of the face value of the policy for up to 17 months. So for this example, that is $6,000/month for up to 17 months to pay for the expenses that come with the care she needs.

Plan Costs:
The Universal Life Insurance with Long Term Care is issue aged, meaning that the cost locks in at the age you are today based on the amount of insurance you elect. Rates are based on your age, face amount, and tobacco status.

Please Note:
This benefit is only available during Open Enrollment through a licensed enroller and will not apply for Qualified Life Events.

The licensed healthcare practitioner piece is the trigger for the LTC rider on this policy.

You are eligible for a Health Savings Account (HSA) if:

• You are covered by a qualified high deductible health plan (HDHP)
• You are not covered by any other medical coverage that is not considered a qualified HDHP
• You are not enrolled in Medicare (Part A included)
• You are not claimed as a dependent on someone’s tax return
• You are not enrolled in a Medical Flexible Spending Account (your own or your spouse’s)

Steps to using your Health Savings Account (HSA)

1. Go to the doctor and present your carrier ID
2. Your doctor submits your medical services to the carrier to be discounted
3. Your carrier adjusts the pricing to reflect the network discounted amount for your services
4. The carrier generates an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) and sends it to you
5. By now you’ve received an invoice from your doctor – make sure the EOB and invoice match
6. Pay your doctor directly with pre-tax dollars from your HSA or post-tax dollars from your pocket if funds are not available

HealthEquity is our Health Savings Account (HSA) carrier.
The HSA is a bank account paired with your BCBS HSA PPO. You can contribute to the HSA account tax free. Franciscan Ministries will make contributions on your behalf each month. The money in the account allows you to pay your deductible and other out of pocket medical expenses. Qualified medical expenses that can be paid using this account include doctor visits, prescription drugs, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, adult braces, and dental and vision expenses. The HSA is your savings account—the funds can roll over from year to year and you do not pay tax on withdrawals used for qualified expenses.

Franciscan Ministries’ contributions are made monthly; 1/12 is paid after the first check of each month that you are covered under the HSA PPO plan. 

The tax-preferred status of your HSA contributions depend on a number of factors. Residents of California and New Jersey are taxed on HSA contributions at the state level. State tax laws can change periodically, so you should consult with a tax advisor to confirm the tax treatment of HSA contributions in your state. The IRS imposes a federal limit on the amount a person can contribute to an HSA account per year. This limit includes Franciscan Ministries’ contributions. Below is a break down of how much you are able to contribute in combination with Franciscan Ministries’ contribution. If you are age 55 or older you may contribute an additional $1,000 per year.

First Stop Health, a Chicago-based program, is Franciscan Ministries’ telemedicine provider. Getting sick is never convenient and finding time to get to the doctor can be hard. This service is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days per year. The median doctor response time is just five minutes! Save yourself a trip to in-person care by utilizing this benefit. You will have access to a variety of licensed physicians in all 50 states. Connecting to a high quality practitioner through your First Stop Health account is simple. You can receive care via phone conversation or using a webcam or smartphone camera.

First Stop Health is available to all associates enrolled in the medical benefit. If you are enrolled in the PPO or Bronze plan, there is no cost to use this benefit. For those enrolled in the HDHP, there is a charge of $5 per virtual visit.

Asure Software administers our Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
FSA’s allow you to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses and/or dependent care expenses you may incur throughout the year. Because the deductions are made before taxes, you are lowering your taxable income. You do not pay taxes when using the money for qualified expenses.

Health Care FSA – You may contribute up to $3,300 per plan year to pay for qualified medical, dental and vision expenses for you and eligible family members. Funds in this account can be used to cover all eligible expenses on your tax dependents even if they are not enrolled under your health care plan. Eligible reimbursable expenses include medical and dental plan deductibles and copays (if applicable), orthodontia expenses not covered by your dental plan, prescription drugs, prescription eye glasses and contact lenses, Lasik eye surgery and much more.

Limited Purpose FSA – If you enroll in the HSA plan and open a health savings account, you cannot enroll in the Health Care FSA, since you're already putting tax-free dollars aside to pay for qualified expenses. You may, however, enroll in the Limited Purpose FSA, which allows you to pay for eligible out-of-pocket dental and vision expenses. You can put up to $3,300 into your Limited Purpose FSA for 2025.

For 2025–2026 plan year, you are able to rollover up to $660 of unused Health Care or Limited Purpose FSA funds into the next plan year.

Dependent Care FSA – You may contribute up to $5,000 per plan year to pay for qualified eligible dependent care expenses, including both child and elder care. Funds in this account are deducted on a before-tax basis and used to pay for qualified expenses.

Commuter Benefit – Commuter Benefits allow you to set aside tax-free money to pay for eligible expenses you incur as part of your commute to and from work.

• Parking – You may elect to have a maximum of $325 per month deducted from your gross income earnings. The most common eligible expenses are charges for parking at or near your place of work or at a location from which you commute to work, such as a train station. The amount elected will not be subject to federal, state, social security or Medicare taxes.
• Mass Transit – You may elect to have a maximum of $325 per month deducted from your gross income earnings to be used for the cost of mass transit. The most common eligible expenses are charges for mass transit train and bus tickets. The amount elected will not be subject to federal, state, social security or Medicare taxes. Your tax savings will vary depending on your elected deduction amount and tax bracket.

Franciscan Ministries encourages associates to build a financial reserve for retirement by offering a traditional pre-tax 401(k) and Roth post-tax 401(k) plan administered by One America. The 401(k) plans include an employer matching contribution, which may be made at the discretion of the company.

Franciscan Ministries’ pre-tax 401(k) plan has an automatic enrollment feature. This means that you will be enrolled automatically in the pre-tax 401(k) plan at 3% and your retirement plan contributions allocated in certain funds – known as a target fund— unless you choose other investment options. You may opt out of the auto enrollment feature, affirmatively elect a different pre-tax contribution rate or invest in other funds by either logging onto www.oaretirement.com or by calling the Participant Service Center at 1.800.858.3829.

Associates also have the option to manually opt-in to the Roth 401(k) retirement savings plan. Roth 401(k) contributions are made with after-tax dollars, meaning contributions are not tax-deferred and are included in your taxable income for the current year. Please note that all employer match funds are pre-tax. You can make your selection into this program by either logging onto www.oaretirement.com or by calling the Participant Service Center at 1.800.858.3829.

Associates are required to register and designate a beneficiary at www.oaretirement.com, or by calling the Participant Service Center at 1-800-858-3829. Further information will be mailed directly to your home by One America.

Franciscan Ministries’ current 401(k) employer match is 50% of your contributions, up to 6% of your compensation that you contribute, each pay period.

The vesting schedule for the company match is as follows:

• After 1 full year of service: 20%
• After 2 full years of service: 40%
• After 3 full years of service: 60%
• After 4 full years of service: 80%
• After 5 full years of service: 100%

In 2025, the maximum amount that you can contribute to your 401(k), for an associate under the age of 50, is $23,500. Associates over the age of 50 may make an additional “catch-up” contribution of $7,500, which allows those associates to contribute up to $31,000 of their own money per year into the plans.

The contributions for pre-tax and Roth post-tax combined cannot exceed the limits outlined above. Please refer to the 401(k) Summary Plan Description on the One America portal for further details.

Dental Preferred Provider Organization (DPPO)
This dental plan allows the flexibility to select any dentist in-network or out-of-network, but if you stay in network, you’ll pay less. Dental coverage focuses on preventive and diagnostic procedures in an effort to avoid more expensive services associated with dental disease and surgery. The type of service or procedure received determines the amount the carrier will cover for each visit. Each type of service fits into a class of services according to complexity and cost.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential, free assistance for marital/family problems, financial/legal difficulties, balancing work/life situations, emotional or stress-related problems, drug or alcohol abuse, and problems relating to work. Services are confidential – neither your employer nor co-workers have knowledge of your request for help. EAP services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for you and your eligible dependents. There is no cost; it’s there for you when you need it. You will also have access to the Lifeworks app, which includes easy access to valuable tools and resources.

Here are some challenges our EAP can help with:

• Stress and depression
• Life transitions
• Grief and loss
• Parenting and childcare
• Elder care
• Domestic violence
• Workplace conflict
• Addiction and recovery
• Legal assistance

1. Call us – If you’re using the mobile app, you can call us with one tap from your smartphone.
2. Provide your name and employer’s name to an advisor. Your information will be kept confidential.
3. Share your concerns with a professional advisor for expert advice, strategies, and next steps.
4. Arrange with the advisor about how, when, and where you want to be contacted if follow-up is required. Your advisor will ask for your employer’s name (or other sponsoring organization’s name) so we can confirm the type of service available to you, along with other important health insurance and benefits information.

Vision insurance helps offset the cost of routine eye exams and helps pay for vision correction eyewear like eyeglasses and contacts by an eye-care provider.
You’re eligible for an eye exam and lenses or contact lenses every 12 months and frames every 12 months. Out-of-network providers will only offer you an allowance towards your vision services.

The Helping Hands program is funded by the associates and sisters of Franciscan Ministries. It’s purpose is to assist associates who are in need and experiencing a financial hardship. The application is confidential and is reviewed by the Helping Hands Committee only. To apply for the Helping Hands program, contact your HR department or Benefits Advisor for the fully policy and application. There are four program levels available to you:

Catastrophic: A momentous tragic event resulting in extreme hardship or devastation. Examples of catastrophic need include, but are not limited to, expenses resulting from, death, fire, natural disaster or other catastrophic event. The maximum award for a catastrophic situation will be $3,000

Medical: A medical issue resulting in a demonstrated hardship that requires support in covering medical or dental expenses. The maximum award for medical expenses will be $2,000

Hardship: An event or sequence of events that causes an unfortunate or distressing result. The maximum award for a hardship situation will be $1,500

Childcare (Guardian Angel Fund): A program that is utilized for the care or supervision of a child, 12 years or younger or a child with special needs, while the parent is at work. The maximum award for part-time associates will be $100/month ($1,200 annual limit). The maximum award for full-time associates will be $250/month ($3,000 annual limit).

Eligibility: An associate may participate in the Helping Hands Program once per year on a rolling 12-month basis. PRN associates, Contractors, Interns, temporary, and seasonal associates are not eligible for Helping Hands. Associates are eligible for the Guardian Angel Fund after 30 days of employment. Associates applying for these funds must complete and Application of Need. Part-time B associates and above are eligible to participate and those that receive an award may re-apply after 6 months.

How Can I Donate to the Helping Hands Program? Associates are encouraged to donate to the Helping Hands Program to assist others in need. Monetary donations will be accepted throughout the year and through the Associate Joyful Giving Program to maintain the viability of the Helping Hands Program

Franciscan Ministries offers Voluntary Critical Illness coverage through Reliance Standard.

Critical Illness insurance can help safeguard your finances by providing you with a lump-sum payment upon diagnosis for many conditions when your family needs it the most. Cost is dependent upon age. Some features include:

• Associates can purchase between a $15,000 or $30,000 policy amount
• Coverage on your spouse and child(ren) is available at 50% of the employee policy amount
• The payment you receive is directly paid to you, not your medical provider
• Heart attack and cancer have an initial benefit of 100%
• Receive $50 per year for a health screening
• Recurrent Benefit is 100% of Benefit Amount after 6 months.

Paytient offers instant access to healthcare funds for associates enrolled in the medical plans. You can use your Patient card at any doctor’s office, hospital, veterinarian or pharmacy that accepts VISA. You can use these funds right away and pay them back over time with 0% APR. After using your Paytient card, you can select the interest-free payment plan that works with your budget, paying over time through payroll deductions. If you participate in the HSA plan or FSA, you can use the funds from those accounts to pay down your Paytient balance as well. 

To register, visit paytient.com/employees and click “Sign up now” and follow the prompts to register. Paytient will need to verify some additional personal information to complete the set up. 

Franciscan Ministries offers Voluntary Hospital Indemnity insurance through Reliance Standard.

Hospital Indemnity Insurance can complement existing medical coverage and help fill financial gaps caused by out-of-pocket expenses such as deductibles, co-payments, and non-covered medical services. The benefits are paid regardless of what is covered by medical insurance.

The plan will pay for hospital admission and/or confinement due to any sickness or injury. Pregnancy is also a covered condition. This includes routine childbirth, C-sections, complications from pregnancy, and more.

With Payactiv, you can access money you’ve already earned without having to wait for pay-day.

Getting Started

• Create a Payactiv account with your associate ID
• Enjoy free unlimited access with direct deposit to the Payactiv Visa card*
• For everyone else without direct deposit to the Payactiv Visa card, the EWA program fee is $1 for a day of use of our services** 

Franciscan Ministries offers Voluntary Accident coverage through Reliance Standard.

Accident coverage pays a cash benefit directly to you to help with out-of-pocket expenses when an accident occurs. Accidents are unexpected, so a lump sum payment can help pay medical costs. The accident plan offers 24 hour protection. Here are some ways that you can trigger payments from your account policy: Please note, the list you see below is not all inclusive:

• Wellness: Pays a specific benefit amount for going for your FREE annual physical
• Treatment: Pays a specific benefit amount for emergency-room treatment, X-rays, diagnostic exams, physical therapy and follow-up treatment
• Ambulance: Pays a specific benefit amount for ambulance or air-ambulance transportation to a hospital
• Hospital confinement: Pays a specific benefit amount for each day the policyholder is confined in a hospital due to injuries sustained in a covered accident and sickness rider
• Miscellaneous: Pays a specific benefit amount for concussions, breaks, sprains, burns, dislocations, lacerations and more

Franciscan offers TicketsatWork, a program that offers discounted tickets to theme parks, attractions, and shows nationwide. By using TicketsatWork, you will receive discounts and special access to a wide variety of attractions. Some of these include:

• Disney World Resort
• Universal Studios
• Las Vegas and New York City shows
• Disneyland
• Seaworld
• Six Flags
• Cirque du Soleil
• And many more!

TicketsatWork offers savings on car rentals, hotels, and attractions around the country. Also enjoy savings on movie tickets, sporting events, and other special events.

Once a month, TicketsatWork sends a monthly savings bulletin to your company. You can also log on to ticketsatwork.com to find the latest deals.

How to Order Tickets:

• Visit www.ticketsatwork.com •
• Click “Become a Member” at the top of the home page
• You will be prompted to create an account, using your email and company code
• The company code is “FSCS”, State is IL, Zipcode is 60439
• You can also place orders by phone by calling 800-331-6483 

Long-Term Disability
Long-term disability insurance is a type of income protection that is designed to cover serious injuries and illnesses that keep you out of work for an extended amount of time. The benefit is paid for by the Ministry.

Voluntary Short-Term Disability
If you become ill or suffer a non-work-related injury that prevents you from working, short-term disability insurance provides income replacement.

Click the Learn More button below for details about waiting periods, benefit amounts, payment duration, and contribution requirements for both short-term and long-term disability plans.

How much does short-term disability coverage cost?
The cost is $0.52 per $10 of weekly benefits. To give you an idea of the cost, please review the following examples:

• Annual Salary: $25,000 → Per paycheck cost: $7.50
• Annual Salary: $40,000 → Per paycheck cost: $12.00
• Annual Salary: $60,000 → Per paycheck cost: $18.00
• Annual Salary: $86,667 (and above) → Per paycheck cost: $26.00

1. Salary ÷ 52 = Weekly Salary
2. Weekly Salary × 0.6 = Weekly Benefit
3. Weekly Benefit ÷ 10 × 0.52 = Monthly Cost
4. Monthly Cost ÷ 2 = Per Check Cost

Pet Insurance

If your pet becomes ill, Pet Insurance has you covered. Pet Insurance provides coverage for your dog or cat for many accidents and illnesses, specialist treatments, prescription medications, hereditary and chronic conditions, etc. Enroll anytime online at petsnationwide.com/franciscanministries, or call 877-738-7874.

• Associates receive discounted premium through Nationwide Pet Insurance
• Customizable plans for your need—pricing is determined on Zip Code and Pet Species
• Benefit Enrollment open year round

Home & Auto Insurance

It is more important than ever for employees to protect their valuable property with the right type of products. MetLife Auto & Home offers a wide range of property and liability protection including auto, home, and renter’s insurance, and so much more. If you are interested contact MetLife directly.

• Special Group Discounts
  • Special Group Discount of up to 15%
  • Employment tenure discount of up to 20%
  • Garaging discount of up to 20%
• Deductible Savings Benefit
• Individual policy that automatically ports regardless of affiliation with employer
• Identity Protection Services
• Superior service—one number for sales, claims, and customer service
• Coverage Plus
  • Replacement Cost for Total Loss Coverage
  • Replacement Cost for Special Parts
  • Enhanced Rental Car Damage Coverage
• Home Advantage
  • Coverage A Plus
  • Replacement Cost on Contents
• Additional discounts for current MetLife “life insurance” policyholders
• Driver improvement course discount

LegalShield Identity Theft Plan:
Identity theft affects millions of Americans each year. While it can take just minutes to happen, recovering from the financial damage often takes years. To better avoid these issues, the LegalShield Identity Theft Plan equips you with the information and expertise you need to help prevent theft and resolve issues related to identity theft.

Benefits Include:

• Continuous Monitoring with Safety Alerts
• Credit Report and Personal Credit Score
• Identity Consultation and Restoration Services
• Safeguard for Minors

LegalShield Legal Plan:

LegalShield has been offering legal plans to their members for over 40 years, creating a world where everyone can access legal protection. Unexpected legal questions arise every day and with LegalShield on your side, you’ll have access to a quality law firm 24/7.

Benefits Include:

• Legal Document Review
• Video Law Library
• Will Preparation
• Advice on an Unlimited Number of Topics

Basic Life and AD&D

Life insurance helps ease your loved ones’ financial burden. Your designated beneficiary will receive a benefit if you pass away from a covered accident or illness. In addition, the Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) benefits paired with life insurance provide a benefit to your beneficiary if you pass on or become dismembered due to a specifically covered accident.

Benefits may reduce as you age. See your plan documents for more detail.

This benefit is 100% paid for you by Franciscan Ministries. Please ensure your beneficiary information is provided and updated as needed.

Basic Life / Accidental Death & Dismemberment:

• Life: 1.5x Basic Annual Earnings, up to $50,000 per associate
• AD&D: 100% of Basic Life amount per associate

Supplemental Term Life and AD&D 

You have the opportunity to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family. Please make sure your beneficiary information is provided and updated as needed.

Coverage Options:

Associate:

• Coverage Increments: $10,000
• Maximum Benefit Amount: $500,000
• Guaranteed Issue Amount: $250,000

Spouse:

• Coverage Increments: $5,000
• Maximum Benefit Amount: $250,000
• Guaranteed Issue Amount: $50,000

Child(ren):

• Coverage Increments: $5,000
• Maximum Benefit Amount: $5,000
• Guaranteed Issue Amount: $5,000

You may elect supplemental life insurance in increments of $10,000 to a maximum of 5x your basic annual earnings. If you are a new hire and you are in your eligibility window, you may elect up to $250,000 without having to provide evidence of insurability (EOI). This is commonly referred to as the Guarantee Issue (GI) Amount. If you elect more than the Guarantee Issue, you will be required to submit evidence of good health and be approved prior to coverage being effective for any additional amounts over the Guarantee Issue.

You may elect coverage for your spouse in increments of $5,000, not to exceed 100% of your own elected amount. Your spouse’s Guarantee Issue amount is $50,000. If you elect an amount that exceeds the Guarantee Issue for your spouse, your spouse will need to provide evidence of good health for any additional amounts over the GI amount. During open enrollment, if previous coverage was declined, any new coverage will require EOI for any amount elected.

The supplemental life insurance rates are based upon the associate’s age. Below are the rates per $1,000 of benefit coverage:

Supplemental Life and Spousal Life Premium Amounts (Monthly per $1,000 of coverage):

• Under age 24: $0.065
• Age 25–29: $0.075
• Age 30–34: $0.095
• Age 35–39: $0.105
• Age 40–44: $0.150
• Age 45–49: $0.250
• Age 50–54: $0.440
• Age 55–59: $0.700
• Age 60–64: $1.00
• Age 65–69: $1.85
• Age 70+: $2.10

Note: $0.015 AD&D rate is INCLUDED in the above supplemental life rates per $1,000 of benefit coverage for you and your spouse and is based upon the associate’s age.

Supplemental Child(ren) Life Premium Amount

• Monthly rate for flat $5,000 benefit: $0.50

Click here to view carrier contact information.