NU vs. Spouse Plan Full Coverage Comparison | CY2027
National University — Spousal coverage decision-support tool. Compare the full annual cost of covering a spouse (and dependents) on an NU medical plan versus up to three spouse-employer plans, across all three applicable coverage tiers.
How to Use This Worksheet
- Select the NU plan you would enroll in if covering your spouse (and dependents, if applicable).
- Enter the employee cost for spouse/dependent coverage under the spouse's employer plan(s).
- Enter deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and any employer HSA/HRA funding for each plan.
- Estimate known prescription and medical spending under each plan, if helpful for your own notes.
- Compare the calculated Annual Net Employee Contribution and Worst-Case In-Network Annual Cost for each coverage tier.
- Check networks, formularies, service area, and prior authorization requirements for each plan.
- Confirm both NU's and the spouse's employer's open enrollment deadlines before making elections.
Tip: The Spouse Plan 1, 2 and 3 columns on the Full Coverage Comparison tab start at $0.00 so you can enter your own numbers. Click Load Sample Data on that tab at any time to see what a completed example comparison looks like, or Reset to Defaults to clear everything back to $0.00. The NU HDHP, NU PPO and NU EPO columns are locked and reflect NU's actual plan designs — only the Spouse Plan columns can be edited.
Understanding the Calculations
- Annual Employee Contribution= Monthly employee contribution × 12
- Annual Net Employee Contribution= Annual employee contribution − Annual employer HSA/HRA funding
- Worst-Case In-Network Annual Cost= Annual employee contribution + In-network out-of-pocket maximum − Annual employer HSA/HRA funding
Assumption: Employee + Child(ren) uses the tier's own deductible and out-of-pocket limits because that tier may cover multiple children — if coverage is for employee + one child only, confirm whether a two-person limit applies instead. Worst-case figures exclude non-covered services, balance billing, and costs that do not count toward the plan maximum. Spouse-plan columns left blank (no monthly contribution entered) are excluded from the best-value calculation.
Reference Sources
| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| NU Required Notices | benefits.nu.edu/employer-notices |
| Medicare coordination | medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/coordination |
| Medicare — working past 65 | medicare.gov — working past 65 |
When you're ready, go to the Full Coverage Comparison tab above to enter plan details and see the calculated results.
Full Coverage Comparison
Enter up to three spouse-employer plans in the yellow cells below. The NU HDHP, NU PPO and NU EPO columns are locked to reflect NU's actual plan designs and cannot be edited. Compare NU and spouse-employer plans across all three coverage tiers. Blank spouse-plan "Monthly employee contribution" cells are excluded from the best-value calculation.
The three Spouse Plan columns start at $0.00. Click Load Sample Data to preview example figures for Spouse Plan 1, 2 and 3, or clear them any time with Reset to Defaults.
Overall Summary — Best Plan by Coverage Tier
| Coverage Tier | Lowest Annual Net Employee Contribution Plan | Lowest Annual Net Employee Contribution | Lowest Worst-Case Annual Cost Plan | Lowest Worst-Case Annual Cost |
|---|
Cost is only part of the decision. Also weigh network access, continuity of care, prescription formularies, and enrollment timing before choosing a plan.