Medical, Vision, Dental

Medical Coverage | Telehealth | Dental Coverage | Vision Coverage | Change Your Benefits | Change Your Doctor or Dentist | Flu Shot Reimbursement

The benefit plan year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31.

Swarthmore offers group health care coverage to all benefit eligible faculty and staff who are employed in a regular position of 0.50 full-time equivalent (FTE), or in multiple positions equal to 0.50 FTE or greater. 

Benefits eligibility is determined by hire date, or date moved into a benefits eligible position.  Benefits you elect and coverage provided by Swarthmore are effective the first day of the month following or coinciding with your first day of employment with Swarthmore, or the date you are moved into a benefits eligible position.

Medical, Vision and Dental Plans

Swarthmore continues to offer an affordable and comprehensive selection of medical, dental, and vision plans to meet your needs of health care coverage.  You may also enroll your eligible dependents defined as:  legal wife/husband or domestic partner (you must have an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership [PDF] on file before the benefits effective date), and your/your domestic partner's children up to age 26.

Medical Coverage

Please refer to the 2025 Benefits Guidebook that will allow you to review and compare all medical plan options.  This glossary of health coverage and medical terms can be a useful tool as you explore your benefits options.

For more detail on each medical plan, please click the links below to access the benefit plan highlights and a summary of benefits coverage. 

Employees enrolled in the medical plans are encouraged to create their online IBX member portal or to download the IBX Mobile App to be able to access ID cards, coverage information, review claims, search for providers, and more.  Here is more information on additional IBX member tools and resources.

Telehealth

All of Swarthmore College’s medical plan options include coverage for telehealth. Telehealth services are virtual visits via secure video or mobile app with a board-certified physician from the Independence Blue Cross Teladoc Health Network, which replaced MD Live in 2024.  Telehealth allows you and your covered dependents to address medical concerns from the convenience of your home or office.  Teladoc providers are available 24/7 to address simple medical issues (skin rash, cold/flu, pink eye, etc)  Prescriptions can be written as needed. 

Register for telehealth services by visiting teladochealth.com or calling 800-835-2632. Registering now assures you are ready to go when a need arises for a telehealth visit.  Please note that each individual in your family will need to create their own account to access services. Information on co-pays and coinsurance costs is available on your IBX member portal.

Dental Coverage

Delta Dental continues to be our carrier for dental benefits. Use the Delta Dental Provider search to locate a participating provider. To receive the maximum benefit from this plan, you should seek services from a Delta Dental PPO provider. You can create an online Delta Dental member account, or download the mobile app, so that you can view plan information, search for providers, download forms, view claims, access ID card, etc.

Review the College's Basic and Enhanced dental plan options and additional services:

Vision Coverage

Davis Vision continues to be our vision provider. To receive the maximum benefit from this plan, you should seek services from a Davis Vision provider for both the eye exam and for purchasing eyeglasses. You can also create an online Davis Vision member account, or download the mobile app [PDF], so that you can view plan information, search for providers, etc. 

Review the College's Basic and Enhanced Vision Plan options:

Changing Your Benefits

Per IRS rules, you can only make mid-year plan changes to your benefit elections during the College's annual open enrollment period. However, you may make changes to your elections if you experience a qualifying life event during the year. Qualifying life events [PDF] include but are not limited to birth of a child, adoption, marriage, divorce, loss of existing health coverage, death, etc.  Any changes resulting from a qualifying life event must be submitted through the Benefitfocus portal and/or emailed to benefits@swarthmore.edu within 30 days following the date the event occurred.

Changing Your Doctor or Dentist

If you want to change your doctor or dentist, you can make this change over the phone—simply call the number on the back of your medical or dental card and give them the change information.

Flu Shot Reimbursement

During the flu season months, we want to make certain that all of our members take advantage of the flu shot program offered by Independence Blue Cross. Under the new health care legislation, flu shots are now covered as a preventative service at 100% if you get them at your doctor's office. IBC will continue to pay up to $25 towards the cost of the flu shot if you decide to get a flu shot other than at your doctor's office.

Please complete this form and return it to address on the form with your receipt.

Additional Immunizations and Vaccine Information Provided by Independence Blue Cross

Transparency in Coverage Rule (TCR) Section 2715A of the Public Health Services Act

  • Provides that group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group health insurance coverage must comply with section 1311(e)(3) of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
  • Requires plans and issuers to disclose in-network provider negotiated rates and historical out-of-network allowed amounts through machine-readable files (MRF) posted on its public website, thereby allowing the public to have access to health coverage information that can be used to understand health care pricing.
  • Below are the links to the MRFs for each product offered by the College. The links will be active as of July 1, 2022 and will update monthly.