Squeeze more use from your employee benefits this year

Before the month is out, take a moment to vow to use more of your Iowa State employee benefits in 2026. For ISU Plan participants, that starts with preventive health. An annual medical preventive exam and semi-annual dental check-ups with teeth cleaning are free to you as part of your Wellmark health (PDF) and Delta Dental (PDF) plans, respectively. Both of these provide an opportunity to learn more about your health and stay ahead of potential concerns (PDF), so it just makes sense to use them. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, five of the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. are associated with chronic diseases, for example, heart disease or high cholesterol, that are both preventable and treatable.

Here's a snapshot of a few other employee benefits and a reminder to check in at the employee benefits website as often as you need. Take a deeper dive with this year's benefits package on the open enrollment site.

Through Wellmark, ISU employees have 24/7 access to the Doctor on Demand service (90-second video summary). For some care needs, including urgent care and mental wellness therapy, telehealth medicine may be an option. The site lists all the physical and mental health concerns its team can help with. There's no cost to create an account on the website or in the app for later use.

Help with personal challenges

Through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), employees have free access to confidential, professional services for dealing with a personal problem. The goal is to find solutions before the problem affects someone's health or job performance. Licensed professional counselors help address stress, anxiety, depression, parenting, relationships, substance abuse, or legal and financial concerns. Call 1-800-327-4692 to get started.

The program covers six free visits with a counselor. Virtual counseling sessions are an option, as is on-site counseling. EAP counselor Melanie Clark comes to campus once a week, on Mondays (9 a.m.-4 p.m., last appointment begins at 4 p.m.) for sessions with employees or their family members. Her accessible campus office is on the first floor of the Communications Building. The EAP vendor, Employee Family Resources, has offices in downtown Des Moines and West Des Moines if one of those sites is a better fit.

Self-help for well-being

The ISU WellBeing program for employees provides resources employees may access as frequently as they want, at no cost. A few examples:

• Practicing mindfulness has shown to reduce stress, increase productivity and decrease the feeling of being overwhelmed. Iowa State's wellbeing program offers mid-morning and mid-day mindfulness sessions via Zoom, as well as readings and LinkedIn Learning opportunities.
• Therapy Assistance Online provides free, instant access to tools that help participants address their mental well-being. Content includes psychoeducational sessions, video conferencing, a mindfulness library, logs, journals and a progress tracker.
• Adventure2 is a free online portal with individual and team activities that improve well-being. Topics address physical, mental, emotional and work issues. Participants earn points throughout the year and receive prizes. Access to other service portals open up tools such as the parenting success portal for family-related content and the Enrich portal for financial planning. 

More help with financial wellness

Last spring, employees gained access to five voluntary benefits that assist with financial wellness and are accessible year-round, not just during fall open enrollment. They are:

• Employee discount program, a website (or app) on which employees receive immediate discounts on their everyday retail purchases and services -- in more than 25 categories -- with options to shop locally or nationally. Items are as small as a movie ticket or as large as a vehicle. 
• Purchasing Power (not a discount program). Employees purchase national-brand products and pay for them over time, interest-free, through payroll deduction. It's different from the lay-away model because it doesn't require a credit check or down payment and the shopper receives the item at purchase time. Employees select their payment plan (six-12 months) for items such as furniture, appliances, electronics, travel packages, tires  -- more than 45,000 items.
• Insurance for a pet's common illnesses, injuries, accidents and hospitalization, including specialized care. Participants pay their veterinarian for care, submit a claim and receive 50%-70% of their money back, depending on the plan they choose. They may select other services such as access to a 24/7 vet helpline, emergency kennel fees or a death benefit.
• Insurance for a home or apartment, with additional discounts possible for bundling and security protection. Employees request quotes online for the coverage levels they select; participating insurance companies provide quotes.
• Insurance for cars, watercraft, motorcycles, RVs and mobile homes, with additional discounts possible for bundling and a safe driving record. Employees request quotes online for the coverage levels they select; participating insurance companies provide quotes.

Help with your professional development

P&S and merit employees can be reimbursed for their tuition costs for up to four college credits per term (12 credits annually) for courses at Iowa State. They must apply to participate by the start of each term and receive reimbursement after final grades post and minimum grade requirements are met. With the exception of a bachelor's degree, the coursework should be related to the employee's duties or to skills needed by the university. Program details are in a knowledge base article.