The University of Montana offers a wide variety of benefits. The resources included on this page should address your questions, however, please contact our office should you have additional inquiries not resolved by the information present.

UM Employee Benefits Summary Options: Faculty | Staff
Summary Plan Descriptions: Complete Plan Descriptions

The Montana University System's benefits program that lets you match our benefits to your individual and family situation. To get the most out of this opportunity to design your own benefits package, you need to consider your benefit needs, compare them against the options available under Choices and enroll for the benefits you've chosen. Please visit the Choices web site if you require additional information concerning your benefits not found on this site.

Over-The-Counter Drug Coverage
Drugs are increasingly becoming available over-the-counter without prescription. Many health plans no longer cover the cost of these drugs as over-the-counter. While an over-the-counter drug is less expensive than the prescription drug, the cost to many consumers increases because the price paid by the consumer for the over-the-counter drug is greater than the co-payment by the consumer when the drug was covered by insurance. This is especially an issue for individuals who remedy chronic health problems by regularly taking an over-the-counter medicine. The Treasury Department and the IRS recently announced that over-the-counter drugs can now be paid for with pre-tax dollars through health care Flexible Spending Accounts.

Coverage under Flex Spending Accounts does not include dietary supplements (i.e. vitamins) which are for general health, toiletries (toothpaste), cosmetics (face creams) and sundry items (band-aids, gauze).

Coverage under Flex Spending Accounts does include items such as antacids, allergy medicine, pain relievers, and cold medicines from a pharmacy, purchased for personal use, for the use of spouse or dependents, to alleviate or treat personal injuries or sickness.

Full details can be reviewed on the website for the Office of Public Affairs.

Employee Benefit Resources, our flexible spending account claims administrator now offers Medical and/or Dependent Care Reimbursement Account inquiry through its website Employee Benefit Resources. This feature allows you to view a history of your processed claims; payments made on claims submitted; and your account balances for the current plan year and prior plan year during the grace period.

To access your account information enter the following 2 items:

• Your User ID = Your Social security Number
• Your PIN = The last 4 digits of Your Social security Number

Click here to begin, or on "FlexConnect" in the upper right hand corner of the EBR home page to access the sign-on page. The site is particularly beneficial for those who utilize direct deposit for their Medical and/or Dependent Care Reimbursement Account Payments.

For additional information or assistance regarding all benefits, please contact:

  Rita Garland
Benefits Services
406.243.4238
406.243.6095 FAX