| MedicalDentalVisionTime Off and HolidaysRetirementParental Leave, Disability, Life Insurance and MoreAssociate Perks and Family SupportCareer Growth and DevelopmentWell-beingCompensationEligibility |
Learn more about what makes Ascension unique and the many offerings available to you. When Coverage Starts As a new hire, your benefit elections become effective on the first of the month coinciding with or following your date of hire. For example:
As a new associate, you have 30 days from your start date to enroll in benefits, regardless of your benefits effective date. For example:
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Ascension SmartHealth medical plan is designed by Ascension. When you enroll, medical services are offered through our own facilities and providers at affordable costs typically lower than traditional insurance rates. When you use providers in the Ascension Network:
| SmartHealth High Deductible Health Plan Option | SmartHealth PPO Copay Plan Option | |
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If you are planning to enroll in medical coverage, you can view Ascension Network providers, facilities, urgent care clinics and much more on mySmartHealth.org now to prepare.
Prescription Drug Coverage
Automatically included with the SmartHealth medical plan; covers generic and brand name drugs; prescription copays and coinsurance based on the type of medication you use.
Biweekly Medical Premiums
As a ministry of the Catholic Church, Ascension's approach to medical benefits is rooted in our Values and Catholic Social Teaching. Full-time associates are placed in a medical band based on their annual base pay. Medical bands are used to determine biweekly premiums for medical coverage.
This progressive approach for our health insurance premiums best enables all associates to have access to affordable coverage.
Also, Ascension provides waivers and discounts on medical, dental and vision premiums, as well as reduced pharmacy copays for eligible associates. You will receive additional information and steps to apply after your first day with Ascension.
| Annual Pay Bands | Coverage | PPO Copay Only Plan | HDHP $3000/0% |
| Full-time Associates | |||
| Band 1 Up to $54,000.00 | Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $41.00 $97.15 $64.73 $133.01 | $28.87 $68.60 $44.92 $90.47 |
| Band 2 $54,000.01 to $100,000.00 | Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $60.00 $153.00 $109.00 $216.00 | $52.00 $134.00 $97.00 $176.97 |
| Band 3 $100,000.01 to $207,000.00 | Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $73.00 $188.00 $136.00 $254.38 | $65.00 $167.00 $123.00 $218.69 |
| Band 4 $207,000.01 to $324,000.00 | Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $89.00 $223.00 $158.00 $315.64 | $80.00 $201.00 $145.00 $263.81 |
| Band 5 Greater than $324,000.01 | Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $124.00 $265.00 $206.00 $340.64 | $114.00 $232.80 $189.75 $288.81 |
| Part-time Associates | |||
| No Salary Bands | Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $124.00 $273.46 $217.00 $374.02 | $114.00 $255.22 $185.69 $332.26 |
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You can choose between three dental plan coverage options. Preventive care is covered at 100% when you stay in-network.
- Preventive services include exams, cleanings and x-rays.
- Basic services include fillings, extractions, and endodontics.
- Major services include bridges, dentures, and crowns.
| PPO Base | PPO Comprehensive | PPO Comprehensive Plus | ||
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Biweekly Dental Premiums
| Coverage | Base | Comprehensive | Comprehensive Plus |
| Full-time Associates | |||
| Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $4.53 $9.30 $10.11 $15.27 | $8.92 $18.90 $20.59 $31.37 | $12.82 $27.42 $29.90 $45.68 |
| Part-time Associates | |||
| Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $4.53 $9.30 $10.11 $15.27 | $8.92 $18.90 $20.59 $31.37 | $12.82 $27.42 $29.90 $45.68 |
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You can choose between two vision plan options.
Vision Options
| Full Service Plan | Full Service Plus Plan | |
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Biweekly Vision Premiums
| Coverage | Full Service | Full Service Plus |
| Full-time Associates | ||
| Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $3.10 $4.96 $5.07 $8.17 | $5.87 $9.39 $9.58 $15.45 |
| Part-time Associates | ||
| Assoc Only Assoc/Sp Assoc/Ch Family | $3.10 $4.96 $5.07 $8.17 | $5.87 $9.39 $9.58 $15.45 |
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Time Off
Ascension has two plans: time off that’s accrued throughout the year (PTO) and time off that’s front-loaded at the beginning of the year (FLTO). Time off plans are determined based on your position.
Associates on accrual PTO will earn PTO on hours worked. Associates on FLTO receive a specified amount of time off on January 1 each year. Holiday hours are not accrued or counted in your PTO/FLTO amount. They are deposited on the date the holiday is observed.
If you are a contracted Physician or Advanced Practice Provider, please refer to your contract for your time off hours.
| Employee Class | PTO or FLTO Plan |
| Regular Non-exempt | PTO |
| Regular Exempt | FLTO Service years 0 - 4: 176 hours Service years 5+: 216 hours |
| Physician | FLTO based on contract |
| Leader and Advanced Practice Provider | FLTO Any service years: 216 hours |
| Exception | PTO Any service years: 232 hours |
| PTO Accrual Schedule* | ||
| Completed Year of Service | Hours Per Year | Days Per Year Based on 8 Hour Day |
| 0 - 3 | 104 | 13 |
| 4 - 8 | 144 | 18 |
| 9+ | 184 | 23 |
Ascension recognizes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
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The Ascension Retirement Savings Program offers a convenient way for you to save for your retirement.
Voluntary Associate Contributions
You can contribute on a pre-tax and/or post-tax (Roth) basis through convenient payroll deductions. You can contribute as little as $1 or from 1% to 80% of eligible earnings*.
*Annual associate contribution limits apply.
Employer Automatic Contributions
Ascension makes an annual automatic contribution of at least $1,600 annually for full-time associates, even if you don’t contribute, based on your eligible earnings and years of service. Vesting rules apply.
Employer Matching Contributions**
Ascension will match up to 50% of the first 6% of earnings you contribute, if you meet eligibility requirements. Vesting rules apply.
**You will be eligible for the match if you are regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per pay period.
Retirement Planning Consultants
Transamerica offers free access to a team of experienced retirement advisors who will work with you one-on-one and can provide guidance, advice and other services based on your unique situation.
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Paid Parental Leave
Associates, including parents giving birth, a parent who is not the one giving birth and adoptive parents, will receive up to two weeks (based on standard hours) to use during their family medical leave (FMLA) starting on the date of birth or adoption.
- Non-birth giving parent and adoptive parent: You will be paid up to 80 hours of parental leave to be used for up to the first two weeks of your FMLA entitlement.
- Birth giving parent: Paid parental leave coordinates with FMLA and short-term disability coverage for your pregnancy leave.
Short-term disability coverage is provided at no cost to all benefit-eligible associates, with an option to purchase additional coverage.
Long-Term Disability*
Long-term disability coverage is provided at no cost to all full-time, benefit-eligible associates, with an option to buy additional coverage. Part-time, benefit-eligible associates can also purchase long-term disability coverage.
Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
Life and AD&D insurance is offered to all benefit-eligible associates at no cost, with the option to purchase supplemental life insurance up to $5,000,000 and supplemental AD&D insurance up to $4,000,000.
Dependent Life Insurance
Life insurance for your spouse and/or children is available for purchase.
Business Travel Accident Insurance
Up to $400,000 survivor protection is offered at no cost to you while traveling for Ascension.
* A pre-existing condition is an injury or sickness or any related injury or sickness that was in existence or for which you were treated within the three-month period before your effective date of coverage. The Plan does not provide benefits for any disability that is caused by, contributed to, or results from a Pre-Existing Condition that was in existence within three months before your Original Hire Date (or Company Seniority Date). Pregnancy is not considered a Pre-Existing Condition. The Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion will not apply after you perform the Material Duties of your Regular Occupation for at least 12 months following your Original Hire Date (or Company Seniority Date).
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Adoption Assistance
Ascension offers financial support when expanding your family through adoption. Eligible expenses can be reimbursed for both domestic and foreign finalized adoptions. You may also be eligible to withdraw up to $5,000 from your Ascension Retirement Savings plan account for expenses related to the birth or adoption of a child; with no early withdrawal penalties or repayment required.
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Eligible associates can make pre-tax contributions to help pay for eligible expenses for your dependents (children under 13 or adults who can’t care for themselves) while you are working. That money may help pay for a variety of services, including day care, nursery school, preschool, after-school or senior day care.
Ascension Scholarship Opportunity
Ascension partners with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to sponsor scholarship awards to children of Ascension associates for up to four years of college undergraduate study. If you have a high school student near or in their junior year, they could be eligible.
Neighborhood Resources
We offer a dedicated site, where you can find information about receiving financial assistance for services like healthcare, housing, transportation, job training and more within your community.
Legal Services
The MetLife legal plan gives you easy and low-cost access to a wide variety of personal legal services surrounding various moments in life:
- Getting married.
- Buying, selling or renting a home.
- Starting a family.
- Dealing with identity theft.
- Sending kids off to college.
- Caring for aging parents.
Transportation benefits offer tax breaks for certain work-related transit and parking expenses – specifically, public transportation and vanpools used to commute to and from work along with parking at or near your place of employment (including park-and-ride locations).
Relocation Assistance
Whether you are moving across the country or across the street, you have exclusive access to a curated selection of providers, services, special discounts, and rebates – all designed to make the process of moving easier and more cost effective (password: Ascension2022).
Additional Perks and Voluntary Benefits
If you are benefits-eligible, you can purchase insurance and other voluntary benefits at discounted rates through convenient payroll deduction.
- Pet insurance (Nationwide).
- Pet benefits (Pet Benefit Solutions).
- Accident insurance (MetLife).
- Critical illness insurance (MetLife).
- ID theft protection (LifeLock).
- Auto and home insurance (Liberty Mutual, Farmers GroupSelect and Travelers).
- Discount shopping.
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Career Discovery, Learning and Professional Development
You have access to resources including a dedicated internal team focused on helping you with career discovery and development. Along with providing advice on resume writing and interview tips, this team will help you build a personalized journey navigating you to educational tools and programs and internal career opportunities. In addition, there are online resources, short videos and opportunities to register for leader development events.
Tuition Reimbursement
Ascension offers tuition reimbursement for college-level classes to support your education and career advancement. You have access to:
- Discounts for courses and textbooks.
- List of eligible majors.
- Submit an online application and track submissions.
- Free academic advising for associates pursuing an undergraduate degree.
Receive tips and insights on repayment and refinancing options for public and private student loans, as well as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
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Employee Assistance Plan
The Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) can meet the short-term counseling needs of associates through in-person EAP sessions and toll-free telephone access to clinicians. Caring and empathetic counselors conduct assessments, provide referrals, develop action plans and follow up through case resolution. Services are confidential and available at no cost to you.
myCare
Well-being is a lifelong journey toward balance in mind, body and spirit. As challenges or traumatic events take place, we rely on our strengths to get us through. However, to be truly well requires an awareness and intention to also practice self-care in those areas where we may have opportunity for growth.
Ascension Wysa
Ascension partnered with Wysa, an award-winning product, to bring you a pocket companion for holistic, day-to-day well-being. Engage with a friendly chat bot penguin to help reduce stress and handle life’s challenges. It’s confidential, anonymous and available 24/7. Benefits for you and your families include:
- Enhanced mood.
- Mindfulness.
- Anxiety support.
- Crisis support and more.
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Compensation includes your base pay, as well as any shift differentials, on-call pay and paid overtime if eligible. Associate pay is based on a pay range for their job. In addition, eligible associates also receive additional monetary rewards, such as:
Market adjustments: Ascension regularly reviews the local and national landscape to ensure pay is equitable compared to other competitors. Eligible associates may receive base pay increases during these adjustments.
Ministry Performance Award (MPA) and At-Risk Compensation: These awards are discretionary and available across Ascension for eligible associates. MPA and at-risk, when awarded, are typically paid in July of each calendar year.
Annual base pay increase: All eligible associates who meet expectations in their performance review may receive a base pay increase, usually in the fall.
Additional pay premiums/differentials: Full-time/part-time hourly associates may receive premium/differential pay.
Referral bonus: Associates may be eligible to receive rewards for referrals.
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Associate Eligibility
| Associate Benefit Status | Scheduled to Work |
| Full-time, benefit-eligible | 36-40 hours per week (72-80 hours per pay period) |
| Part-time, benefit-eligible | 20-35.99 hours per week (40-71.99 hours per pay period) |
| PRN associates and those scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week are eligible for the Retirement Savings Program and the Employee Assistance Plan (EAP). | |
You may elect coverage each year that you are benefits-eligible. However, limitations may apply if you decline coverage at the first opportunity to enroll and decide to enroll later.
If you are not benefits-eligible, you may still be eligible for the associate pay all medical plan option with prescription drug coverage.
Eligible Dependents
- Spouse (including legally-separated spouses).
- Child who is younger than 26 years old (whether or not living with you, single or married).
- Unmarried child age 26 or older who became permanently and totally disabled before age 26 while covered under the applicable plan AND meets these additional conditions:
- Receiving over half of his/her support from the associate or associate's spouse.
- Eligible to be claimed as a dependent on associate's or associate's spouse's federal income tax return.
Legally Domiciled Beneficiary
A legally domiciled beneficiary is someone you choose to cover who is not a spouse or dependent. This person may be related or unrelated to you, but must have lived with you for at least six months (proof of residency within the associate's household is required). You may elect coverage for either a spouse or one legally domiciled beneficiary, not both, in the medical, dental and vision plans.
Dependent Verification
Ascension partners with a third-party to confirm the eligibility of dependents enrolled in our benefit programs. If you enroll a dependent in your medical coverage, you will receive a verification request by email to complete the verification process. If you enroll a dependent whose eligibility cannot be confirmed, coverage for that dependent will end.
Definitions
Before you make your elections, there are a few common words and phrases you should know.
- Elections: The choices you make during open enrollment or new hire enrollment.
- Premium: Your biweekly payroll deduction for benefits coverage.
- Copay: The fixed amount you pay for a healthcare service, usually due at the time of service.
- Deductible: The amount you pay for healthcare services before SmartHealth begins to pay. For example, if your deductible is $3,000, then you pay 100% of your healthcare expenses until the amount you paid reaches $3,000. Note: copays do not count toward your deductible, and the deductible does not apply to preventive services, which are covered at no cost to you when provided in the Ascension Network.
- Out-of-pocket maximum (OOP): The most you pay during a plan year before SmartHealth starts to pay 100% for covered services. Your deductible, coinsurance and copays count toward your OOP maximum. Premiums or charges for healthcare services the plan doesn’t cover do not apply toward your OOP maximum.
- Coinsurance: Your share of the costs for a healthcare service, which is typically calculated as a percentage of the allowed amount for the service. When you meet your deductible, you may have to pay coinsurance until you reach your OOP maximum. For example, if the plan deductible is $3,000 and your coinsurance is 15%, then you pay the first $3,000 of charges to meet your deductible. After your deductible is met, you would pay 15% in coinsurance and SmartHealth would pay the remaining 85% until you reach your OOP maximum.
- Retirement contribution: A payment into a retirement plan, either pretax or after-tax. This could be an associate contribution or a contribution from Ascension.
- Vesting: Ownership of your retirement account. This means that you will vest, or own, a certain percentage of your account each year.
Our national presence enables clinicians and caregivers to share best practices and innovations to ensure that we are providing the right care, at the right time and in the right setting.
The plans are not maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement; however, union employees of participating organizations may participate in certain of the plans if their collective bargaining agreement specifies participation in such plans.
Neither Ascension nor any entity related to Ascension (collectively “Ascension Entities”) endorses or sells products available through the Prudential Financial Wellness Center – all transactions are directly between you and the vendor or service provider. By registering for the Financial Wellness Center, you accept the terms of use for the discount program website. Employee participation is completely voluntary. The“Ascension Entities” do not endorse any particular voluntary benefit or provider thereof. The role of the Ascension Entities is limited to permitting insurers to publicize these programs.The Ascension Entities receive no consideration whatsoever in connection with the Financial Wellness Center program.
No employer contributions are made for voluntary benefits. Employee participation in voluntary benefits is completely voluntary. Neither Ascension nor any entity related to Ascension (collectively “Ascension Entities”) endorses any particular voluntary benefit or provider thereof. The role of the Ascension Entities is limited to permitting insurers to publicize voluntary benefit programs and collecting and remitting premiums. The Ascension Entities receive no consideration whatsoever in connection with the voluntary benefit programs.