The State of Your Benefits
Colorado State University continues to navigate rising healthcare costs and other factors that affect the design and affordability of medical and dental benefits. Human Resources is focused on transparency by sharing how our plans are performing and what is driving costs. Our goal is to help employees better understand their benefits and the collective effort required to manage healthcare expenses responsibly.
Premiums
Employees contribute a portion of the premium and the university covers the majority of the premium cost on behalf of employees.
Claims Costs
Although healthcare insurance claims are reviewed and processed by third-party administrators (Anthem and Delta Dental), the university pays the cost of claims incurred by employees and their covered dependents.
Fees
In addition to funding premiums and claims, the university pays plan administrators, such as Anthem and Delta Dental, fees for each enrolled member.
Medical Plan Costs
The medical insurance plan incurred $84 million of total costs in 2025, which was $2 million more than the budget set for the calendar year or 102.5% of the total cost ratio. The average medical claims spending decreased in 2025, but overall enrollment in the plan increased.
Actuarial analysis indicates medical inflationary costs of 8.4% and pharmacy inflationary costs of 11.4% for plan year 2026.
| 2024 | 2025 | Industry Benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical/RX Plan Paid Per Employee Per Month | $1,136 | $1,082 | $1,270 |
| Medical/RX Plan Paid Per Member Per Month | $610 | $589 | $632 |
The university utilizes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track engagement and performance of the healthcare plans. Below you will find the KPIs from 2025 and how they stack up against the benchmarks from peer institutions. Percentages shown represent the share of all enrolled employees who used these services.
| 2024 | 2025 | Industry Benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telehealth Visits | 22% | 25% | 24% |
| Annual Well Visit | 52% | 49% | 44% |
| Annual Lipid Test | 49% | 48% | 54% |
| Annual Seasonal Flu Vaccine | 36% | 34% | 16% |
| Breast Cancer Screening | 73% | 77% | 64% |
| Cervical Cancer Screening | 57% | 56% | 55% |
| Colorectal Cancer Screening | 73% | 77% | 67% |
| Prostate Screening | 43% | 43% | 42% |
The university contributes a percentage of the total monthly medical premiums on behalf of employees, in order to keep premium costs as low as possible for participants.
Dental Plan Costs
The dental insurance plan incurred $4 million dollars of total costs in 2025, with was 99.2% of the total cost ratio. Here’s how the projected costs for calendar year 2026 are trending currently with plan costs expected to be at least $5.2 million.
| 2025 | Enrolled Employees | Per Employee Per Year Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University | 6,188 | $808 |
The university contributes a percentage of the total monthly dental premiums on behalf of employees, in order to keep premium costs as low as possible for participants.
CSU Cost Share Model
For Medical and Dental, the University pays:
100% of the premium cost of employee only coverage under the Ram medical plan and the Dental Basic plan
78.9% of the premium cost of employee + dependent coverage under the Ram medical plan
78.9% of the premium cost of employee + dependent coverage under the Dental Basic plan
If you upgrade to the Green Plan, Aggie Orange or Colorado Pathways medical plan and/or to the Dental Plus plan, you will bear the difference in cost of the selected plan(s) and the institutional support for the Ram plan or Dental Basic plan at the comparable coverage level (e.g., employee only, employee + child(ren), employee + spouse/partner, family).