NOTE: These benefits are for U.S. FTEs only. Canadian FTEs will have different benefits.
Part of what's great about working at Microsoft is the many great benefits offered!
Microsoft offers industry-leading free health insurance to all FTEs. Coverage includes health, vision, and dental.
Microsoft offers one high-deductible plan from Premera Blue Cross to all employees, a Kaiser Permanente HMO plan for California and Washington State residents, and a special "Eastside" ACO administered by Premera Blue Cross. All three of these plans have $0 premiums. (Translation: There is nothing you need to pay to be on this plan.) If you have a spouse or dependents, you can cover them with this health insurance too, at no additional cost to you.
You can choose among the health insurance for which you are eligible. You also have the option to turn down health insurance, but unless you have a very good reason for doing so (being on another plan already is almost certainly not a good reason), why would you say no to free health insurance?? Even if you are already on another plan, such as your parents' if you are under 26, being on a Microsoft insurance plan provides you additional benefits and additional coverage in case you end up heavily depending on your health insurance due to a severe health event. Plus, if you're paying extra for vision insurance, you can cancel it and rely on Microsoft's.
Here's a video from Microsoft about the plans:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/381220748
Also called the Health Savings Plan. Every U.S. FTE is eligible for this health insurance plan. The following table outlines the plan overview for individuals. (For couples and families, the limit is higher; please see https://www.premera.com/mshealthconnectplan/learn-about-plan/ for more information.)
The Premera Blue Cross Health Savings HDHP is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield's BlueChoice PPO network. When asked what insurance provider you have, say you have Blue Cross Blue Shield.
This HDHP makes you eligible to contribute to an HSA, so long as you are not on another non-HDHP health insurance this year. (For more tax advice, please seek a professional or visit the taxes page, which is coming soon.)
Microsoft provides HSAs to FTEs on the Premera HDHP, and will contribute $1,000 to an HSA every year. You can also create your own HSA from a firm such as Fidelity, and you can still contribute to an HSA yourself with your own money. For more details on HSAs, see the Taxes for FTEs page.