NOTE: These benefits are for U.S. interns only. Canadian interns will have different benefits.
Part of what's great about interning at Microsoft is the many great benefits offered! These are a taste of what's to come as a full-time employee (FTE).
For the duration of your internship, Microsoft offers free health insurance to all interns. Coverage includes health and vision, but not dental.
While most interns are healthy, that doesn't mean you won't use these benefits! The vision benefit is by far the most used component of the health insurance.
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, why would you say no to free good health insurance?? (Being on another plan already is almost certainly not a good reason—only good reason: you're on your parents' plan and it's better than Microsoft's.) Even if you are already on another plan, 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. When you have more than one health insurance plan, the burden can be split among the plans. 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 (although not all details apply to interns):
https://player.vimeo.com/video/381220748
Also called the Health Savings Plan. Every U.S. intern 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.)
Microsoft provides HSAs to FTEs but not interns. However, under IRS tax regulations, you can create your own HSA from a firm such as Fidelity, and you can still contribute to an HSA yourself with your own money, it's just that Microsoft won't contribute free money to your HSA on your behalf.
Also called the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan, this plan is only for California and Washington residents and provides you access to Kaiser Permanente, an award-winning network of hospitals exclusively for those on their insurance. Your care will be exclusively through KP and there is no deductible to meet; all care is included with the plan for free. However, you will need to seek all of your care through KP to take advantage of this plan. Care through other providers will not be eligible for a discount.
This HMO plan is eligible for an FSA.