How It Works
- Most team members can choose from three medical plan options: Silver, Gold and Platinum. All three offer in- and out-of-network benefits and are “open access,” which means you do not have to go through a primary care physician to get medical services. See Choosing a Medical Plan.
- You can enroll or change your medical plan election as a new hire, at annual enrollment and with a qualified life event.
- You have a choice of four coverage tiers:
- You Only
- You + Spouse/Domestic Partner
- You + Child(ren)
- You + Family (spouse/domestic partner and child[ren])
- The amount Grainger pays toward coverage for spouses/domestic partners and dependents of spouses/domestic partners is considered imputed income and taxable to the team member.
- In each state, all three plans are administered by a single carrier: Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois (BCBSIL) or UnitedHealthcare (UHC). To find the carrier and provider network for where you live, check the Medical Plan Carrier Map.
- All plans cover in-network preventive care at no cost to you, and cover the same medical and behavioral health services and prescription drugs. Where the plans differ is in your cost for coverage (the premium), and how much you pay if and when you receive care (out-of-pocket costs).
- Another key difference: Only the Silver and Gold plans include a Health Savings Account (HSA), and only the Gold Plan includes HSA contributions from Grainger. An HSA is a smart way to lower your actual cost for health care – now and throughout your life.
Medical Snapshot
Who is eligible?
- Regular full-time team members
- Regular part-time team members
- Review the benefits eligibility details and see which dependents are eligible.
Your costs
Grainger pays the larger share of your overall health care costs. You pay your share in two ways:
- Premium contributions: You pay a portion of the medical insurance premium through pretax deductions from your pay. The amount depends on the plan you choose and your coverage tier.
- Out-of-pocket costs: If and when you receive care, you will pay a portion of those expenses through an annual deductible, coinsurance and, in some cases, copays. As a safety net to protect you against extremely high costs in any given year, the plan has an annual out-of-pocket maximum. If your expenses reach that maximum, the plan takes over and pays 100% of eligible expenses for the rest of the calendar year.
- When choosing a medical plan, look at the total cost – premiums plus out-of-pocket costs. Premiums are fixed, but out-of-pocket costs vary depending on whether you use your benefits a little or a lot.
Choosing a Medical Plan
- Compare your options on the Plans at a Glance page. All three plans cover in-network preventive care at 100% with no deductible. For other types of care, the plans have different out-of-pocket costs, like deductibles, coinsurance and copays.
- Consider the money-saving features of an HSA, available only with the Silver and Gold medical plans.
- Check out these short videos: Medical Plan Options Summary and The Benefits of Choosing a High-Deductible Health Plan.
- Need help deciding? On the Grainger Benefits Center enrollment site, answer a few questions to help you consider which coverage – and cost – might be right for you and your family.
- Once you choose a plan, register on your plan carrier’s website and download their mobile app for access to personalized information, tools and resources.
Note: Benefits may differ for team members outside the continental U.S.
