Time is running out.  Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.

If you had a physical since Dec. 1, 2024, please fill out the form and turn it in now. If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) at 515-216-5100.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Please do not wait until the last moment to contact them or they may not have available openings.

You can read more about the wellness premium discount program on the Wellness Premium Discount webpage.

Please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The holiday season can be difficult when it comes to taking care of your wellbeing.  Poor eating, lack of sleep, spending, and stress are potential obstacles to knock us off track. This year’s Dip Your Toe in the Snow challenge will provide you with some tools to navigate those obstacles.

From Monday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Dec. 21, you will complete four challenges. Every week will focus on one aspect of wellbeing. If one of your personal goals this season is to maintain your weight, there is an optional weight management portion of the challenge that runs through Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

Send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu by Friday, Nov. 21, to register.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Drake’s annual open enrollment period will close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. This is a hard close! If you have not yet reviewed or made modifications to your benefits for 2026, please do so as soon as possible. The deadline to submit your 2026 wellness premium incentive form is also Dec. 1.

Key Enrollment Reminders
You may enroll by accessing the Benefits Portal in myDrake. Click the dropdown window next to Employee Links, and the Benefits Portal will be below Human Resources. During the open enrollment period, you may make changes to your current health, dental, vision, and voluntary life insurance coverage. Additionally:

• If you wish to participate in the health or dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) plans during 2026, you must enroll—or re-enroll if you are currently participating in Drake’s FSA plans. There is no automatic re-enrollment from year to year for FSAs.
• The current Health Care FSA contribution is $3,300. Participants are allowed to carry over up to $660 of unused contributions to the 2026 Plan Year. The maximum Health Care FSA contribution for 2026 will increase to $3,400 with participants allowed to carry over up to $680 of unused contributions to the 2027 Plan Year.
• The maximum Dependent Care FSA contribution for 2026 will increase to $7,500. Current Dependent Care contributions will not be carried over to the 2026 Plan Year.

Open enrollment ends on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. sharp! If you have not yet enrolled in benefits for 2026, please don’t wait until the last minute. If you have questions or problems navigating the benefits portal, reach out to us at drakehr@drake.edu or contact Marlene directly at marlene.heuertz@drake.edu.

— Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

If you are on Drake’s health plan and have not turned in your Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  – time is running out.  This is an annual requirement to receive the discount.

Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.

If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) at 515-216-5100 to make an appointment.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Most individuals can get in within two or three days, but please do not wait until the last week to contact them or they may not have available openings.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

Please contact linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Visit this year’s Benefits and Wellness Fair Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 9–11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main.

Representatives from many of our benefits partners will be present to answer your questions.  In addition, we will have a variety of wellbeing resources:

• Employee & Family Resources (EFR) will be on-hand to share resources and answer questions. In addition to counseling, EFR offers financial and legal consulting, eldercare and childcare resources, life coaching and more.
• Samantha Matt, our on-campus dietitian, will answer your nutrition questions. She and Gail Witte will also be facilitating a Mindful Moves & Meals: Wellness for Busy Professionals class on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 2–3 p.m. in the Paul Morrison Room in the Knapp Center. Click HERE to register.
• Representatives from the Drake Kinesiology department will offer free blood pressure checks. It is always good to know this number in tracking your health.
• We will have staff from Recreational Services ready to share information on upcoming Group X classes, and much more.

Fill out a BINGO card during the fair and you will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize. Most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University and help prepare you to make benefit elections during open enrollment (from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1 this year), which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

This year’s Benefits and Wellness Fair will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 9-11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main. Please mark your calendars for this “come and go” event.

Representatives from our benefits partners will be present to answer your questions, including: Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Broadlawns, Delta Dental and DeltaVision, TIAA, Long Term Care Strategies, The Hartford, Bank of America, and Employee & Family Resources. Stop by and chat with registered dietitian Samantha Matt and representatives from Drake Recreational Services and be sure to get your blood pressure checked by our wonderful kinesiology students.  Bonus! Griff II will be making an appearance!

There will be beverages, freebies, and a chance to win prizes.  Most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University and help prepare you to make benefit elections during open enrollment (from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1 this year), which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Don’t forget to pick up a bingo card when you arrive and have the vendors you visit mark their square.  If you secure a blackout (filling in all vendor spots), you will be entered in a drawing for prizes.

— Linda Feiden, HR

Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.  This form must be filled out annually to continue to receive the premium discount.

If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) at 515-216-5100 to make an appointment.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Most individuals can get in within two or three days, but please do not wait until the last week to contact them.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

Please contact linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

If you are looking for a way to motivate yourself to get up and move more, join this year’s Walktober step challenge.  Drake is competing with Des Moines University to see which site’s competitors can achieve the highest average step total during the month of October.  The winning site claims the Walktober traveling trophy for a year and bragging rights.

You are welcome to register as an individual or create a team (adding a little internal competition to our already external one).  If you would like to participate, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.  If you are putting together a team, please include your team’s name, team captain, and team members (4-8 people per team).  Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 26.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The Fall 2025 BUILD schedule is available for viewing and registration is open.  Please take a moment to check out the classes and tours on the Drake HR website under Learning & Development.  Click on BUILD – Upcoming Sessions for the full list, including detailed descriptions.  Are you ready to register?  There is an online registration link to a Qualtrics survey that makes signing up easy.  Our Greenhouse Tour is already full so don’t delay.

Bulldogs United in Learning & Development (BUILD) is a platform for learning new ideas as well as an opportunity to collaborate with others from across campus.  Most classes are only an hour in length, and many are facilitated by our own faculty and staff.

Take the time to invest in yourself, support your colleagues, and take in the culture that Drake has to offer.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026 (a savings of over $30 per month), need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.  This form must be filled out annually to continue to receive the premium discount, so if you completed a physical last year, it is time to do it again.

If you have not yet scheduled your annual physical with your medical provider, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to guarantee you make the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline.  If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by Nov. 30, 2025, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) to make an appointment.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Most individuals can get an appointment within two or three days, but please do not wait until the last day to contact them.  They have copies of the physician forms in their office if you forget your form.  To make an appointment, call 515-216-5100.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

Please contact linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, HR