Well-being Tobacco Free Tobacco Surcharge February 2, 2026

Tobacco Surcharge

Tobacco use is a personal choice, but it can affect your health and your health is important to your quality of life, your family and the health of our business. The tobacco surcharge is the amount you will pay, over and above your portion of medical plan costs, when you and/or your covered spouse use tobacco as defined below. The tobacco surcharge is based on the medical coverage level you select.

The amount of the surcharge is:

  • If you elect Employee Only or Employee + Child(ren) coverage and you and/or your spouse, if enrolled, use tobacco products, you will pay a $135 monthly tobacco surcharge.*
  • If you elect Employee + Spouse or Family coverage and you and/or your spouse, if enrolled, use tobacco products, you will pay a $270 monthly tobacco surcharge.*

*Greeneville Union associates should refer to their Benefits Guide (found in the Reference Center on myAGBenefits) for tobacco surcharge amounts.

How the Tobacco Surcharge works
During the enrollment process, you must review the tobacco user definition, as defined below, and certify the appropriate tobacco coverage option that applies to you and your spouse, if enrolled:

  • Non-tobacco - No Surcharge Coverage Option - If you and/or your spouse, if enrolled, have been tobacco free for at least 90 days.
  • Tobacco Surcharge Coverage Option If you and/or your spouse, if enrolled, have used tobacco products in the last 90 days. Tobacco products include cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, electronic cigarettes or any other tobacco product.

However, if you meet any of the following criteria, you may change your tobacco status to non-tobacco – no surcharge and not pay the surcharge if:

  • You and your covered spouse have been tobacco free for at least 90 days.
  • You and/or your covered spouse complete a smoking cessation program after enrollment for the enrollment plan year (proof of program completion will be required); or
  • Your physician has determined that it is medically inadvisable or unreasonably difficult for you and/or your covered spouse to stop using tobacco products and has provided you with a note stating this within the current plan year (a copy of the physician's note will be required).

Want to quit tobacco? We can help!
UnitedHealthcare’s Quit for Life Program is available to all UHC medical plan enrolled associates and dependents (over 18 years old) at no cost. Quit for Life is a clinically proven tobacco cessation program that uses an evidence-based combination of physical, psychological and behavioral strategies to help overcome tobacco addiction. The program is 8-weeks long and includes telephonic coaching, online learning, digital tools and nicotine replacement therapy. Find out more by reading the Quit for Life brochure and call AGBenefits Advisor at (800) 397-9249 for more information and to sign up.

How to Change Your Tobacco Status
You can change your tobacco status two ways:

  • Login to myAGBenefits. Click on the "Change My Benefits/Update Beneficiaries" box on the landing page and you will be brought to the Events page. Under Events, click “Change My Tobacco Status”. You  may be asked to provide documentation.
  • Call the AGBenefits Service Center at (877) 213-6240 to change your status from Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm EST. You may be asked to provide documentation.

If you selected "non-tobacco – no surcharge" during annual open enrollment and you (or your covered spouse) start using tobacco during the plan year, you must change your status and incur the monthly tobacco surcharge. See instructions above on how to change your status.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 

Q:    How will American Greetings know I'm tobacco free? 
A:     You will be required to select the appropriate status in the online enrollment system during each annual open enrollment period. Your status applies to you and your covered spouse, if enrolled. Tobacco use is defined as follows:

  • Non-tobacco – No Surcharge Coverage Option - If you and/or your spouse, if enrolled, have been tobacco free for at least 90 days.
  • Tobacco Surcharge Coverage Option- If you and/or your spouse, if enrolled, have used tobacco products in the last 90 days. Tobacco products include cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, electronic cigarettes or any other tobacco product.

We would expect employees to answer honestly. 

Q:    What if I start using tobacco?
A:    If you selected "non-tobacco – no surcharge" during annual open enrollment and you or your covered spouse start using tobacco during the next year, you must change your status to tobacco surcharge. You can change your status two ways:

  • Login to myAGBenefits. Click on the "Change My Benefits/Update Beneficiaries" box on the landing page and you will be brought to the Events page. Under Events, click “Change My Tobacco Status”. You may be asked to provide supporting documentation.
  • Call the AGBenefits Service Center at (877) 213-6240 to change your status from Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm EST. You may be asked to provide supporting documentation.

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