Maximize Your Orlando Health Employee Benefits This Enrollment Season
Quick Facts You Should Know
Medical Plans: Three choices—Exclusive Care, Care Plus, and HSA Care. HSA Care allows triple-tax savings if you contribute to a Health Savings Account.
FSAs and HSAs: FSAs are available with Exclusive Care and Care Plus and must be used within the plan year. HSAs are available with the HSA Care plan, and balances roll over each year and can be invested for long-term growth.
Retirement Plan (403(b)): Team members are automatically enrolled with contributions that gradually increase over time. You can choose between pre-tax and Roth options to fit your tax strategy. Orlando Health supports your savings with an employer match of up to 5%.
Disability Insurance: Employer-paid basic coverage typically replaces 60% of your income up to $10,000 per month. Buy-up options are available for higher coverage—an important consideration for physicians and PAs, where base coverage may leave a significant shortfall.
Life Insurance: Basic coverage is provided by Orlando Health, often equal to one times your salary. Optional supplemental coverage for yourself, your spouse, or dependents can be elected through payroll deductions.
Key Considerations and Mistakes to Avoid
Missing the full retirement match: Not contributing at least 6% = leaving free money on the table.
Over-relying on group disability coverage: 60% coverage (pre-tax) could mean only ~40–50% of take-home pay.
Assuming life insurance is “enough”: Basic coverage (1x salary) may not cover debts, kids’ education, or a mortgage.
Not coordinating health plan with tax strategy: FSAs and HSAs are powerful but easily confused.
Choosing benefits in isolation: Your retirement, protection, and health benefits can work best when aligned with a financial plan.
A Case Studies
Case Study 1: Physician — Dr. Belle, Emergency Medicine
Belle, 40, is an emergency medicine physician. She’s married with two children and owns her home. She has been diligent about maxing her 403(b) contributions but wasn’t sure what else she should be doing. She wants to save for her kids’ college education and review her overall protection strategy.
Belle still carried a private disability policy she purchased during residency but hadn’t reviewed it in over a decade. With her current income, that coverage was significantly outdated. She also relied only on Orlando Health’s group life insurance, which provided just one year of her salary.
During our review, we:
● Analyzed her disability coverage and identified a substantial shortfall compared to her current earnings. We helped her update her coverage to reflect her true income and lifestyle needs.
● Layered in supplemental life insurance to ensure her family would be financially secure if anything happened to her.
● Introduced 529 college savings plans for her children and showed her how to balance contributions with her retirement goals.
● Explored after-tax investing strategies to build wealth outside her 403(b).
Outcome: Belle gained clarity on how to prioritize saving for college without jeopardizing her retirement, while closing critical insurance gaps that could have left her family exposed. She now feels confident her benefits and financial plan are working together.
Case Study 2: PA-C — Zoe
Zoe, 35, is a married PA-C and the household breadwinner. Her husband works but earns less, so Zoe feels the pressure of being the primary financial provider. Their goals are building retirement security, preparing to start a family, and feeling financially stable.
Zoe had chosen the Care Plus medical plan but wasn’t sure if she was making the most of her benefits. She contributed 6% to her retirement plan but had no strategy beyond that. She also carried only her employer-provided disability and life insurance, assuming it was enough.
During our review, we:
● Highlighted that Zoe’s group disability coverage would cover only about 50% of her income, leaving a major gap if she became unable to work. We explored supplemental coverage to protect her role as the household breadwinner.
● Reviewed her life insurance and added spousal coverage to ensure protection once they start a family.
● Helped her explore the Dependent Care FSA in advance, so she’ll save thousands in taxes once childcare becomes part of their budget.
● Increased her retirement contributions gradually, showing her how to reach a savings rate aligned with her family’s long-term goals.
Outcome: Zoe walked away with peace of mind, knowing she was protecting her income, preparing for future family needs, and laying a strong retirement foundation.
Case Study 3: Nurse — Erica, RN
Erica, 30, is a single registered nurse with no kids. She enrolled in Orlando Health’s high-deductible health plan but wasn’t taking advantage of the Health Savings Account (HSA). She was contributing 5% to her 403(b) but hadn’t realized she was missing part of the employer match. Her big goals were getting on track for retirement and saving for her first home.
During our review, we:
Helped Erica adjust her 403(b) contributions to capture the full employer match, immediately increasing her retirement savings without increasing her take-home reduction.
● Introduced her to the HSA as a dual-purpose tool—covering current medical costs and serving as a long-term, tax-advantaged investment account.
● Set her up with a high-yield savings account to begin a down payment fund for her future home.
● Showed her how to align her cash flow with an intentional savings rate so she could progress steadily toward multiple goals.
Outcome: Erica left the review with a clear plan to buy her first home while also securing her long-term retirement future. She shifted from “just picking benefits” to building a coordinated financial strategy.
Learn More
This material is provided by Aether Financial Group for educational purposes only. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of Montgomery County Public Schools or its benefits providers. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of information based on available resources, benefits details should always be confirmed directly with MCPS Human Resources and the official plan providers. Nothing herein should be construed as legal, tax, or benefits administration advice.