Tobacco and Your Benefits
Priefert is committed to helping employees achieve their best health. Here's what you need to know about the tobacco surcharge, the tobacco attestation, and free help to quit.
November 2, 2026 – November 20, 2026
The tobacco user surcharge
The tobacco user surcharge is $75 per person per month (employee and/or covered spouse) and applies to 2027 medical premiums unless you complete a tobacco cessation program.
Neither employee nor spouse uses tobacco: $0. Only the employee uses tobacco: $75 per month. Only the spouse uses tobacco: $75 per month. Both employee and spouse use tobacco: $150 per month.
If you do not use tobacco, you avoid the surcharge automatically.
Your tobacco attestation
When you enroll in Employee Navigator, you'll confirm your tobacco status on the Personal Information tab and acknowledge the Tobacco User Definition. Choosing a tobacco surcharge option is required. Non-tobacco users may be subject to periodic cotinine (nicotine) testing, and incorrect status can result in a premium surcharge back to the effective date of coverage.
Free help to quit
Call UMR Tobacco Cessation at 1-800-207-7680. If you think you can't meet the non-tobacco standard, you may be able to earn the same reward another way. Contact Benefits Administration about a tobacco cessation program.
Tobacco questions, answered
Who counts as a tobacco user?
A tobacco user is a person who has used any tobacco product once per week or more in the last 60 days.
Which products count as tobacco?
Cigarettes, cigars, vapor cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, or any other product containing tobacco and/or nicotine.
I don't use tobacco. Do I still need to do anything?
Yes. When you enroll in Employee Navigator, you must still choose your tobacco status and acknowledge the Tobacco User Definition. If you do not use tobacco, you avoid the surcharge automatically.
Does tobacco use affect my Voluntary Life rates?
Yes. Voluntary Life has separate tobacco and non-tobacco rate tables.
Ready to confirm your tobacco status?
Log in to Employee Navigator to enroll. You'll complete your tobacco attestation on the Personal Information tab.