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Insurance for Eligible Graduate Student Fellows
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SB-29, Insurance Eligibility of Graduate Fellows was passed in the 2011 legislative session and signed by the Texas governor. Sponsored by Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee and Representative Dan Branch, Chair of the House Committee on Higher Education, the bill allows graduate students receiving certain fellowships of $10,000 or more per year to be eligible to participate in UT's group health insurance plan (i.e., basic medical for the fellow and dependents, dental and/or vision insurance). Please note that there is no funding provided to pay the medical premium for the Graduate Student Fellow. The bill just provides access to the group medical benefits plan. The effective date for UT Austin’s implementation of the bill is September 1, 2011.
Eligibility
To qualify for UT group insurance, you must hold one or more graduate student fellowships, awarded on a competitive basis, that either singly or in combination provide a stipend valued at $10,000 or more per year. Your eligibility will continue as long as you hold the fellowship(s) and remain in good standing with a degree granting program. Please visit the Graduate School web site for more information regarding your fellowship.
Contact the Human Resource Service Center (HRSC) to inquire if you are eligible for insurance. If the HRSC cannot establish your eligibility, you may be asked to provide documentation of your fellowship that includes the following information:
- Your name
- Name or type of fellowship
- Yearly amount of fellowship
- Begin date of fellowship
- End date of fellowship
You must notify the Human Resource Service Center if your fellowship ends. Your insurance will terminate at the end of the month in which the fellowship ends.
If your fellowship is extended, notify the Human Resource Service Center of your extension and provide documentation of your new end date.
As a currently-registered UT student you have access to the University Health Services (UHS) even if you don’t have health insurance. Read more online about eligibility to use the UHS.
You may be eligible for the Student Insurance. More information is available online.
Gaining Benefits Eligible Employment
If you gain benefits eligible employment, you may not have to continue to submit payments to continue your medical insurance coverage. You will need to take the following steps to ensure that you insurance continues without interruption:
- Submit the following insurance enrollment paperwork to the HRSC within 31 days of the start date of your benefits eligible employment:
- Insurance Enrollment/Change Application
- Dependent Information and Proof of Relationship Documents, if adding dependents
- Submit a Beneficiary Designation Form directly to the insurance company for the term life and accidental death and dismemberment (ADD) insurance.
Under Senate Bill 29, you were only able to participate with medical, dental and vision insurance, with eligible dependents. As a benefits eligible employee, you are now eligible to also participate with:
- supplemental term life and ADD,
- short term/long term disability,
- long term care, and
- Flexible Spending Accounts.
You can read more information about the plans on the Insurance page of the HRS web site. You can view informational videos about the plans as well. The Benefits Cost Worksheet will display monthly costs for the coverage. Premiums will be deducted directly from your monthly paycheck.
Insurance Coverage
You may enroll in any of the plans below.
- Medical (including $20,000 term life and $20,000 accidental death and dismemberment insurance for the student only)
- Dental
- Vision
You do not have to enroll in the medical plan in order to choose the vision or dental plans.
You may also enroll your eligible dependents in the medical, dental or vision plans. You are not eligible for any other plans offered to employees as part of the university’s group insurance program or the university’s retirement programs.
Enrollment
Submit the insurance enrollment paperwork to the Human Resource Service Center within 31 calendar days of beginning your fellowship:
- Insurance Enrollment/Change Application
- Dependent Information and Proof of Relationship Documents, if adding dependents
Submit a Beneficiary Designation Form directly to the insurance company for the term life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
Once you complete your initial insurance enrollment, it is only possible to change your enrollment if you experience a Change of Status Event or make a change during Annual Enrollment.
If you currently hold an eligible fellowship that began prior to September 1, 2011, and you are interested in enrolling in the insurance, please contact HRSC as soon as possible.
International Graduate Students
Visit the International Office web site for more information about insurance waivers. Please note, you can only waive the student insurance if you enroll in the UT employee group medical insurance.
Premiums & Payment
Below are the monthly premium rates effective September 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012.
| Coverage Type | UT Select Medical | UT Select Dental (Delta) | Assurant Dental HMO | Superior Vision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscriber Only | $462.26 | $30.86 | $10.05 | $6.80 |
| Subscriber & Spouse | $903.60 | $58.58 | $19.10 | $10.76 |
| Subscriber & Child(ren) | $825.45 | $64.57 | $21.11 | $10.96 |
| Subscriber & Family | $1253.00 | $91.81 | $30.15 | $17.40 |
Payment for each month is due by the first of the month and may be made by check or money order payable to The University of Texas at Austin. Please include your UT EID on the check or money order. Failure to pay by the first of the month may result in cancellation of insurance coverage.
Submit your payment by one of the methods below.
| Preferred Method of Payment |
|---|
Online: What I Owe
|
| U.S. Mail | In Person |
|---|---|
Payroll Services |
Payroll Services |
Assistance
Questions regarding insurance eligibility and enrollment should be directed to the Human Resource Service Center. View the Need Help? web page to learn how to most efficiently obtain service.
Questions regarding payment should be directed to Payroll Services.
Questions regarding your insurance coverage should be directed to the Insurance Providers.
