[USFTSA.com] FW: Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Program

Thu Aug 14 13:30:56 EDT 2008

Please disregard the following message if you're not a USF graduate
student.

If you are a grad student and work 10 hrs a week as a TA, GA, or RA, the
university subsidize partially your health insurance premium!!  More
about this benefit, please read below...

BTW, be sure you have at least registered a few classes by tomorrow for
the Fall or you'd be hit with a late registration fee.

Joe.

________________________________

From: Arbuckle, Jesse [mailto:jarbuckl at health.usf.edu] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 3:01 PM
To: zahnlist
Subject: FW: Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Program

FYI

________________________________

From: Chen-Duncan, Helen [mailto:hchendun at health.usf.edu] 
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 9:02 AM
To: molmedphd
Subject: FW: Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Program

________________________________

From: Andersson, Eric [mailto:eandersson at grad.usf.edu] 
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 8:56 AM
To: Glover, Kofi
Subject: Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Program

This message is being sent to all Graduate Coordinators, and Graduate
Program Directors

on behalf of Dr. Kofi Glover.

Please disseminate this information accordingly

August 11, 2008

Dear Graduate Community:

The start of a new academic year is quickly approaching and before our
GA's return to campus, we wanted to update you on several aspects of the
Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Program. It is important that we get
this crucial information out to our GA's in a timely fashion and ask
your assistance in helping us do this. Please disseminate this
information to new or returning GA's within your area.  

There are three major changes to the program this year:

(1)     The new Student Medical Insurance Plan provider is Blue Cross
Blue Shield of Florida. The new plan offers improved coverage for our
students, including the availability of USF Physicians Group as an
additional primary care provider, along with Student Health Services.
The premium cost for this new, improved policy is only $1,364 per year
(last year the premium was $1,253).  

(2)     The annual subsidy for eligible GA's with a .50 FTE (20 hours
per week) appointment has increased from $940 to $1,180. These eligible
GA's will pay only $184 for annual coverage (last year they paid $313).

(3)     For the first time ever, GA's with at least a .25 FTE (10 hours
per week) appointment are eligible for an annual subsidy of $785. These
eligible GA's will pay only $579 for annual coverage (last year they
paid full cost, $1,253).

Any Graduate degree-seeking student registered for at least one class is
eligible to participate in the Student Medical Insurance Program. If
they do not meet the requirements defined below to qualify for the
University subsidy, they may still enjoy the benefits of the plan by
purchasing the coverage at full cost. Here is a chart showing the full
cost for insurance for last year and the upcoming academic year:

Coverage                                2007-08
2008-09

Annual                                      $1,253
$1,364

Fall Only                                   $   495
$   519

Spring/Summer                         $   778                        $
845

Summer Only                            $   374                        $
368

The rates above are for single coverage only. In addition, students may
opt to purchase insurance for their spouses and/or children. A brochure
outlining the coverage and costs, including coverage for additional
family members, can be found here
<http://shsweb.shs.usf.edu/forms/InsuranceBrochure.pdf> .

The collective bargaining contract between the University's Board of
Trustees and the United Faculty of Florida/Graduate Assistants United
(GAU) provides for full time GA's who meet the eligibility requirements
to receive a subsidy to help offset the costs of medical insurance and
make it more affordable for our GA's. To qualify for the subsidy, GA's
must have at least a .25 FTE (10 hours per week) or a .50 FTE (20 hours
per week) appointment in one or more of the following job codes:

Title                                                 Job Code

Graduate Research Associate                9181

Graduate Research Assistant                 9182

Graduate Teaching Associate                 9183

Graduate Teaching Assistant                  9184

Graduate Assistant                                9185

Graduate Assistant (exempt)                  9550

If the GA meets these criteria, the University will pay the following
subsidy toward their health insurance premium:

Subsidy Period

.50 FTE

.25 FTE

Fall  

$450.00 

$300.00 

Spring/Summer 

$730.00 

$485.00 

Summer only

$0

$0

Total

$1,180.00 

$785.00 

There is no "Summer Only" subsidy. Any GA who selects "Summer Only"
coverage will be responsible for paying the entire premium for the
Summer term.  

The subsidy is paid by the University directly to the insurance company
in regular installments. Eligible GA's may pay their portion by credit
card at the time of enrollment, or by payroll deduction.

The GA must continue to be a GA in good standing with their academic
program (including taking the required number of credit hours and
maintaining the required GPA) and employed in an eligible job code with
at least a .25 FTE for each installment of the subsidy to be paid. A .50
FTE GA whose appointment falls below .50 FTE (20 hours per week) but
remains at .25 FTE (10 hours per week) or above will have their subsidy
reduced to the .25 FTE amount.  

 The University will stop paying the subsidy if:

1.       The GA's appointment terminates;

2.       The GA's appointment is reduced to less than .25 FTE;

3.       The GA completes the hours specified for their program's degree
requirements; or

4.       The GA doesn't pay his/her share of the insurance premium when
it is due.

To ensure coverage and subsidy, it is critical that GA's enroll properly
during the Open Enrollment period (available at the start of each
semester). Fall 2008 Open Enrollment is now through 9/19/08. The GA must
enroll for insurance each semester. One time annual enrollment is not
available at this time.

GA's must also have their appointment paperwork entered into GEMS in a
timely fashion. All new hires must be processed through "Right Start" in
Human Resources on or before their first day to complete the required
paperwork to get on payroll. A "Right Start" offer letter (available
from the Graduate School website
<http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/ga/index.asp> ) triggers the entire
process. For more detailed information on this or to make special
arrangements for processing large groups of new hires simultaneously,
please contact your HR Representative
<http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfpers/appointments/contacts.htm#Department> .

Here is a summary of the process:

1.      The GA enrolls in the Student Medical Insurance Program (click
here <http://www.studentinsurancegroup.us/> ) during Open Enrollment
each semester. Open Enrollment for GA's for Fall 2008 is available now
through September 19, 2008.  

2.      HR and the Graduate School verify that the GA is eligible for
the subsidy. If the GA does not meet the criteria, the GA will be
notified and provided an explanation.

3.      HR and the Graduate School continue to verify the GA's
eligibility throughout each academic term. If the GA's status changes so
as to reduce the subsidy amount, the GA will be notified and the subsidy
reduced. If the GA becomes ineligible during the semester, the GA will
be notified and the University will cease paying the subsidy. The
student may continue coverage by making arrangements directly with the
insurance company to pay the balance of the premium.

For questions about the GA subsidy, contact Le'Danjeanette Frazier in
Human Resources at 813-974-2970 or lfrazier at admin.usf.edu.

For questions about the USF Student Medical Insurance Plan in general
(what is covered, how the plan works, etc.), contact the Student Health
Services Insurance Office at 813-974-5407 or insurance at shs.usf.edu.
Marisol Amarante-Hernandez administers the Student Medical Insurance
program.

Please encourage your GA's to review the "Frequently Asked Questions
<http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfpers/GAHealthInc.htm> " (FAQ's).

We are proud to once again offer an excellent medical insurance plan as
well as the opportunity for a subsidy to help offset costs and make the
plan more affordable for our GA's. We believe that it is a wonderful
benefit for our Graduate Assistants. Again, please help us get this
crucial information out to our GA's in a timely fashion by disseminating
to new or returning GA's within your area.  

We appreciate your continued support and assistance. If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to contact either of us.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kofi Glover

Associate Provost and Acting Dean, Graduate School

Sandy Lovins

Associate Vice President

Division of Human Resources

         Payroll Deduction Schedule

Pay Date

.50  FTE

.25  FTE

Fall 2008

Payroll Deduction

Payroll Deduction

10/10/08

$11.50

$36.50

10/24/08

$11.50

$36.50

11/07/08

$11.50

$36.50

11/21/08

$11.50

$36.50

12/05/08

$11.50

$36.50

12/19/08

$11.50

$36.50

Total

$69.00

$219.00

Spring/Summer 2009

02/27/09

$19.17

$60.00

03/13/09

$19.17

$60.00

03/27/09

$19.17

$60.00

04/10/09

$19.17

$60.00

04/24/09

$19.17

$60.00

05/08/09

$19.15

$60.00

Total

$115.00

$360.00

Annual Total

$184.00

$579.00

---
You are currently subscribed to molmedphd as: jarbuckl at health.usf.edu
To unsubscribe send a blank email to
leave-45538-136143.c3caad7ee6134adf00a33efdfc3d324b at lyris.hsc.usf.edu
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/pipermail/taiwan/attachments/20080814/676bcca9/attachment-0001.html