From the Office of Staff Benefits
Staff and faculty are reminded that participation in benefits programs for themselves and their dependents is not automatic.
New staff
Application forms for newly eligible faculty and staff must be received by the Office of Staff Benefits within 60 days of 1) eligibility, or 2) the date the appointment was processed.
The University pays the costs of health insurance for most single staff member coverage. The cost of family coverage is shared by the University and the staff member.
The University also shares in the cost of group life insurance coverage.
Staff who do not attend orientation must bring with them a copy of their appointment when applying for benefits.
Regular staff and faculty must have at least a half-time appointment for four or more months to be eligible for health and group life insurance. Those desiring expanded long-term disability coverage must hold at least a half-time appointment for eight or more months. Eligibility for the retirement plan requires at least a four-month appointment.
Regular staff who attend the New Hire Orientation sessions will receive benefits information there. Those who do not attend the orientation should contact the Office of Staff Benefits for information.
New faculty whose appointments are on the computer database automatically receive information at their home address.
Supplemental staff and faculty must have at least a half-time appointment for four or more months to be eligible for health and group life insurance and the retirement plan.
These individuals also receive infor-mation at their home address, following computer processing of their appointment.
Graduate student assistants (GSAs) must have at least a 25 percent appointment with funding for a minimum of four consecutive months to be eligible for health and group life insurance.
GSAs receive the benefits orientation booklet following processing of their appointment by Faculty/Staff Records. Departments have a limited supply of benefits booklets for newly eligible GSAs.
Research fellows are required to carry health insurance through the University unless they provide proof of equivalent insurance elsewhere or do not want coverage for religious reasons. Automatic enrollment as a one-person subscriber will be processed if an application is not received within 60 days of eligibility.
Information and forms to be completed are automatically mailed to all newly eligible research fellows at their home address.
New Dependents
Staff members who need to extend their University insurance benefits coverage to a newborn child or new spouse must complete and sign the necessary paperwork within 30 days of the birth or marriage.
The new spouse will be added to the staff member’s health insurance retroactive to the date of the marriage. A copy of the marriage certificate must accompany the Health Insurance Change Form.
The new baby will be added to the staff member’s health insurance retroactive to the date of birth. However, if the newborn child is being added to the father’s M-CARE HMO or Care Choices contract and the mother is not covered under that contract, the newborn’s effective date of coverage is the date of discharge from the hospital.
If the staff member is eligible for the dental assistance plan, a form to add the new dependent will be provided.
New dependents also can be listed as beneficiaries on group life insurance and retirement benefits. The forms are available from Staff Benefits.
The form must be completed and received by the Office of Staff Benefits within 30 days of the date the child was born or the date of the marriage. If the Health Insurance Change Form is not received within 30 days of the marriage or birth, the new dependent cannot be added to the health insurance coverage until the annual open enrollment period in October with coverage effective Jan. 1 of the following year.
For information or to obtain a Health Insurance Change Form, call Staff Benefits at 763-1214 (main campus) or 764-6584 (Medical Center).
