Overview for VU/VUMC Administrators: Postdoctoral Research Trainee Benefits

Overview for VU/VUMC Administrators: Postdoctoral Research Trainee Benefits

The 2016-2017 Postdoctoral Research Trainee Benefits Program has been finalized for the new policy year effective October 1, 2016. The benefit packages are available to fellows appointed as Research Fellow Trainees (non-employee postdocs).The purpose of this letter is to summarize the program policies including coverage, rates, eligibility and enrollment. Due to the VU/VUMC split, two separate packages are available as outlined below.

VU Postdoctoral Research Trainees (Job Code 9134 & 9146)

Plan Administrator: Gallagher/Insurance Carrier: UnitedHealthcare

Effective October 1, 2016 all VU Postdoc research trainees will be covered under Gallagher Insurance unless the online waiver form has been completed. Gallagher has created a VU Postdoc webpage containing detailed information located at: www.gallagherstudent.com/vandypostdoc. Postdoc research trainees with other insurance who do not wish to participate in this plan must complete an online waiver by October 15, 2016 located at: www.gallagherstudent.com/vandypostdoc.

This is an annual policy billed quarterly (October 1, January 1, April 1 and June 1) that will provide coverage from the date of the postdoctoral appointment with four termination dates: December 31, April 30, May 30 and August 11. Coverage may be purchased by semester. In addition, postdoc trainees have the option to enroll dependents online with direct billing to Vanderbilt.

All VU postdoc research trainees will be enrolled in this plan by October 1, 2016 unless they complete an online waiver by October 15. The VU Graduate School Postdoctoral Affairs Office will enroll trainees. In order to meet this deadline, you must:

ü  Complete the 2016-2017 BAF by September 21, 2016 and return to: .

Annual Gallagher Rates to be Paid by Grant/Department via BAF
Non-employee
Trainee and
Fellows Plan /
Annual Rates (may be purchased by semester)
Trainee Only· / $3,049
Spouse / $3,049
One Child / $3,049
Two or More Children / $6,098
Spouse + Two or More Children / $9,147

Termination Requirement

In order to terminate a postdoc fellow trainee from insurance coverage, department administrators must complete a new BAF with the action to terminate and list the effective termination date. Center numbers will continue to be charged until a termination BAF is received. As a reminder, please check ledgers monthly to make sure that your centers are not being charged for a trainee’s health insurance after they have been terminated.

VUMC Postdoctoral Research Trainees (Job Code 9134)

Plan Administrator: Garnett-Powers/Insurance Carrier: Aetna

All VUMC Postdoc Research Trainees have the option to be covered under Garnett-Powers. Coverage begins October 1, 2016.
Monthly Garnett-Powers Rates to be Paid by Grant/Department via BAF
Coverage Type / Benefits Package w/ Dental HMO / Benefits Package w/ Dental PPO
Postdoc Only / $ 459.64 / $471.98
Postdoc + Spouse / $1060.72 / $1085.01
Postdoc + Child / $949.67 / $980.63
Family / $1532.79 / $1579.01

All trainees enrolled in this benefits package are given the option of buying-up into the Aetna PPO 90/70 Health Insurance Plan for a small monthly premium. The premium for the buy-up option is an out-of-pocket expense to the trainee. If a trainee elects the buy-up option and enrolls in the Aetna 90/70 Plan, the trainee is invoiced by Garnett-Powers each month for a small premium (listed below). If the trainee fails to pay the premium listed on the monthly invoice from Garnett-Powers for the buy-up option, the trainee’s health insurance benefits will be terminated and the trainee will not be eligible to re-enroll until the next open enrollment period in fall 2017.

Monthly Aetna Buy-Up PPO 90/70
Coverage Type / Monthly Postdoc
Buy-Up Premium
Postdoc Only / $31.85
Postdoc + Spouse / $73.93
Postdoc + Child / $65.32
Family / $105.79

Buy-Up Plan Example: A newly appointed trainee enrolls in the Garnett-Powers Postdoc Benefits Package online at http://www.garnett-powers.com/vanderbilt/. Upon enrollment, the postdoc chooses to enroll himself and his spouse in the benefits package with the Dental PPO insurance and elects to buy-up into the Aetna PPO 90/70 Health Insurance. After submitting the enrollment form, the postdoc is instructed on how to pay the buy-up premium of $73.93 each month (online via credit/debit card or by check). The department then submits a BAF to the BRET Office to pay the base rate of $1,085.01 each month.

Many postdocs have asked if their grant/department will be able to pay for the postdoc buy-up premiums if the funds are available. Our office will not be invoiced for the postdoc buy-up premiums so we will be unable to directly charge a center number for them. However, if the funds are available, the department may reimburse the trainee for the buy-up premiums paid each month. Departments may also choose pay the buy-up premium directly by requesting a check from the Department of Finance each month. If a check is requested from Vanderbilt to pay the buy-up premiums directly, please make sure that the check is received by Garnett-Powers by the due date listed on the invoice sent to the trainee. If Garnett-Powers does not receive payment for the buy-up premium by the due date, the trainee’s benefits will terminate and they will not be able to re-enroll until the next open enrollment period in fall 2017. Reimbursement/payment of the postdoc premium on behalf of the trainee is to be negotiated between the department and the trainee.

Termination Requirement

In order to terminate a postdoc fellow trainee from insurance coverage, department administrators must complete a new BAF with the action to terminate and list the effective termination date. Center numbers will continue to be charged until a termination BAF is received. As a reminder, please check ledgers monthly to make sure that your centers are not being charged for a trainee’s health insurance after they have been terminated.

Optional Vision and Dental Coverage for Both VU & VUMC Postdoctoral Research Trainees

Both Garnett-Powers and Gallagher offer voluntary supplemental coverage for vision and/or dentalinsuranceto VU postdoctoral trainees. If a postdoc trainee chooses to participate in one of these plans, they need to enroll and make payments asnecessary to the company they select.

Optional Vision/Dental Coverage
Garnett Powers
Vision / $8.93/month
Dental / $14.90/month (HMO)
Gallagher
Vision / Vision: $7.00/month
Dental / $34.81 (any provider)
$23.55 (network provider) (PPO)

For additional information, contact:

Garnett-Powers: https://www.garnett-powers.com/vanderbilt/graduate/index.htm

Gallagher: https://www.gallagherstudent.com/students/voluntary-dental.php?idField=1015&KosterWebSID=0j3jmivn0pm1ci0lkq9rt4o8q6

Questions?

Irene McKirgan

615-875-9123

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