Welcome back to the spring semester!  In case you didn’t see or lost the helpful “Health Insurance FAQs” email from our communications executive, Karena Nguyen, here it is – with an extra note about dental and vision discounts at the bottom* –

Hello GAs,

Happy New Year! As you are settling into the semester, GAU wanted to clarify some questions you may have regarding USF health insurance. Below are common queries and answers for domestic and international students.

Domestic Students

Q. What is the deadline to register for USF health insurance?
A. February 1, 2018

Q. Can I waive USF health insurance?
A. Yes, you simply do not sign up. If you did not enroll in fall and want health insurance, you can re-enroll now.

International Students

Q. What is the deadline to register for health insurance?
A. January 8, 2018

Q. Can I waive USF health insurance?
A. Yes, but you must provide proof of other insurance by the deadline, or a hold will be placed on your records.

All GAs

Q. If I enrolled for an annual plan in the fall, do I have to re-enroll?
A. No, you only enroll now if you did not sign up in the fall and want health insurance for the spring.

Q. Who is eligible?
A. GAs with a job code of 9181, 9182, 9183, 9184, 9185, or 9550 (found in your offer letter) and an appointment of at least 0.25 FTE.

Q. Am I automatically enrolled?
A. No, if you do not enroll by the deadline, you will not have USF health insurance.

Q. Do I have to get annual health insurance?
A. No, there is an option to enroll at the beginning of fall and spring semester. However, remember to re-enroll if you do it by semester!

Q. How do I register?
A. Use this link to enroll for USF health insurance.

Q. How much is will it cost?
A. All eligible GAs will receive the USF GA Health Insurance Subsidy, which pays 100% of the semester premium.

We hope these answers are useful. If you have more specific questions, USF has a FAQ PDF available.

A note about semester fees: All GA/TA/RAs have until March 2, 2018 to pay their fees associated with their tuition. Pay your fees by that deadline or you will be charged a $100 late payment fee.

 

*Also – DENTAL AND VISION DISCOUNTS!

If you’re enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan – see the above FAQs – you can get free discount cards, which apply to at least some dental and vision costs, through this link; click on “United Health Allies” and “Eye Med Vision Care” for more information and to get the discount cards.  (There’s also optional dental and vision insurance, but you have to pay those premiums yourself and there’s a fifteen-month delay before your vision coverage would actually kick in, and the dental coverage doesn’t actually cover most local dentists.  That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t get dental or vision insurance if you need it; it’s just fair warning about these particular optional insurance plans.)

 

Good health, and have a great spring semester!

 

In solidarity, GAU