Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Program Portal
Important Dates
Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE):
Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible to enroll 31 days from their appointment start date.
Welcome!
Gallagher Benefit Services is pleased to offer the USC Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Program.
This comprehensive program is comprised of the following plans and insurance carriers:
- Medical: Aetna HMO or POS
- Dental: Delta Dental HMO or Principal Dental POS
- Voluntary Vision: EyeMed Vision PPO
- Life and AD&D Insurance: The Standard (Automatic Enrollment)
- Short-Term Disability: The Hartford*
- Long-Term Disability: The Hartford (Automatic Enrollment)
*The Short-Term Disability plan is only available for Postdoctoral Fellows in job code 098203 and incoming Postdoctoral Scholars - Fellowship Trainees in job code 098219. All postdocs in these two job codes will be automatically enrolled in this plan. If you are not appointed in one of these job codes, you may be eligible for the USC Faculty/Staff Short-Term Disability Plan. Click here for more information.
Once the form is completed, signed and notarized, please scan and email the PDF copy.
Important Information
Eligibility
The following postdoc job titles / job codes are required to enroll in this benefit program:
| Postdoctoral Scholar Job Title | Job Code |
|---|---|
| Fellows | 098203 |
| Fellowship Trainees | 098219 |
| Visiting Fellows | 098229 |
| Teaching Fellows | 098223 |
| Research Associates | 098227 |
All newly appointed Postdoctoral Scholars will have their insurance coverage begin on your appointment start date (hire date) once GPA has confirmed your enrollment in the plans.
Eligible postdocs have 31 days from their appointment start date to enroll yourself and your eligible dependents (family members) in the various benefit plans. This timeframe if known as your Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE). Failure to enroll during your PIE will delay your enrollment until the next Open Enrollment period, which occurs during the month of June for an August 1st effective date.
The major family member eligibility categories are the following:
- Spouse
- Natural or adpoted children to age 26 regardless of student status
- Stepchildren may be included if they live with the Postdoc and are supported at more than 50% and claimed as a tax dependent
- Same-sex domestic partner
For those wishing to enroll their same-sex domestic partner, you will need to complete a declaration of domestic partnership.
Once the form is completed, signed and notorized, please scan and email the PDF copy to GBS at: UniversityServices.GBS.uscpbp@ajg.com. You may also fax the document to the attention of USC Postdoc Account Manager at 1-949-583-2929. Once GPA receives the document, we will proceed with your enrollment into the plans.
Please note: Eligible Postdocs who wish to enroll their eligible family members must do so during their PIE period. The Postdocs and their family members must be enrolled together. Failure to enroll yourself, or enroll your dependents within the PIE period could result in a significant delay in access to coverage, or the inability to enroll yourself and / or your dependents until the next open Enrollment Period. However, you may enroll eligible family members at a later time due to a qualifying event as listed in the section below.
CURRENTLY ENROLLED? POSTDOCS NEEDING TO ENROLL A DEPENDENT (QUALIFYING EVENTS):
If you are currently enrolled, you may be able to enroll a newly eligible family member(s) if you experience one of the following qualifying life events:
Qualifying Events
- Legal Marriage/Domestic Partnership
- Family member(s) arrival in the U.S.
- Birth of a Child
- Dependent loses coverage
- Loss of Eligibility of Medicaid/Medicare
- Adoption of a Child
You have 31 days from the date of the qualifying life event to enroll your eligible family member(s) by submitting an enrollment form on this site.
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Open Enrollment is an annual period of time designated by the University of Southern California to allow you to make changes to your current enrollment that are otherwise not allowed throughout the rest of the year, unless you experience a qualifying life event. For instance, if you previously waived coverage for yourself and/or any eligible family members, during the designated open enrollment period, you may enroll both yourself and your dependents if you so desire in the available plan choices. For any plans in which you enroll, coverage always begins on August 1st. The annual open enrollment period is usually communicated and takes place during the month of June.
