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Postdoctoral Insurance Plan for NRSA Fellows

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Important Dates

20245/27
Open Enrollment Begins
2024 6/7
Open Enrollment Ends
2024 7/1
New Plan Year Begins

Click here to view the 2024 Open Enrollment presentation

Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE):

Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible to enroll within 31 days from their appointment start date.

Welcome!

Gallagher Benefit Services is pleased to offer the Postdoctoral Insurance Plan for NRSA Fellows.

The Postdoctoral Insurance Plan for NRSA Fellows was conceived and designed through joint efforts by the University of Pennsylvania and Gallagher Benefit Services in order to offer a comprehensive, enhanced benefit program to all Postdoctoral NRSA Fellows at the University of Pennsylvania. Five insurance plans and an Employee Assistance Program are offered to provide a broad spectrum of coverage for you and your family:

  • Medical: Aetna POS
  • Dental: Aetna DMO or Aetna PPO
  • Vision: Aetna PPO Vision
  • Life/AD&D: Standard

Important Information for Newly Appointed Postdoctoral Scholars

All newly appointed Postdoctoral NRSA Fellows must enroll in coverage, or waive coverage if already enrolled in an alternate plan (see below).

Please be sure to register and submit your enrollment or waiver within 31 days of your appointment start date. In order to make any changes to your initial enrollment, you must visit the form within 31 days of the date shown under 'Job Class Entry Date' on your Enrollment Form. This 31-day period is your Period of Initial Eligibility, however it may be extended if you experience administrative payroll delays.


ENROLL IN BENEFITS Please visit the Begin Enrollment page to submit your initial enrollment in one or more of the plans offered through the program.


MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR INITIAL ENROLLMENT

Please visit the Begin Enrollment page if you wish to:
  • Add Dependents
  • Change Plans
  • Add Life Insurance Beneficiaries

WAIVE THE MEDICAL PLAN

For postdocs who would like to waive out of the University’s postdoc health insurance plan, a comparable health insurance plan must meet the requirements listed on this page: Penn Postdoc Insurance Waiver Standards.

MEDICAL EVACUATION AND REPATRIATION INSURANCE FOR POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS HOLDING J-1 VISA STATUS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS WITH J-2 VISA STATUS

All Penn postdoctoral scholars holding J-1 Visa Status, and their dependents holding J-2 Visa status, are automatically covered for medical evacuation and repatriation benefits necessary to satisfy the J Visa Program. It is not necessary to purchase supplemental insurance to satisfy the J-1 and J-2 Visa requirements.



Need Further Help... Contact Us

Business Hours:

Monday – Friday, 11:30am – 7:30pm (Eastern)

Call:

1-800-319-9557

Email:

UniversityServices.GBS.PDinsPlan@ajg.com

Changes to Benefits

Effective July 1, 2023 please note the following changes to benefits for the University of Pennsylvania's postdoctoral researchers and fellows:

NRSA FELLOWS (postdocs primarily supported by T32 or F32 training grants) will continue to receive most of their benefits through Gallagher Benefits Services, including medical, dental, vision, life, and medical evacuation/repatriation insurance. Postdocs who fall into this category must re-enroll in their plans during a special open enrollment period of April 24 – May 5.

The informational Open Enrollment site will be located at https://clients.garnett-powers.com/pd/upennNRSA, but will not be accessible until Open Enrollment begins on 4/24/2023.

NRSA Fellows who do not re-enroll will lose coverage as of July 1.


During open enrollment, NRSA Fellows can enroll in the POSII medical insurance plan as well as vision and dental plans. While there will now be a modest deduction for single medical, dental and vision coverage (which is identical to the postdoctoral researcher contribution amount), NRSA Fellows will pay significantly reduced contribution amounts for spouse and dependent medical insurance. Details regarding these new plans will be posted and circulated in the upcoming weeks. We highly encourage all NRSA Fellows to attend one of our virtual information sessions to ask questions and learn more:
Monday, April 17: 1:00pm EST – 2:00pm EST via zoom
Tuesday, April 18: 4:00pm EST – 5:00pm EST via zoom

Contribution (deduction) amounts for new plans effective July 1, 2023 are below:

FY 24 Post Doctoral NRSA Fellow Contributions (per monthly pay period) effective July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024


Single Coverage
Postdoc + SpousePostdoc + Children
Postdoc + Family
MEDICAL
Aetna Choice POS II $65.00 $414.00 $273.00 $515.00
DENTAL
Aetna DMO $17.90 $35.80 $40.27 $58.17
Aetna Dental $31.11 $62.22 $70.00 $101.11
VISION
Aetna Vision $6.03 $11.45 $12.05 $17.71
 
In addition, NRSA Fellows will have access to new benefits. The full suite of benefits include:
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program (with eight behavioral health visits) (new)
  • Fertility benefits (new)
  • Wellness programs (new)
For immediate questions or concerns related to the new benefits for NRSA Fellows, please contact Gallagher at universityservices.gbs.PDinsplan@ajg.com or 1-800-319-9557.

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS AND FELLOWS that are not primarily supported through training grants will enroll in the Penn Postdoc Benefits plan through Penn HR and Workday. These postdocs must participate in open enrollment through Workday April 24 – May 5 to receive coverage. Postdoctoral Researchers and Fellows who do not enroll in the Penn Postdoc Benefits Plan will have no coverage as of July 1.