A.  ENHANCED UNIVERSITY SUPPORT YEARS

During the enhanced university support years, all health insurance will fall under the policies of the student’s base line assistantship.  If the student does not receive a health insurance benefit through his or her base line, the student can use his or her IGERT allowance to defray the costs of purchasing insurance through the University’s Student Medical Insurance Office.   Additional information on that policy appears below.

B.  FULL FELLOWSHIP YEARS

The insurance in the Full Fellowship years may be purchased under the IGERT in GI Science Student Allowance.  During the full fellowship years, the allowance is estimated to be $4,500 per person per year.  Up to $3,000 of this amount could be used for health insurance. 

B. 1. Available Insurance Plans – Full Fellowship Years – Option 1

The standard insurance plan is offered through the University's Student Medical Insurance (SMI) Office.   The SMI policy is described at: http://www.subboard.com/ (From there select the link to student medical insurance * Select “I would like to have a question answered”* Select “If you have a question about Student Medical Insurance in general”* Select “Click here if you are a domestic student. )

This plan is purchased at the beginning of the academic year, and the cost is charged to the student’s University Student Account.  The IGERT program will then pay Student Accounts out of the student’s allowance fund for the applicable amount of the bill.   If the student is personally responsible for any portion of the charges (if the premium charge exceeds the funds available in that student’s allowance) then the student must then pay the residual amount of the bill to Student Accounts.

Illustration of costs and charges, using 2004-2005 year plan costs:

Single Coverage: $1,214 for a year (12 months).  This would normally be fully covered from the student’s allowance.

Single Plus Spouse:  Spousal coverage cost an additional $2,715, yielding a total charge of  $3,929.  If a student charges $3,000 of this cost to his or her allowance, then the student would be responsible for paying the residual $929 to Student Accounts by the due date on the bill.

Single Plus Spouse Plus Child/ren:  This coverage would cost an additional $2,115, yielding a total charge of $6,044.   If a student charges $3,000 of this cost to his or her allowance, then the student would be responsible for paying the residual $3,044 to Student Accounts by the due date on the bill.

B. 2. Available Insurance Plans – Full Fellowship Years – Option 2

The alternative insurance  plan is the Research Foundation's Fellows Insurance plan.  The coverage is the same as for the Research Foundation’s Graduate Student plan, and is described at: 

http://ubbusiness.buffalo.edu/ubb/cfm/ubs_pages/displayPage.cfm?page_id=9631

(Please disregard the premium cost and payment information given at that site.  Premium costs and payment methods are different)

The cost of this plan are charged on a bi-weekly basis.  The IGERT program will pay the applicable amount of the charges directly to the Research Foundation from the student’s allowance fund.   If the student is personally responsible for any portion of the charges (if the premium charge exceeds the funds available in that student’s allowance) that residual amount will be deducted from the student’s biweekly stipend checks.

Illustration of costs and charges, using 2004-2005 year plan costs:

Single Coverage: $1,541 per year (12 months).  This would normally be fully covered from the student’s allowance.

Single+1 dependent:  $3,347 for 12 mos.  If a student charges $3,000 of this cost to his or her allowance, then the student can normally estimate a deduction of approximately $13.00 to $13.50 per check.

Single+2 or more dependents: $4,409 for 12 mos.  If a student charges $3,000 to his or her allowance, then the student can normally estimate a deduction of approximately $54.00 to $54.50 per check.