Section 1. Health Insurance

1. Plan Choices: Graduate assistants may choose between UI GRADCare or the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Specific information regarding these plan options is available through the Benefits Office in University Human Resources. Each year all eligible employees shall automatically continue coverage under the same insurance plan as long as they remain eligible for coverage, unless they indicate a desire to change their coverage. Any changes in plan choices or dependent coverage after the annual enrollment period must be made within thirty (30) calendar days of any qualifying event impacting their employment or family status, such as marriage, divorce, birth, adoption, death or loss of eligibility for coverage by a spouse/domestic partner or dependent.

2. Individual Coverage: The University will contribute, for graduate assistants with academic or fiscal year appointments who elect the single UI GRADCare Plan or single Student Health Insurance Plan, ninety percent (90%) of the premium cost per month.

3. Dependent Coverage: When dependent coverage is elected by the graduate assistant, the University will contribute seventy percent (70%) of the premium cost per month for dependent coverage (Employee/Spouse, Employee/Family) toward the UI GRADCare Plan or the Student Health Insurance Plan (Student/Spouse, Student/Children, Student/Family).

4. Coverage: The provisions of UI GRADCare can be found in Appendix A.

5. Domestic Partners: Same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners will be eligible for coverage and for university contributions toward Employee/Spouse or Employee/Family insurance programs, provided they meet the University's standards of eligibility for domestic partner coverage. No contribution will be made if dependents, spouses or domestic partners are eligible for coverage under any other substantially equivalent employer-sponsored plan.

Section 2. Dental Insurance

1. Employer Contribution: The University will provide, for graduate assistants with academic year or fiscal year appointments of twenty-five percent (25%) or more, who elect single coverage, eighty-five percent (85%) of the premium cost for dental insurance each month. When graduate assistants elect dependent coverage , the University will contribute seventy percent (70%) of the premium cost per month for dependent dental coverage (Employee/Spouse, Employee/Children, Employee/Family).

2. Coverage: Provisions of the dental insurance plan are outlined in Appendix A of this agreement.

Section 3. Period of Coverage

Graduate assistants appointed for a semester will receive the monthly insurance contribution for the semester appointed. Spring semester appointments will receive two (2) additional monthly contributions for summer coverage. An employee commencing an appointment of more than a semester after the beginning of the academic year shall receive the monthly insurance contribution for the duration of the appointment, including coverage for the summer. Summer coverage may be waived by a graduate assistant upon written request to the University, submitted to the Benefits Office. Insurance contributions for graduate assistants terminating during the term of their appointment will cease the month in which such termination occurs. Insurance contributions for fiscal year appointments will cease the month in which the appointment concludes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, insurance contributions for graduate assistants graduating from the University will cease the month in which such graduation occurs.

Section 4. Employee Contributions

The cost of any health or dental insurance plan elected by the employee in excess of the University’s contribution shall be paid by the employee through monthly payroll deduction.

Section 5. Double Spouse Credit

The University will provide the full cost of the health and dental plans selected, if and only if, both members of an employee-spouse/domestic partnership are graduate assistant employees with appointments of twenty-five percent (25%) or more. This double spouse credit only applies to the GRADCare or SHIP.

Section 6. Insurance Increases

Any changes in premium and resulting contribution rates will be effective on September 1 of each year.

Section 7. Eligibility

To be eligible for University contribution as provided above, a graduate assistant must have an appointment of at least one semester and at least a twenty-five percent (25%) appointment. Graduate assistants with an appointment of less than a semester shall not be eligible for University contribution but may participate in an insurance plan at their own expense through payroll deduction.