Graduate Assistantship Health Benefits

Full-time Graduate Assistants

All full-time graduate assistants are eligible to receive 100% coverage of the annual graduate student health insurance premium..

For information regarding the Wellfleet Health Insurance plan please visit: https://www.studentinsurance.com/Client/2268

Full-time graduate assistants are defined as:

• Enrolled full-time (9 hrs. or late-stage doctoral students taking dissertation credits)
• With a 20 hr a week graduate assistantship contract (or multiple contracts that add up to 20 hrs a week).
• Receiving full tuition and fees covered for the courses required for your degree program.
• Receiving a stipend

A one-time administrative fee of $230 dollars will be deducted from the graduate assistants first paycheck.

To opt-in to the health insurance benefit student’s must:

1. Register for classes. Eligibility is determined, in part, by credit hour enrollment. You must be registered for classes for the semester in which you start your health insurance benefit.
2. Sign your graduate assistantship contract. You cannot receive health benefits if you are not employed by the University of Memphis. 

Once you register for classes and sign your contract:

3. Fill out and submit the Full Time Graduate Assistant (FTGA) Health Benefit Opt In form: https://apply.memphis.edu/register/FTGA.optinS24 

Once you have submitted the opt in form, we will register you in the Wellfleet health insurance system. You will receive an email from Wellfleet with instructions on how to enroll, explore your benefits, and receive your health insurance card.

Once a student opts into the health insurance benefit and is enrolled in the Wellfleet plan, they will remain enrolled and receive the health insurance benefit as long as they meet eligibility criteria defined above. The spring premium includes coverage over the summer. A summer contract is not necessary to maintain eligibility. 

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENROLL IN THE VOLUNATRY DOMESTIC OPTION ON THE WELLFLEET WEBPAGE.  THIS IS NOT FOR FTGAs. 

If you are an international student who is also a full-time graduate assistant, once you opt-in to the health insurance benefit and your eligibility is confirmed, we will switch your enrollment in the Wellfleet system from “International” to “GA supported” and the health insurance charges will be reversed on your tiger express account. This can take up to 7 business days. Be sure to opt-in early prior to payment deadlines. 

For questions about full-time graduate assistantship health insurance benefits please email graduateschool@memphis.edu.

For information about the Wellfleet health insurance plan, please visit: https://www.studentinsurance.com/Client/2268.

Part-time Graduate Assistants

The University of Memphis does not cover the health insurance premium for part-time graduate assistants.

However, if you are enrolled in at least six credit hrs. (or late stage doctoral, or last semester of your master's degree) you are eligible to enroll in the Wellfleet plan and can pay the premium to Wellfleet directly. For information on voluntary domestic enrollment, please visit: https://www.memphis.edu/gradschool/current_students/graduate_student_health_insurance.php

If you are unable to afford the domestic graduate student voluntary premium, the University of Memphis has partnered with Church Health Center to offer Memphis Plan to part-time domestic graduate assistants. 

The MEMPHIS Plan is NOT INSURANCE. It is a healthcare ministry of the Church Health Center, comprised of volunteer physicians and donated medical services.

To get started, please log in to the UofM eContract application and select the module in the center column for Graduate Assistant Appointments. Next, select the role "Graduate Student (Contract recipient)" and then the "Go" button. You will be transferred to your dashboard. On your dashboard, look for the section "UofM/Church Health Center MEMPHIS Plan for Part-time Graduate Assistants." Follow the instructions to accept payroll deduction and access the health care application. 

Student costs effective since September 1, 2017, are as follows:

All amounts are expressed as monthly, payroll deducted charges. Both the amounts a part-time GA will pay and the University will pick up are listed for each plan below. Given your coverage is paid for through payroll deduction, if you do not have payroll during any pay period your coverage will be terminated and you will need to reapply bearing in mind that coverage will not commence again until the second month following the time your application is turned in to Church Health Center and has been accepted by Church Health Center. You can reapply through your MyMemphis portal.

To find out more information regarding the Memphis Plan, please visit the following webpage: https://churchhealth.org/memphis-plan/.

Plans

Month to Month: Student and University pays on a month by month basis for the semesters the student selects in their application. DEADLINE: Please submit your application to CHC on the 23rd day of the second month prior to the desired coverage starting month. For example, if you submit your application by November 23rd, your coverage (if your application is accepted) will begin January 1st. 
Academic Year: Coverage is for the academic year (October through May), billing will take place September through April (at the end of each month). DEADLINE: Please send in your application for this plan by August 23^rd to be eligible for full academic year coverage.
Annual (Full Year): Coverage is for the full calendar year (beginning in October). Payroll deduction will occur, in even amounts, September through April (at the end of each month). DEADLINE: Please send in your application for this plan by August 23rd to be eligible for this full calendar year coverage.

IMPORTANT: Gaps Between Your GA Contracts

If you anticipate any gap between contracts in which you will not receive pay for a single pay period, please understand your coverage will be terminated.  You will NOT be covered until you reapply for coverage through your MyMemphis portal.  You will need to reapply bearing in mind that coverage will start in the second month after your application is turned in, and has been approved by, Church Health Center.  It is important to plan accordingly.  If your gap between contracts is during the month of June, for example, and you do not need coverage until you have an active GA contract in July, you will need to reapply in May to have coverage effective in July.

If you need to continue coverage for the time period between your GA contracts, you can apply to receive Memphis Plan coverage directly if you have income from another source.  Please contact Church Health Center (Sheronda Williams, 901.272.7526 ext. 2124) for this.  The timing noted above still applies.  Applications received by, and approved by, Church Health Center in the month of April (for example) will receive coverage in June.   

Ending your Memphis Plan coverage

Plan termination requests must be submitted to the MEMPHIS Plan office using the termination form supplied at the time of enrollment. Terminations will be effective the first of the month after the termination form is received by the MEMPHIS Plan office. Please make certain the Memphis plan office has your termination form well before you graduate or your GA contract ends.