When Coverage Begins and Ends

When Coverage Begins

Coverage begins on your program start date. Contact your Graduate Medical Education (GME) office or PlanSource for the date if you don’t know it. Be sure to review your confirmation statements from PlanSource and UCPath, too, to ensure you’re enrolled in the benefits you elected.

When Coverage Ends

When your UC residency or fellowship ends, or if you withdraw from the program early, your UC benefits will also end. Before your coverage ends, you will have the option to enroll in COBRA coverage that allows you to continue medical, dental and vision coverage for yourself and your covered dependents for up to 18 months after your contract ends.

A qualifying event COBRA notice will be mailed from PlanSource to your home address within 3–5 business days. The notice includes the enrollment form, costs and payment options. Make sure your address is up to date with your Graduate Medical Education (GME) office.

Medical, Dental, Vision

• Your medical, dental and vision insurance coverage automatically continues until the last day of the month in which your contract with UC expires.
• Generally, before your last day, you’ll receive information about your right to continue your health insurance through COBRA and how to enroll.
• You have 60 days from your COBRA notification date (or coverage end date, if different) to enroll in COBRA for medical, dental and vision coverage.
• You have 45 days from your COBRA enrollment date to make the initial payment. Payment can be made either online by ACH transfer or by paper check to PlanSource.
• Allow 7–10 business days after you submit your initial payment and completed enrollment form for your coverage to be activated.
• ID cards will remain the same; you will not receive a new one.

Your Cost for COBRA Coverage

UC does not subsidize the premium costs for COBRA coverage. You pay 100% of the current premium plus a 2% administration fee for medical, dental and vision insurance.

If you’re enrolled in COBRA coverage, you’ll learn about any changes to premiums prior to the annual Open Enrollment period. Open Enrollment is your opportunity to make changes to your COBRA coverage and to add or drop coverage for dependents. See the COBRA FAQs [PDF] for more details.

Health Insurance Marketplace

Instead of enrolling for COBRA, you can buy coverage through the health insurance marketplace. Depending on your income, you may qualify for lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Learn more about these options at healthcare.gov.

Life, AD&D and Disability Insurance

You have 31 days from your last of day employment to convert your life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance coverage to an individual policy or portable policy that you can take with you.

You have 31 days from your last day of employment to convert your long-term disability coverage into an individual policy (using this form [PDF]), but the benefits will differ from your current policy. You cannot convert your short-term disability coverage into an individual policy.

Retirement Benefits

During your UC residency or fellowship, you may participate in a retirement plan known as the Defined Contribution Plan for Safe Harbor Participants. Contact your Graduate Medical Education (GME) office to learn what you need to do once your residency or fellowship ends.

Questions?

For questions about COBRA benefits, costs or how to enroll, contact your local Graduate Medical Education (GME) office.

Call PlanSource to enroll, make payments, ask questions about your COBRA status, or get help with online account access.

• Phone: (888) 266-1732
• Email: COBRA@plansource.com
• Website: cobrapoint.benaissance.com