August 2 , 2007

To:    Faculty, Graduate Students, Deans, and Staff of New Mexico State University 

From:    Linda Lacey, Dean of the Graduate School

Re:    Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program

New Mexico State University offers health insurance to all graduate assistants including teaching assistants, research assistants and graduate assistants employed by student services and other support units on campus.    The university will cover 70 percent of the cost of the health insurance plan.  Graduate assistants will cover the remaining 30 percent through payroll deductions. 

The Student Fringe Benefit Rate of .5% will be used to cover the new employer share of the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program.  In all future proposals for research and training grants, it is important for faculty and staff to include the additional fringe benefit charge for research assistants in their proposal budgets.  This student fringe benefit rate is negotiated every year with our Federal Cognizant Agency similar to all other fringe benefit rates and is subject to change each new fiscal year.

The insurance company for the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program is called Student Resources, a division of MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.  Student Resources is a market leader in student insurance programs.  It was selected by NMSU because it offers high quality comprehensive coverage.  A summary sheet is attached that outlines the benefit package for students.  For more information, please visit their web site, www.studentresources.com.  Please click on “College Students”, and then, “View Policy Details”.  Under “View Brochure”, you can scroll down to find NMSU.

Student Resources also provides health insurance for all NMSU students and their spouses and children.  If graduate assistants want health care insurance for their spouses and children, they can enroll in a separate plan with Student Resources (see their web site for enrollment information). 

For academic year 2007-2008, the total cost of the health insurance plan through Student Resources is $971.  Graduate assistants will pay $291.30 through payroll deductions.  For graduate assistants employed for one semester, the costs are less.  Please note that the student’s 30 percent shared payment goes towards the costs of the health insurance plan.  Students are responsible for additional costs including deductibles, co-payments and medicine.

Eligibility for the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program includes the following.  Graduate assistants that: a) work at least 10 hours per week for an academic semester (.25 FTE) in a salary position; b) are a full-time graduate student enrolled in at least 9 graded credits from NMSU; c) are in good academic standing, d) attend one of the health insurance orientation programs for graduate assistants, e) complete the NMSU Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program enrollment form, and f) the Student Resource health insurance enrollment form.  All six criteria must be met to be eligible for health insurance.

For domestic students, enrollment in the health insurance program is voluntary.  We realize that some students have health care insurance through their partner’s or spouse’s health insurance plan.

International graduate assistants are required to have health insurance.  As graduate assistants, international students have two options.  They can enroll in the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program, or select another health insurance plan that is endorsed by International Programs of NMSU.  NMSU will cover 70 percent of the health care insurance costs of Student Resources.  If international graduate assistants select another health insurance plan, the student will need to cover 100 percent of the costs of the plan.

To enroll in the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program, students must complete two separate enrollment forms, one for the Graduate School (NMSU Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program enrollment form) and one for Student Resources.  Both forms are available at the Graduate School.  Enrollment will take place at the beginning of fall and spring semesters. 

Coverage begins on August 16, 2007 for fall 2007.  The enrollment period for fall and spring semesters is provided below.  The last date for health insurance enrollment will be strictly enforced. 

a)      Fall only                                     from August 9^th to September 15

b)      Fall and Spring                         from August 9^th to September 15

c)      Spring 2008  only                      from January 9^th to February 15

The number of months of health care coverage is based on eligibility as determined by the Graduate School.  For the academic year, 2007-2008, the dates when coverage begins and ends is provided below.   Students must complete both enrollment forms to receive health care insurance.

Semester                                      Begin                                                  End

Annual                                      8/16/07                                                8/15/08

Fall 07  only                              8/16/07                                                1/15/08

Spring 08 only                          1/15/08                                                5/15/08

Spring/Summer                       1/15/08                                                8/15/08

Fall 07 and Spring 08               8/16/07                                                8/15/08

All outpatient primary health care services are provided by the NMSU Student Health Center for graduate assistants enrolled in the health insurance plan.  Referrals for specialty care are required and must be approved by staff of the NMSU Student Health Center to receive payment for services by the health insurance provider.   For emergency health care, those covered by Student Resources should report to Memorial Medical Center or the closest emergency facility if students are not in Las Cruces (contact the NMSU Student Health Center Insurance Office for more information about the process of receiving care, 505 646-5706). 

Please note that full-time students including graduate assistants that receive care through the NMSU Student Health Center do not have to pay the $50 deductible for the office visit.  The visits are free of charge.  However, students including graduate assistants will need to pay for lab work and medicine.

Orientation workshops on the new Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program will be offered at the beginning of each semester.  The sessions are designed to answer questions about the type of coverage, and outpatient primary health care services of the NMSU Student Health Center, to name a few.  The location and dates of the orientation workshops are listed below.  Students, staff and faculty are invited to attend the workshops. 

To cancel enrollment, students must complete a cancellation form that is provided by the Graduate School.   Once the form is processed and approved, NMSU will stop health insurance deductions from the graduate assistant’s pay check. 

Dates for the orientation workshops for the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Benefit Program are listed below. 

As mentioned before, all NMSU students can enroll in the health insurance plan offered by Student Resources.  Students would be responsible for the entire costs of the health insurance plan.  They will need to complete an enrollment form and submit it directly to Student Resources.  For more information, please contact the Student Health Center.