Insurance
Coverage for new grads will begin on October 1. Unless you have coverage from another source, please hold off on the skydiving lessons until then.
All Genome Sciences grads with payroll appointments (i.e. all of you) have Graduate Appointee Insurance Program coverage. Please see their website for coverage details. You'll want to be sure to check their site before seeing a medical provider, to make sure the service is covered.
As long as you had GAIP coverage throughout the previous academic year, you will receive coverage over summer quarter regardless of student status. Most of you will be on payroll during this time anyway, so it won't be an issue, but in some cases (e.g. students who graduate spring quarter and won't start a new job until fall, or go on academic leave over the summer, etc) this is important to know.
For those of you covered by other insurance plans:
Here's information from the UW Benefits Office:
The GAIP plan does not allow a student who is eligible for UW-Paid coverage to cancel their GAIP coverage. However, when you are enrolled in more than one health plan, “coordination of benefits (COB)” makes sure that the combined payments of all your plans (including GAIP) will not exceed your covered health costs.
You or your provider should file your claims with your primary plan first. In most cases GAIP will be your primary plan unless you enrolled in another employer plan first. GAIP follows standard COB primary/secondary rules. To learn how COB works, please read “Coordinating Benefits with Other Plans” under the Other Coverage section of the GAIP Benefits Booklet.
When registering for courses:
US Citizens and permanent residents will automatically receive GAIP coverage unless you have a fellowship which pays you directly rather than going through the UW payroll system - if so, please check in with Brian to make sure your insurance coverage is set.
International Students will automatically receive Graduate Appointee Insurance Program coverage but will also need to sign up for standard UW international student insurance each quarter when registering. Please be assured that once the system recognizes that you have GAIP coverage, the standard UW student insurance charge will be removed. This cumbersome system is in place to ensure all international students at UW have insurance coverage.
Resources:
Graduate Appointee Insurance Program
Hall Health (UW campus health center)