GTA/GRA Benefits Orientation - Spring 2024

Virtual Event: January 31, 2024 at 1:00 PM

GTA and GRA Benefits Orientation - Fall 2023

In person: Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 4pm in the Lone Star Auditorium, Located in the MAC

Virtual: Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 1pm.

Full-Time Employment

Employees are eligible for benefits as a full-time employee, the first day of employment if:

1) You work at least 40 hours per week or have a full-time appointment,

2) Your appointment is expected to continue for at least 4 ½ months,

3) You are eligible to participate in TRS or ORP, and

4) You are not currently insured by another state-sponsored medical insurance plan.

Part-Time Employment

Employees are eligible for benefits as a part-time employee, the first day of employment if:

1) You work at least 20 but less than 40 hours per week, or have at least a 50% appointment,  

2) your appointment is expected to continue for at least 4 ½ months,

3) you are eligible to participate in TRS or ORP, and

4) you are not currently insured by another state-sponsored medical insurance plan.

Retirement UT Group Insurance Eligibility

Retirement UT Group Insurance Eligibility

Flowchart for Retired Employee Benefits Eligibility

TRS Eligibility Requirements

You may enroll your eligible dependents for certain benefits coverage.

Eligibility to participate in certain UT Benefits coverage as a dependent is determined by law.

Eligible dependents are:

• Your spouse;
• Your children under age 26 regardless of their marital status, including:
• biological children;
• stepchildren and adopted children;
• grandchildren you claim as dependents for federal tax purposes;
• children for whom you are named a legal guardian or who are the subject of a medical support order requiring such coverage; and
• certain children over age 26 who are determined by OEB to be medically incapacitated and are unable to provide their own support.

Examples of dependents that are not eligible for UT Benefits include:

• your former spouse;
• foster children covered by another government program, unless
• coverage is required by law or court order;
• any dependent insured in the same plan type by another UT
• employee or retired employee; or
• any dependent insured by another plan that receives State of
• Texas premium contributions

OVERAGED INCAPACITATED DEPENDENTS

A dependent child age 26 or older who is determined to be medically incapacitated at the time a subscriber first becomes benefits eligible may be enrolled in the plan if the child was covered by the subscriber’s previous health plan with no break in coverage.

Enrolled children may be eligible for UT Benefits as an incapacitated dependent if they are determined to be medically incapacitated at the time they age out of eligibility for coverage as a child under the program at age 26.

For overaged incapacitated dependents, proof of other current coverage, an application for coverage, including medical files documenting incapacitating condition and dependency must be submitted within 31 days of initial eligibility for enrollment of an incapacitated dependent. Following receipt of this information, a review of all applicable materials will determine if the overage dependent is eligible for coverage in the UT Benefits program.

SURVIVING DEPENDENT BENEFITS

A surviving spouse or other benefits-eligible dependent may continue limited participation in the UT Benefits program following the death of a participating employee or retired employee, provided the employee has at least five (5) years of creditable service with either Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or the Texas Optional Retirement Program (ORP), including at least three (3) years as a benefits-eligible employee with UT System.

A surviving spouse may only continue UT Benefits Medical, Dental, or Vision coverage they are enrolled in at the time of the employee’s or retired employee’s death. They may not add coverage at that time, and if the coverage is ever dropped or terminated for any reason, it may not be reinstated. Surviving dependents are not eligible for Premium Sharing. Coverage may continue for the remainder of the surviving spouse’s life. A dependent child may continue until the child loses his or her status as a dependent child. The dependent of an individual who has not met the service requirements at the time of death may elect COBRA coverage for a period not to exceed 36 months.

DEPENDENT DOCUMENTATION

UTA requires supporting documentation when you request to add a dependent to your plan. Be prepared to provide proof of eligibility such as your marriage certificate, your children’s birth certificates, appropriate adoption paperwork, federal tax forms or other documents that support the dependent relationship.

Required documents must be uploaded directly for review and approval using My UT Benefits.

For a list of required documents for dependents, click here.

New Employee Benefits Coverage may become effective at the Employee’s Option on either:

• The first day of active employment in a Benefits Eligible position. Please note that monthly premiums for the coverage are not pro-rated. An entire month’s premium must be paid for the first month of coverage regardless of the day on which the coverage becomes effective during the month. Based on the timing of your enrollment and our payroll processing deadlines, your first paycheck following your enrollment may or may not reflect the benefits premium deductions. If you don’t see your insurance premiums on your first paycheck, please note your second check may be double deducted. This option is the My UT Benefits New Employee Coverage Default effective date.

Or

• The first of the month following the first day of active employment in that position. To elect this option, please contact Benefits Services.

All employees are encouraged to thoroughly review your earnings statement for accuracy and immediately contact Benefits Services for any discrepancies.

Premium Sharing refers to the funds contributed by the State and UT Arlington to pay for some or all of the cost of the Basic Coverage Package (Medical, Basic Life and Basic AD&D insurance for employees).

Premium Sharing Amounts

The amount of Premium Sharing depends on your employment appointment, and in most cases is:

For full-time employees: 100% of employee premiums for the basic coverage package and 50% of the premiums for your dependents’ medical coverage.

For benefits-eligible part-time employees: 50% of employee premiums for the basic coverage package and 25% of the premiums for your dependents’ medical coverage.

If you are a part-time employee who is eligible for benefits because of your status as a graduate student, UT and the State of Texas will pay 50% of your premiums for the basic coverage package, and up to 25% of the premiums for your dependents’ medical coverage.

If you are a benefits-eligible employee with coverage under another group health plan and elect to waive the basic coverage package, you are eligible to use state premium sharing (50% if you are full-time and 25% if you are part-time) to purchase one or more of the following optional coverages that are paid on a pre-tax basis: Dental, Vision, and Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D). If you waive, you will not be enrolled in Basic Group Life Insurance or Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.

Important: Those who wish to waive the Basic Coverage Package and receive partial Premium Sharing for eligible optional coverages, must submit proof of other group health insurance to UTA Benefits Services.

Please click here for the cost breakdown of benefits

• Flexible Summer Hours

• Benefits Forms
• BCBS Life, AD&D, STD, and LTD Forms

• Medical - Blue Cross and Blue Shield BCBS UT Select
• Medical – UT Select Hinge Health
• Medical – UT Select Omada Health
• Medical – UT Select Livongo
• Prescription  Drug Plan – Express Scripts  
• Dental – Delta Dental UT Select Dental
• Vision – Superior Vision
• Group Term Life, AD&D, and Disability – Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS)
• Flexible Spending – Maestro Health, is now a part of Marpai, Inc. - UT Flex
• Wellness – Limeade Living Well Health Program
• Retirement Manager

Provider Mobile Apps

MYUTBenefits (Benefitplace app) iPhone or Android

Medical - Ovia Fertility – Health & Fertility Ovia

• Ovia Fertility iPhone app
• Ovia Fertility Android app

Medical - Ovia Pregnancy – Pregnancy & Postpartum

• Ovia Pregnancy iPhone app
• Ovia Pregnancy Android app

Medical - Ovia Parenting – Family & Working Parents

• Ovia Parenting iPhone app
• Ovia Parenting Android app

UTA My Apps

• Affordable Care Act Information
• Affordable Care Act Resources
• Affordable Care Act Notices  
• 1095-C Insurance Tax Form

• Managing your Benefits
• Get an ID Card
• Find a Provider or Pharmacy
• Self-Care Resources
• Parenting & Family Support
• Medicare -  Active Employees
• Tobacco Premium Program
• Retirement Benefits Resources
• TSA Limit Calculators
• UT Saver DCP Special Catch-Up Calculator  
• Benefits While you Travel
• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Resources
• Benefits Glossary
• Video Library
• Behavioral Health Network
• Benefits Documents
• Traditional vs. Roth Options: Choosing the Best Path
• Federal Tax Savers Credit
• Retirement Resources
• UT System Voluntary Savings Plans – Why should I participate?
• UT Retirement Resources
• UT SELECT Health Advocate FAQs
• Health Advocate