October 2011
Postdoctoral Medical Insurance Plan and Rate Change - 2012
Colleagues,
As you know, issues around health insurance for faculty, staff, and students have been challenging this year at Stanford—and nationwide—due to the increasing costs of health care and other factors. The medical insurance coverage for our postdocs is no exception and, indeed, has been the most vulnerable partly because of the small pool size and a rate of turnover of insured individuals. Earlier this month, the 2011 carrier for postdoc insurance, Blue Cross, informed us that our higher premium rates in 2012 could not be guaranteed and they would reserve the right to re-rate the plan mid-year. Because guaranteed and set monthly premiums are essential for a stable benefits program, Stanford selected a new insurer for the plan next year. We received a bid from Blue Shield of California guaranteed premium rates in 2012 and prevented a serious disruption of service to nearly 900 postdocs and their families who were at risk of losing access to Stanford Hospital and Clinics. However, as is true for faculty and staff plans, the cost in 2012 will be significantly higher than in the past. For 2012, the employer cost will be 52% more than 2011 for the postdoc plan.
The University will continue to provide coverage for postdocs without spouses or dependent coverage at zero cost to them, and will continue to subsidize the monthly postdoc contributions towards children and family coverage.
This anticipated rate increase will not impact the majority of our faculty whose postdocs are salaried on sponsored grants and contracts. The provisional postdoc fringe rate announced for FY12 of 19.8% will unlikely change at this point in time, per recent consultation with Thomas Wong at Cost and Management Analysis.
However, this rate increase will be realized in two ways:
1. Departments in which postdocs are on fellowship support, and which pay for insurance costs out of unrestricted funds, will have a 52% increase in their costs covering these postdocs.
2. All postdocs who cover dependents, regardless of their funding type (salary or stipend) will have a 30-50% increase in out-of-pocket contributions.
To assist our postdocs who cover their families, we are doubling the subsidies available through Family Healthcare Fund in 2012 up to $120/month. This aid program is jointly funded by the School of Medicine Dean and the Provost. This program accepts applications from postdocs from all schools on a quarterly basis. Fall applications are due November 9. More information can be found on the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs website at http://postdocs.stanford.edu/incoming_scholars/PD_emergency_fund.html.
Please work with your faculty as you see fit to prepare for these increases. We realize that the rising costs create an untenable situation, and several individuals across the University, the Postdoc Advisory Committee, and Human Resources are considering creative solutions to address it. If you have questions, feel free to reach me at 725-5075 or by email at raniasanford@stanford.edu or contact the Postdoc Benefits Manager, Sandra DeGaine, at sdegaine@stanford.edu.
Examples that describe in real terms how the change may affect different groups, and sample rates, are included below. Complete rates and information about Open Enrollment is on the Postdoc Benefits website at http://postdocs.stanford.edu/benefits/.
Sample Rate Comparison between 2012 and 2011 Monthly Rates*. Complete rates for all coverage levels and plan types are online at
http://postdocs.stanford.edu/benefits/PDF%20Documents/Postdocs%202012%20Monthly%20Contribution%20Rates%2010-27-11.pdf
2012 Medical-Blue Shield EPO
Full Cost (employer/postdoc split)
Postdoc Only $687 ($687/$0)
Postdoc+Family $2,060 ($1,442/$618)2011 Anthem Blue Cross HMO
Full Cost (employer/postdoc split)
Postdoc Only $452 ($452/$0)
Postdoc+Family $1,358 ($951/$407)% Change = 52%
*Most postdocs are on the HMO plan and will be in the EPO plan in 2012.
Employer (i.e., University or Department) pays 100% of Postdoc Only premium and 70% of premium for Postdoc+Spouse/Domestic Partner; Postdoc+Child(ren); Postdoc+Family coverage. Postdoc is billed for 30% of premium for Postdoc+Spouse/Domestic Partner; Postdoc+Child(ren); Postdoc+Family coverage.
Case 1: Postdoc JS is fully salaried on Professor AM’s research grant. Grant is assessed 19.8% fringe rate in FY12 regardless of insurance coverage or funding source.
Scenario A: If Postdoc JS is single—No charge for department (other than the fringe). JS pays nothing.
Scenario B: If Postdoc JS is insuring a family—No charge for department (other than the fringe). JS’s monthly premium contribution increases from $407 to $618/month.
Case 2: Postdoc TM is fully funded on a fellowship and receives a monthly stipend. Per University policy, a departmental PTA is charged for the employer contribution towards his insurance costs. That is 100% of single coverage and 70% of dependent coverage.
Scenario A: If Postdoc TM is single— department charge increases from $452 to $687/month. TM pays nothing.
Scenario B: If Postdoc TM is insuring a family— department charge increases from $951 to $1442/month. TM’s monthly premium increases from $407 to $618/month.
Case 3: Postdoc CB is on a blended fellowship and salary support.
Scenario A: If the salary amount is higher than 50% of CB’s total funding, refer to Case 1.
Scenario B: If the salary amount is less than 50% of CB’s total funding, refer to Case 2.
Rania Sanford, Ed.D.
Assistant Dean
Postdoctoral Affairs
Stanford University
Email: raniasanford@stanford.edu
Web: http://postdocs.stanford.edu
Tel.: 650-725-5075
Postdoctoral Administrators Quarterly Meeting Dates
Colleagues,
Our next Postdoctoral Administrators Quarterly Meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 25th from 10-11:30 AM in Clark S360.
Please save the following dates for the 2011-12 Administrators Quarterly Meetings:
•
Feb. 9, 2012, 10-11:30 AM
April 12, 2012, 10-11:30 AM
July 26, 2012, 10-11:30 AM
Oct. 25, 2012, 10-11:30 AM
Friendly Reminder: Please submit questions or requests to OPA via HelpSU.
(Please note: HelpSU tickets submitted to OPA via the following routing within HelpSU go directly to OPA staff.)
http://helpsu.stanford.edu : Request Category = Student Services; Request Type = Postdoctoral Affairs
To request to join this email list, please visit: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/supdssworkgroup
Independent Labs & Centers Meeting: 9/6 at 10:30 AM
Please save the date if you do any work with postdocs in Independent Labs and/or Centers.
Special Meeting for Independent Labs & Centers (and the Schools/Departments/Divisions who work with them)
• Tuesday, September 6, 2011
• 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
• Physics/Astrophysics Building, 452 Lomita Mall, Rooms 102/103
• Map: http://hepl.stanford.edu/directions.html
Friendly Reminder: Please submit questions or requests to OPA via HelpSU.
http://helpsu.stanford.edu : Request Category = Student Services; Request Type = Postdoctoral Affairs
To request to join or leave this email list please visit: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/supdssworkgroup
Postdoc Leave of Absence Requests
Colleagues,
Please continue using the Leave of Absence (LOA) Form via paper. The new LOA form will not be available in AXESS for postdocs until Administrative Systems has completed its support of the current phase of PD Web Forms “Go Live.”
In the meantime, the directions and required documents to request a LOA are available on OPA’s website at http://postdocs.stanford.edu/admin/how-to/leave.html
Friendly Reminder: Please submit questions or requests to OPA via HelpSU.
http://helpsu.stanford.edu : Request Category = Student Services; Request Type = Postdoctoral Affairs
To request to join or leave this email list please visit: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/supdssworkgroup
October 1 Funding Adjustment for Postdoctoral Scholars for the Academic Year 2011-2012
To: Postdoctoral Administrators
FR: Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
RE: October 1 Funding Adjustment for Postdoctoral Scholars for the Academic Year 2011-2012
It’s now time to work on completing your review of the salary/stipend levels of all postdoctoral scholars and clinical fellows in your area of responsibility in order to ensure that they meet the university’s minimum levels of support. We are approaching the first pay period where new minimums will have to be met. Adjustments must be reported to the postdoc and OPA via PD Web Forms (see below) and entered in GFS for the Aid Year 2011-2012. Instructions to do this are included below.
A mandatory adjustment of pay is required for any postdoc in order to be funded at a level that corresponds to his or her years of research experience or PGY, regardless of the source of funds (external awards, fellowships, salary) or the postdoc’s start date. An October 1 adjustment is not required if funding (salary and/or stipend) exceeds the appropriate minimum level of support required by the university.
The deadline to ensure that your GFS entries and PD Web Forms (Change Form) are all updated with the 2011-2012 funding information and paylines approved is October 15, 2011. GFS and other payroll deadlines can be found online at http://www.stanford.edu/group/fms/fingate/staff/payemployee/res_jobaid/payroll_schedule_deadline.html.
Funding (Salary and Stipend) Adjustments for Postdoctoral Scholars – Effective 10/1/2011
All Postdoctoral Scholars (Research) must be at the appropriate funding level, based on years of research experience on October 1 using the 2011-2012 Postdoc Funding Scale (online at http://postdocs.stanford.edu/handbook/pdfs/2011-2012%20PD%20Salary%20Scale.pdf). Even though a department may be giving salary increases on yearly anniversaries, departments must ensure that all postdoctoral scholars are funded at or above the university minimum levels starting October 1.
Funding (Salary and Stipend) Adjustments for Clinical Fellows – Effective 9/1/2011
Clinical Fellows must be paid at the appropriate PGY stipend level as of September 1. The new pay levels were released by Stanford Hospital & Clinics on 9/23/11 (see attached scale). If you missed the September payroll deadline, one-time payments will be necessary for September in addition to entering the pay increase for October 1. (see http://www.stanford.edu/group/fms/fingate/staff/payadmin/adminPay_postdoc.html#late_retroactive_payments for processing this type of payment).
How do I make salary adjustments in the new PD Web Forms system?
Detailed steps can be found in the training slides available at http://postdocs.stanford.edu/admin/PD_PS_Module_Training_092911.pdf (start at slide 172 for salary changes).
Salary adjustments are reported via the Change Transaction form in STF PostDocs in PeopleSoft. Select the Funding Change radio button and enter the new salary/stipend amount(s) with an effective date of 10/1/2011 (or 9/1/2011 in the case of clinical fellows). The Postdoc Web Form system automatically generates emails to the Postdoc about requested change and confirmed change.
If the Appointment End Date will also be extended, the extension can be processed on the same transaction by checking Appointment Dates Change as well as Funding Change radio buttons. A Funding Change effective October 1, 2011 is not possible if the Appointment End Date is September 30, 2011 or earlier.
If you have difficulties with the Change Form, please submit your questions to OPA via HelpSU. (Tickets submitted via the following routing go directly to OPA staff.)
http://helpsu.stanford.edu : Request Category = Student Services; Request Type = Postdoctoral Affairs
Postdocs on External, Directly-Paid, Funding
As part of your funding review, department administrators must obtain any award letters that document any portions of external funding directly paid to the postdoc in 2011-2012. Keep a copy of any funding letters in the postdoc file and provide a copy to OPA by email to postdocaffairs@stanford.edu.
Administrators must enter in GFS the external funding amounts, distributed over the period of the award, as ‘Info Only’ stipend line in the “FLSHP Stipend” tab, unless otherwise noted in the award letter. External funding paid in currencies other than US$ must be converted using the current rate. If the external funding amount is below the appropriate level, a supplement is typically provided from department funds, faculty discretionary accounts and/or some grants. An easy conversion tool may be found online at www.oanda.com.
Postdocs on Leave of Absence. What to do if my postdoc is on leave on October 1?
If your postdoc is on an approved unpaid leave when October starts, you need not enter stipend or salary lines in GFS. Apply the appropriate October 1 pay rate when the postdoc returns from leave.
Remember that postdocs remain ‘active’ during periods of leave, which allows for a continuation of benefits and access to privileges and other facilities. As a result, and even though a pay or stipend line is not required, you must enter a FLSHP Tuition line for Fall Quarter or else the postdoc will receive a bill from the university incorrectly.
Other Information
If you need to make late or retroactive payments, please review the following link for the steps to take: http://www.stanford.edu/group/fms/fingate/staff/payadmin/adminPay_postdoc.html#late_retroactive_payments
To help determine where your postdoc might be on the salary scale, you may use the Salary Calculator, a tool that is downloadable from the OPA website: http://postdocs.stanford.edu/handbook/salary.html. The table showing Stanford’s 2011-2012 minimum levels is also downloadable from the same page. Please note: the new salaries are built in to the PD Web Forms system and are calculated for you when you update the record via a Change Transaction.
Questions? If you have questions, please submit questions to OPA via HelpSU. (Tickets submitted to OPA via the following routing within HelpSU go directly to OPA staff.) http://helpsu.stanford.edu : Request Category = Student Services; Request Type = Postdoctoral Affairs
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