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Wylie Fellows

The Wylie Fellowship is a full-time fellowship and provides you with full support for one semester (a $15,000 stipend, a credit for mandatory fees, tuition remission for 899, and a reimbursement for health insurance). 

The goal of the Wylie Fellowship is to provide students with time during the semester in order to fully focus on writing. Therefore, Wylie Fellows cannot hold a GAship while on the fellowship. If you have insurance through your GAship, the insurance will end on the last day of the month that your GAship ends. This means you will need to find a new insurance plan while on the Wylie Fellowship.

Some students ask if there is a way to keep the State of MD Employee Health Plan.  The only way to keep that plan would be to purchase it through COBRA, but this is a very expensive option.  A much more reasonably priced option is the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). SHIP is a premium insurance plan and is compliant with the Affordable Care Act.  Other plans may be available to you, such as a spouse's plan or a plan through healthcare.gov.

The Grad School reimburses Wylie Fellows for the cost of an individual insurance plan while on the fellowship. The maximum reimbursement amount is the cost of an individual SHIP.  Here is the reimbursement form.  Fall Wylie Fellows can request reimbursement for summer 2024 and fall 2024. Spring Wylie Fellows can request a reimbursement for spring 2025 and summer 2025.

Wylie Fellows who already have insurance from an external source

Remember to submit a SHIP waiver during the Fall Open Enrollment period in order to avoid being charged for SHIP on your student financial account. Submit your Waiver at https://umd.myahpcare.com/.

Wylie Fellows who have insurance through their GAship

FALL WYLIE FELLOWS
Before the Fall Semester: When your Graduate Assistantship ends in May or June 2024, your insurance will end as well. The insurance remains active through the last day of the month that your GAship ended. This means you will need to find insurance for Summer 2024 and Fall 2024.  If your Graduate Assistantship ends in July or August 2024, your State of Maryland Employee Health Plan will be active through the summer, but you will need to purchase a new insurance plan for Fall 2024.  Most Wylie Fellows choose to purchase the SHIP, but you are free to purchase acceptable insurance from a different source such as a spousal plan, healthcare.gov, or edusure.com.  

  • The Summer 2024 SHIP provides coverage through July 31, 2024.  To enroll for the Summer 2024 SHIP, you should use the Qualifying Event process.  Be on the lookout for the end of the coverage letter from the State of Maryland Benefits Office (ebd.mail@maryland.gov /410-767-4775.) . You will need to use that letter to enroll in the SHIP using the qualifying event process.  You have a 30 day window (after your insurance coverage ends) to enroll in SHIP using the qualifying event process.    
  • The Fall 2024 SHIP provides coverage from August 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024. To enroll for Fall 2024 SHIP, you will use the Open Enrollment Process.  Your student account will be charged for the SHIP premium on or around August 8th.  In order to begin using the SHIP, you must go to the AHP website to activate the plan by going to https://umd.myahpcare.com/ (click on begin enrollment). You are considered a returning student so click on Graduates (2025-2026).  Once your SHIP is activated, you will get an email from United HealthCare Student Resources (UHCSR) which will direct you on how to create a UHCSR account.

Summer 25 / Fall 25 SHIP Enrollment Process:

  • If you choose to purchase the SHIP, enroll at umd.myahpcare.com/.   When enrolling for Summer, use the qualifying event process described above. When enrolling for the Fall, use the August Open Enrollment Process. 
  • If you choose to purchase insurance from a different source, submit a SHIP waiver at umd.myahpcare.com/.  Submit the waiver promply in order to avoid being charged for SHIP on your student financial account. 

After the Fall Semester:  The Spring/Summer SHIP will automatically continue for the Spring.  If you do not want the Spring/Summer SHIP, you will need to contact AHP to request a spring waiver. In December, when you are making this decision, here are some things to keep in mind.

  • If you continue with SHIP for Spring/Summer, you will have insurance through July 31, 2025 (even if you graduate in May 2025).  Your student account will be charged for the Spring Summer plan. You can enroll in the Terp Payment Plan to assist you with paying this amount over 3-4 months.  
  • If you have new GAship for the Spring, and you would like to enroll in the State of Maryland Employee Health Plan again, you need to be cognizant of your GA start date.  If your GA start date is in December and you re-enroll in the State of Maryland Employee Health Plan, your insurance effective date will be January 1, 2025.  But, if your GA start date is in January, then your State of MD insurance will begin February 1.  To assist with this gap in coverage, SHIP offers a Bridge Plan which will enable you to extend your fall SHIP coverage for one month (January only).  
  • Remember, if you decide to enroll in the State of Maryland Employee Health Plan again or another external plan, starting Jan 1, you need to take steps to opt out of the Spring SHIP.  Contact the University Health Center at UHC-Insurance@umd.edu to request a mid-year waiver process so that you can submit a spring waiver.  If this step is not done, you will be charged for Spring SHIP.  

SPRING WYLIE FELLOWS
Before the Spring Semester: When your Graduate Assistantship ends in December or January, your insurance will end as well. The insurance remains active through the last day of the month that your GAship ended. This means you will need to find insurance for Spring 2025 and Summer 2025.  Most Wylie Fellows choose to purchase the SHIP, but you are free to purchase acceptable insurance from a different source such as a spousal plan, healthcare.gov, or edusure.com.  If you choose to purchase insurance from a different source, your Fall 2024 waiver remains in place since it is good for one year.  If you decide to enroll in SHIP, more information is below.

  • The Spring/Summer SHIP provides coverage from January 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025 (even if you graduate in May 2025).  You can enroll in the Spring/Summer plan using the qualifying event process or you can enroll using the regular enrollment process during the December Open Enrollment. 
  • Option 1:  To enroll using the qualifying event process, go to umd.myahpcare.com/ go to enrollment, then click on the last option "Students with a qualifying event."  When enrolling using the Qualifying Event, you will need end of coverage letter from your current insurance. Contact the State of MD benefits office at EBD.Mail@Maryland.gov or 410-767-4775 for more information about the end of coverage letter.  
  • Option 2:  To enroll using the regular enrollment process, contact the University Health Center at UHC-Insurance@umd.edu to request a Waiver reset (when you submitted the fall waiver, it was good for both fall and spring -  they need to cancel the Spring Waiver). Once your Spring Waiver is cancelled, you can enroll by going to umd.myahpcare.com/ and clicking on "Begin Enrollment," then scroll down to "Graduates". 
  • Option 2 is preferred.

After the Spring Semester: 
If you have the Spring/Summer SHIP, your SHIP coverage continues through July 31, 2025.  After July 31, 2025, you will need to secure a new plan.

SHIP Bridge Plan 
The SHIP Bridge Plan is available to SHIP enrollees to extned SHIP coverage for one month.  Students interested in the SHIP Bridge plan would be those who graduate in August or December or those who are transitioning to a different insurance plan.  The Bridge plan is in place to assist SHIP enrollees with a transition to a new plan.  
 

Additional Questions?  Please reach out to Robyn Kotzker (rkotzker@umd.edu). 

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