Important information on UT student health insurance & benefits (including summer insurance) and medical plans
Teaching Assistants, Assistant Instructors, and Graduate Research Assistants appointed for at least 20-hours per week are eligible for health insurance coverage (see below for plan changes effective Fall 2021).
Although the first class day of the Fall semester is in the latter part of August, medical coverage does not begin until September 1.
Students receiving University health insurance benefits for the first time should attend a graduate student health insurance orientation in late August or early September. Sign up for an orientation here.
TAs and AIs who are appointed in the spring and have a continuing, benefits-eligible appointment for the fall will have continuous coverage over the summer. Coverage for spouses and children can be added to your policy. At this time the University does not extend benefits to domestic partners of graduate student academic employees. Student employees can also elect to add reasonably priced dental and vision insurance to your plan to cover themselves, their spouse, and family.
For those with insurance coverage over the summer, all dental/vision/family premiums for June, July, and August are deducted from the May paycheck.
Medical coverage rates for full-time graduate student employees (20 hours/week appointment) are here.
Health Insurance Changes effective Fall 2021
Academic Blue
Starting September 2021, graduate students with benefits-eligible academic employment of 20-29 hours per week will be automatically enrolled in Academic Blue with 100% premium support provided by the university. Academic Blue provides affordable, quality coverage that meets or exceeds a gold-level of coverage according to the Affordable Care Act. See FAQs here.
Enrollment in Academic Blue enables students to maintain continuity of coverage for the duration of their studies, regardless of their status as fellows, employees or self-supported students, and avoid reset deductibles that occurred during transitions between UT Select and Academic Blue.
Additionally, benefits-eligible academic employees enrolled in Academic Blue will now have access to vision and dental coverage at no premium cost.
Students enrolled in Academic Blue have access to many services provided by University Health Services (UHS)—including primary care, general medicine and preventative services—that are covered at 100% without copays. Academic Blue is administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and has the same provider network as UT Select, so students currently on UT Select can maintain access to their providers. Also, Academic Blue provides spouse and child coverage that is more affordable than UT Select.
Academic Blue is also available to students without academic employment or academic employment that is below 20 hours per week. For these students, the full premium for Academic Blue is affordable. Students without employment may also choose to visit HealthCare.gov to explore insurance options in the federal healthcare marketplace.
UT Select
Graduate students with benefits-eligible academic employment of 20-29 hours per week may still choose UT Select. However, beginning in September, they will be required to pay 50% of their premium sharing. This is in-line with other part-time UT employees—such as part-time staff and faculty members—who pay 50% of the premium sharing.
Graduate students with benefits-eligible academic employment of 30 hours or more per week (which is considered full-time employment for insurance benefits) will be automatically enrolled in UT Select at no premium cost. However, these students may choose to enroll instead in Academic Blue with 100% premium support provided by the university for continuity of coverage and free access to vision and dental coverage.
Plan Differences
We recommend that you research the two plans to make the choice that is best for you and your health needs. While both Academic Blue and UT Select are gold-level plans, in some cases there are differences related to copayments, deductibles and annual out-of-pocket maximums.
Human Resources has developed materials on its website—including additional information, chart comparisons and FAQs—to help you make your decision: https://hr.utexas.edu/student/student-employee-insurance-benefits/academic-graduate-student-employee-insurance-options
