Summer Prepay Deductions: Continuing Insurance Coverage While on Summer Break
June 17, 2019
What are Summer Prepay Deductions?
If you are a 9-month employee returning to UW employment in the fall of 2019, or a 12-month employee with a contract that does not include work for one or more summer months, then additional insurance premiums should have been deducted from your April 1, May 1 and/or May 31 paychecks to continue your insurance coverage through the summer months. These additional insurance premiums are referred to as summer prepay deductions and are taken along with your regular monthly insurance deductions.
You must be expected to either return for the fall 2019 semester or continue employment in a summer service/summer session appointment to continue benefits coverage during the summer contract break.
Note: Employees in the United States working on a Visa, MUST maintain health insurance coverage during the summer months, or risk losing Visa eligibility. If you have questions about this requirement, contact your human resources office.
Confirming Your Summer Prepay Deductions
Check your spring 2019 earnings statements to verify if you had summer prepay deductions taken from your paychecks. Summer prepay deductions appear as a lump sum on earnings statements.
Deductions taken pre-tax (most medical-related premiums and a portion of State Group Life Insurance premiums) will be added together under ‘Prebtx’ and deductions taken post-tax (most life insurance premiums) will be added together under ‘Preatx.’ Regular benefit deductions for the month will continue to be listed under the plan name.
In the fall, 9-month employees’ regular insurance premium deductions will resume on the October 1, 2019 paycheck. Regular insurance premium deductions for 12-month employees will resume upon return from their summer work break.
What if I Did Not Have Summer Prepay Deductions Taken?
If you did not have summer prepay deductions taken and are returning in fall 2019, contact your human resources office immediately. If your insurance premiums are not collected through summer prepay deductions, you must be set up in benefits billing by your human resource office so a bill is generated for you.
Once your bill is generated, you must remit timely premium payments to continue your insurance coverage. If you do not take the steps to set up benefits billing, a bill will not be generated. If you do not pay for your insurance, it will be cancelled due to non-payment.
What Happens if You Have a ‘Status Change’ During the Summer?
Are you getting married this summer, adopting a baby, terminating employment? If you anticipate a status change during the summer, contact your human resources office immediately about the impact to your insurance benefits.
For example, if you are getting married and need to change from single to family health insurance coverage, you must submit a new health insurance application to your human resources office within 30 days of the date of your marriage. Your new spouse (and family) will be covered as of the date of the marriage. The new rate will be deducted from your prepayments according to the new level of coverage, and you may have to pay an additional portion of the premium if the coverage increases.
If your anticipated fall 2019 employment status changes, refunds may be issued for premiums paid beyond your coverage end date. Your coverage will end at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.
If you will be terminating employment, and will not return in the fall, contact your human resources office immediately to determine when your insurance coverage will end.
Questions
If you have questions, contact your human resources office.
Source: UW Service Center
Categories: Payroll