Insurance Forms

Health Insurance for Postdoctoral Scholars

Overview 

All postdoctoral scholars with appointments of 100% for 3 to 12 months at UC Davis will be eligible to enroll in University-sponsored, low-cost health insurance through the University of California. The UC Postdoc Scholar Benefit Program (PSBP) includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for the Postdoc Scholar and eligible dependents – spouse and/or children.

Please Note:

  • The PSBP medical plans (HMO & PPO) satisfy the health insurance requirements of the J1 Visa program; and,
  • The PSBP provides the required Repatriation & Medical Evacuation coverage for the J1 Postdoc Scholar as well as J2 dependents at no cost to the Postdoc.

If scholars elect to enroll in the UC Davis PSBP plan, they can do so through the UC Davis Benefits office upon arrival in Davis, CA.  Scholars are also eligible to enroll eligible family members (spouse and children) at the time of their arrival. 

Scholars who choose to enroll in the PSBP will be personally responsible to pay the Postdoc Scholar contribution towards the monthly medical premium.  In general, this is a low payment compared to most other plans.  There is no financial contribution towards the dental or vision plans, which is a great benefit to postdoctoral scholars. 

Monthly payments vary depending on the medical plan choice and number of dependents enrolled.  The Postdoc Scholar’s contribution will automatically be deducted from monthly earnings by the Payroll system. In cases where the Postdoc is not paid by the University, the Postdoc will make monthly contributions directly to the PSBP plan broker’s office.

  • More information about insurance plan details and the UC Postdoc Scholar Benefit Program is available from Garnett-Powers, the broker who oversees the benefits. Enrollment and premium payment information will be provided to the Postdoc Scholar at the time of appointment at UC Davis.
  • Postdoc Scholars are encouraged to attend Postdoc Orientation where the PSBP plans and enrollment process are discussed. Schedules for these sessions will be provided to the Postdoc when the appointment is processed at UC Davis.
  • The UC Davis PSBP Coordinators are Evelyn Arechiga and Javier Martinez.  Please contact them to learn more about the program or for any questions you may have.