JHH and JHBMC House Staff Benefits
Health Benefits through UHS
House staff and clinical fellows have access to UHS, regardless of enrollment in the Student Health Program (SHP) insurance. There is no charge for clinic visits for adult primary care and adult outpatient mental health services. However, additional services such as labs, x-rays, and medications will be billed to your health insurance.
Access to UHS services ceases upon graduation or completion of your fellowship or trainee appointment, so you and your covered spouse/same-sex domestic partner should begin to make arrangements to establish with a non-UHS provider for primary care and mental health needs at least 90 days prior to graduation. Participants in COBRA Student Health Program are not eligible to use UHS services.
Health Insurance
Postdoctoral fellows in the School of Medicine are provided with health insurance through the Student Health Program (SHP).
Additional information about health benefits for house staff and clinical fellows is available on the GME Wellness website.
If you are enrolled in the SHP for your health insurance, you can view your medical benefits at a glance on the EHP website.
Pharmacy Benefits
Participants in the Student Health Program (SHP) (group #E00016) are covered by Caremark Prescription Services (group #W7569999). The program has a three-tier co-payment benefit (generic, preferred brand, and non-preferred brand). Details about the cost of prescriptions in each tier is available on the EHP website.
If the prescribed drug is less than the copay, the member pays the lesser amount. No deductible applies to pharmacy benefits. Additional information about pharmacy benefits, including in-network pharmacies, are available on the EHP website. A cost saving mail order prescription program is available for the convenient purchase of maintenance prescriptions. Please Note: The prescription plan covers oral contraceptives.
Exclusions: Prescriptions are covered if written by a primary care physician or specialist with whom you have formally established care. Prescriptions written by a SHP subscriber for another covered person in the SHP will not be covered by the prescription program. Prescriptions are also not covered under the SHP if written by a blood relative or a family member living in the home. Some prescriptions require prior authorization by EHP before they can be covered.
Dental Insurance
House staff and clinical fellows have access to a dental plan administered by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. See this link for more detailed information about the dental plan. [missing link]
Vision Care
Residents are allowed one annual comprehensive routine eye examination/contact lens evaluation provided by Wilmer Comprehensive Eye Service within the health plan year, which begins JULY 1 and ends JUNE 30. Appointments can be made by contacting one of several locations shown below. When calling to make your appointment, please notify the person scheduling you that your examination will be covered by University Health Services. Your name and fee for the examination will then be placed on an account to be paid by the UHS Benefits Office. If for some reason you get a bill, please notify the UHS Benefits Office immediately and submit the bill for resolution. Please note that the fee for the routine eye examination/contact lens evaluation is not paid by your Student Health Program (SHP) insurance and you should not contact or submit the bill to them. Eyeglasses or contact lenses are not covered by SHP insurance or by UHS. However, the Wilmer Institute Comprehensive Eye Service provides a 25% discount off of the retail price of prescription eyewear, frames, lenses, and lens treatments; 25% discount off all non-prescription sunglasses; and 10% discount off a year’s supply of disposable or planned replacement contact lenses.
Dependent vision care: Routine eye examinations or contact lens fittings for dependents under the age of 20are covered under the SHP. Please refer to the insurance summary of benefits for specifics of services and benefits allowed or contact a customer service representative from EHP’s Student Health Program at 410-424-4450 for assistance.
The sites for the routine comprehensive eye examination/contact lens evaluations are:
- Johns Hopkins Hospital – 410-955-5080
- Greenspring Station- 410-583-2800
- Columbia – 410-910-2330
- White Marsh- 443-442-2020
- Bel Air- 410-399-8443
- Bethesda- 240-482-1100
Immunizations
Routine Immunizations: UHS offers routine, age-appropriate immunizations. Please note that the cost of immunizations is not covered by the health fee, but depends on your insurance coverage. Typically, the cost of these vaccines is covered in full if you have the Student Health Program (SHP). However, if you have health insurance other than SHP, please check with your insurance provider to determine your coverage.
Travel Immunizations: Fees for travel immunizations are covered for house staff by the UHS Benefits & Billing Office only if required as part of an elective abroad. Information about GME policies for electives can be found here. [broken link] The Johns Hopkins Travel and Tropical Medicine Clinic administers travel immunizations. This clinic is located at 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room WB031; the phone number is 410-955-8931 and the email is travelmedicine@jhmi.edu. No referral is necessary. Please make an appointment at least 2-4 weeks in advance of travel. Please notify the person scheduling your visit that you are house staff, and you have been approved for travel for a course. The travel clinic staff will send the bill for the immunizations to the UHS Benefits & Billing Office for review and payment.
Please note, your SHP insurance does not allow benefits for travel immunizations. If for any reason you get a bill for approved travel immunizations, do not pay it, and contact the UHS Benefits & Billing Office for immediate assistance.
Other Benefits
The House Staff Supplemental Fund offsets out of pocket maximum medical expenses for enrolled house officers and their spouses, same sex domestic partners, and their children. The fund will reimburse the house officer for copays and deductibles after insurance payment for eligible services.
Your insurance (Student Health Program) limits out of pocket expenses to $3000 per person and $9000 per family per plan year (July 1-June 30). The fund supplements this coverage by reimbursing up to $2000 for individuals and $6000 per family. This limits the house officers’ out of pocket maximum to $1000 per individual and $3000 per family per plan year.
The plan year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. Claims for review and approval can be submitted at any time during the plan year and no later than December 31st following the end of the plan year. For instructions on submitting claims, please contact the UHS Benefits & Billing Office.