Medical Residency and Fellowship Benefits
Non-Medical Insurance

DISABILITY INSURANCE

All house staff members are covered by a long-term group disability income insurance program through the UNUM Insurance Company of Portland, Maine. The total cost of this program is underwritten by UIHC and is administered by Bernie Lowe & Associates, Inc. of West Des Moines, Iowa. Under this plan any house staff member who is totally disabled from either an accident or illness will receive a monthly benefit of $2,500 after a waiting period of 180 days (up to that time and in accord with an established commitment, UIHC will provide supplemental disability pay to any fully disabled house staff member which will complement Social Security, Worker's Compensation or other disability benefits to provide a total monthly income equivalent to the house staff member's current stipend).

Once benefits commence under this plan they are payable for the first two years of the house staff member's total inability to engage in his/her specialty. Benefits continue to be payable beyond 24 months up to age 65 if the house staff member is unable to engage in an occupation for which he/she is reasonably suited by education and training. One unique feature of this program is that benefits are not integrated (i.e., will not be reduced by Social Security, Worker's Compensation payments, or income from any other disability plan). In addition, this program provides a guaranteed conversion option so that house staff members will have the option of purchasing an individual disability policy with a $1,500 monthly benefit provision without evidence of insurability upon completion of their training program.

LIABILITY PROTECTION

House staff physicians and dentists, under contract as house staff members with the UIHC, are covered by Iowa's State Tort Claims Act when they are providing services within the scope of their training during assigned rotations at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and assigned rotations elsewhere in Iowa. If a claim is made against a house staff member arising out of an act or omission within the scope of the residency or fellowship training, the Attorney General's Office will defend the house staff member and the state will pay any settlement or judgment awarded. The State Tort Claims Act provides the house staff member with liability protection, without dollar limits, for clinical services rendered in Iowa within the scope of the training program. The State Tort Claims Act is the equivalent of an occurrence malpractice policy, and no tail coverage is required.

Should the house staff member be engaged in any moonlighting activity outside the scope of the training program, that house staff member is personally responsible for assuring that he/she has adequate liability coverage and for obtaining and maintaining that coverage (see Policy and Procedures Regarding Professional Activity Outside the Training Program by House Staff Physicians and Dentists). If the house staff member engages in an elective rotation outside the State of Iowa, liability protection is also NOT provided and the house staff member is responsible for obtaining his/her own short-term liability coverage.

LIFE INSURANCE

All house staff members are covered by a $40,000 basic group life insurance plan. This benefit is payable to a house staff member's beneficiary for death due to any cause and covers house staff members from the date of appointment until training is completed or terminated as defined in the section of the document describing the term limits of courtesy care coverage. The total cost of this program is underwritten by UIHC, its affiliates and clinical services sponsoring fellowship training.

In addition to the basic insurance plan, house staff members can elect to purchase dependent life insurance at $2/month. House staff may also continue the $40,000 basic group plan upon completion of training.