Stanford
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Postdoc Benefits

Steps to Enrollment

Postdocs must attend a Postdoc Benefits Informational Session within 31 days of their start date and before gaining access to the enrollment platform, Benelogic. Department administrators usually register you for a session, so check with them first. If you have been asked to enroll yourself, please pick a date from our available sessions.

Typically, you have 31 days from your appointment start date to make your benefit elections via the online enrollment platform, Benelogic. If you have forgotten the instructions provided during the session, check out these instructions to help guide you.

We realize it can take 45 - 60 days to finalize enrollment for those postdocs who must apply for an SSN. We expect that you will apply as soon as you can ensure timely enrollment in health insurance.

If you do not take action after our first reminder to enroll, you will be automatically enrolled for the following benefits (postdoc only—no dependent coverage):

You will not be enrolled in the dental and vision plans and will have no coverage for these services. Your effective date of coverage will be the same as outlined in the When Coverage Begins section.

A Word About Social Security Numbers

Benelogic requires a social security number to create records. If your SSN is unknown, a placeholder SSN is used. If you have a valid SSN, please update it during the enrollment process. If you do not, enrollment will be delayed until you obtain one.

A social security number is required to finalize enrollment. Once you receive your SSN, the dummy SSN must be replaced with a valid number to ensure proper medical insurance enrollment accountability. The state of California requires all Californian's have medical insurance and that the plan sponsor (Stanford) provide proof of enrollment to each individual for tax filing purposes. Incorrect SSNs will make reporting inaccurate, and you could be financially penalized by the California Tax Franchise Board.

Latest update to Social Security office availability

Adding Eligible Family Members (dependents)

If you enroll a dependent, the Postdoc Benefits Office requires proof of dependent eligibility for the dependents you cover. Learn more about the required dependent eligibility documentation and what is considered acceptable proof of dependent eligibility.

For the medical, dental, and vision plans, you may choose from one of the following enrollment categories:

  • Postdoc only
  • Postdoc + Spouse/Registered Domestic Partner
  • Postdoc + Child(ren)
  • Postdoc + Family (includes spouse/registered domestic partner and children)

You may select different enrollment categories for your medical, dental, and vision plans. For example, you may enroll your entire family for medical coverage, but only yourself for dental, or you, your spouse, and child for medical and you and your spouse for dental.

When Are My Plans Effective?

Becoming officially insured is a process. You must:

  • Attend the benefits session
  • Enroll in benefits and submit those elections for approval
  • Your election data is sent to the carriers and processed within their systems
    • Aetna and Delta Dental receive election data every Tuesday morning
    • Friday to VSP receives election data every Friday morning
  • Your elections are processed with an effective date of your appointment start date

Regardless of when you can finalize your elections by submitting them for approval, all plans become retro-effective back to your appointment start date.

Medical, dental, vision and Postdoc Assistance programs end on the last day of the month you end your appointment. Disability, life insurance, and travel insurance end on your appointment end date.

Waive Benefits

You also have the option to waive postdoc medical, dental, and vision benefits. Proof of medical insurance is required to waive our plan. Dental and vision coverage is not compulsory, so you may waive it without proof of other coverage.

Read about how to waive medical insurance