Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
Graduate Medical Education

MCWAH Benefits, Conditions, and Terms of Employment

The Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals offers its housestaff a comprehensive benefits package.

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Air Transport Insurance
MCWAH provides accident insurance to housestaff who are involved in patient air transportation.

COBRA Insurance-Continuation for those graduating or leaving

If you are currently enrolled in our WPS Health, Delta Dental, or Delta Vision insurance, you may be eligible to continue your current coverage under MCWAH’s group policy (COBRA) for up to 18 months.

You will automatically receive COBRA election notices in the mail close to your last day of employment. Each of Health, Dental and Vision can be elected separately (for example, you can choose to continue Health only if so desired). The election is made for the initial month and can be continued for up to 18 months. Once COBRA is elected, you send a check in to the COBRA administrator each month. If you do not send a check in for a specific month, you lose your ability to continue under COBRA.

The following COBRA rates will be in effect as of July 1, 2023. Premiums are subject to increase, at a minimum, each July 1:

Health - Family coverage is $1810.48/month
Single coverage is $731.37/month

Dental – Family coverage is $69.30/month
Single coverage is $21.62/month

Vision – Family coverage is $13.28/month
Single coverage is $5.33/month

As a member of the Wisconsin Medical Society you can contact them at (608) 442-3810 to discuss insurance services available to members. Identify yourself as a housestaff member of the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals.

Special Notes for those Graduating or Leaving on June 30

You will receive COBRA notices and forms in the mail in June. As noted, above, the premiums are subject to increase each July 1st. The exact premiums will be known and noted on the COBRA notices when you receive them.

Dental Insurance
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA/WFMLA)

The Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Inc. provides family and medical leave in accordance with the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act (WFMLA).

Our FMLA/WFMLA leave policy is outlined in detail in the Housestaff Handbook.

You may also wish to view the:
Federal Family and Medical Leave Act WHD Publication 1420 (PDF)
Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act Publication ERD-7983-P (PDF)

Additional leave of absence and related policies can be found in the Housestaff Handbook, including other leave of absence options when a housestaff member does not qualify for a FMLA or WFMLA leave of absence.

GME Training Agreement (GMETA)
Health Insurance
Health Club Resource/Discounts

Health Club Resources/Discounts
Various health club resources and discounts are available to the MCWAH housestaff.

MCW Fitness Facility
The Tonken’s Center is located on the lower level of the Medical Education Building and is open 24 hours a day. Locker rooms with showers are located directly across from the fitness center. There are no costs or fees associated with using this facility. An MCW badge is needed to gain entry to both the fitness center and locker rooms. Housestaff wanting to use these facilities should contact their program coordinator about obtaining an MCW badge.

Wisconsin Athletic Club
Has several locations and offers a discount off the joining fee. Visit the WAC website.

WPS Active & Fit Direct Program
Offers discounts to participating facilities. WPS Active & Fit Direct Program (PDF)

YMCA Milwaukee
Offers various membership specials. Please visit the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee website for more information.

Leave Benefits
Life and Accidental Death

This policy provides $50,000 of group term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverage. Your group coverage is convertible to an individual policy upon leaving MCWAH on a guaranteed basis without evidence of health.

Note that the above is just a short summary of the Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance benefit. The Group Life\AD&D plan certificate (PDF), as issued by the insurance company, is the governing document and should be consulted for specific details of the coverage, benefits, limitations, and exclusions.

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Base Group Plan
This Group policy provides 80% of a housestaff’s base stipend to a maximum monthly benefit of $5,000. Disability is defined as the inability to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of your own occupation. Benefits start two months (60 days) after the onset of disability. Benefits can be payable to social security normal retirement age (SSNRA). The policy should be consulted for specific details. This policy can be converted upon leaving MCWAH without evidence of health. Please call our agent Wisconsin Medical Society at (608) 442-3730 with any questions and for specific details.

Note that the above is just a short summary of the Long-Term Disability insurance benefit. The Group Long-Term Disability plan certificate (PDF), as issued by the insurance company, is the governing document and should be consulted for specific details of the coverage, benefits, limitations and exclusions.

Voluntary Supplemental Individual Plan
Housestaff members are also eligible for a voluntary, supplemental, individual disability policy. The policy is True Own Occupation/Specialty coverage. Premiums are guaranteed and substantially discounted. This policy is portable and may be continued and increased upon graduation and after. This policy is handled exclusively by Wisconsin Medical Society. For details about this plan, please call (608) 442-3730.

MCW Physicians and Clinics

The faculty of MCW includes more than 800 physicians offering high quality care in primary care as well as in every medical and surgical specialty and subspecialty.

We invite you to establish a MCW primary care physician for yourself and your family members.

MCW physicians practice at various clinics including family practice sites affiliated with community hospitals located off campus.

See Medical College of Wisconsin Physician and Provider Directory to find a doctor and to browse the major affiliated clinics by type including:

  • Primary Care Clinics
  • Walk-in/Urgent Care
  • Adult Specialty Clinics
  • Pediatric Specialty Clinics

Visit the website for services, hours, phone numbers, maps of their locations, and more.

Please contact the respective clinics to schedule an appointment. A facility fee and/or co-pay may be required by some of the hospitals.

See Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Primary Care for additional information.

You can determine whether a specific provider is in-network or out-of-network for our WPS Health insurance plan by going to Your WPS Health Insurance Plan – Who to Contact and How to find Information (PDF) and following the instructions for searching the WPS Statewide Network. Most MCW physicians and affiliated hospitals participate.

Meals, Call Rooms, Working Environment, and Laundry

Per our Affiliation Agreements, the affiliated hospitals are required to provide housestaff with the following:

  • Equipment, resources and facilities including without limitation cafeteria, library access and suitable sleeping quarters for night and weekend call.
  • Appropriate security and personal safety measures for all locations, including parking, facilities, on-call quarters, institutional grounds and any other related clinical facilities.
    Housestaff laundry services are independently coordinated by each residency and fellowship program.

Any concerns regarding these issues are addressed by the Housestaff Health and Welfare Committee.

Mental Health Program/Employee Assistance Benefit

Resident Behavioral Health Program

There can be enhanced benefits for Behavioral Health Services if you use the Student and Resident Behavioral Health Program.

MCWAH is aware of the multiple demands of residency training. In an effort to meet the unique needs of our housestaff, the Student and Resident Behavioral Health Program has been designed to assist MCWAH housestaff in obtaining the highest quality of behavioral health care in a confidential manner. This benefit also applies to spouses and children.

Housestaff who use the Student and Resident Behavioral Health Program can receive confidential referral assistance to in-network and out-of-network providers. Some referral providers offer 3 unbilled visits per academic year (7/1 - 6/30 academic year). Contact the Behavioral Health Center at (414) 955-8933 for referral assistance. For after hours (5 p.m.-8 a.m.) emergencies, call (414) 805-6700 and follow the instructions to reach the clinician on call.

See Student and Resident Behavioral Health Services for additional information.

Employee Assistance Benefit

In addition, as part of the Long-Term Disability Insurance Plan provided to housestaff, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is also offered. It is primarily an online referral service for such things as child care services, identity theft consultation, adoption resources, health clubs and fitness centers and other “work-life” services. It also includes financial and legal information in addition to a program for completing a simple will. Telephone consultation for referrals to support groups or community services is also provided. There is no charge for these EAP services for MCWAH housestaff or their immediate family members. Please view additional information concerning this benefit on the Graduate Medical Education InfoScope page (intranet access required).

Professional Liability Insurance
Visit the Professional Liability page for more information.
Stipends

The Board of Directors of MCWAH establishes stipends for housestaff. The annual stipend levels for the academic year beginning July 1, 2024 are:

PGY-1: $69,700

PGY-2: $70,920

PGY-3: $74,650

PGY-4: $75,530

PGY-5: $79,810

PGY-6: $82,680

PGY-7: $87,310

PGY-8: $92,310

PGY-9: $93,970

Annual stipend levels are set in relation to AAMC Resident\Fellow Stipend surveys for the 75th percentile of the Central Region plus an additional approximately 2.0% in lieu of reimbursements.

The stipend is deposited directly once a month, on the last day of the month, in the individual's bank account. MCWAH offers direct deposit at most banks, savings and loans, and credit unions. The funds are available on payday. If the payday falls on a holiday or weekend, the funds are available the day before the holiday or weekend.

The Post Graduate year is the one appropriate for the program in which the housestaff is currently enrolled and is determined by the number of years remaining before successful completion of the program. Only pre-requisite years are included in the Post Graduate year determination. Example: An individual has completed 5 years of previous GME and enters the first year of a Cardiology program. The training year level would be PGY-4 if the individual successfully completed 3 years training in an Internal Medicine program as the pre-requisite for Cardiology.

When a question exists with respect to the Post Graduate year, the Program Coordinator should contact the appropriate Board or RRC to determine the amount of the individual’s previous training that can be counted towards their MCWAH program requirements.

Changes in monthly salary levels for housestaff advancing mid-year will occur on the 1st of the month. For housestaff whose advance date is prior to the 16th of the month, the change in salary will be retroactive to the 1st of the month. For those whose advance date is on or after the 16th of the month, the change in salary will be effective the first of the following month.

Vision Insurance
Worker's Compensation Insurance

Housestaff, as employees of MCWAH, are protected by Worker's Compensation insurance in case of work-related injury or illness. Any incident resulting in injury or illness must be reported promptly to the service chief or Program Director and a report form must be submitted to the MCWAH Office within 24 hours of the incident. Compensation for loss of duty assignment time or for medical expenses incurred as a consequence of such incident will be provided according to Wisconsin law.