Hackensack Meridian Health Tuition Assistance Policy FAQs

Hackensack Meridian Health Tuition Assistance Policy FAQs

CONTENTS ? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHO ADMINISTERS THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?.......................................................................3 HOW CAN I CONTACT EDASSIST? .....................................................................................................3 WHAT DOES EDASSIST OFFER? ........................................................................................................3

TUITION ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TAMS) .................................................................................................. 3 EDUCATION NETWORK BENEFITS ...................................................................................................................................... 3 EDUCATIONAL ADVISING ................................................................................................................................................. 3 WHAT IS HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH'STUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? ..............................................3 WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE TUITION ASSISTANCE?..............................................................................4 WHAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE ELIGIBLE? ...................................................................................4 WHEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT MY APPLICATION? ...................................................................................4 WHEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT MY DOCUMENTATION? .............................................................................4 WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBLE EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS? ..............................................................................5 WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND MY SCHOOL OR SCHOOL LOCATION? ......................................................................5 WHAT EXPENSES ARE ELIGIBLE? .......................................................................................................5 IS THERE A MAXIMUM BENEFIT AMOUNT FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE? ..........................................................5 IS THERE A MINIMUM GRADE REQUIREMENT? ......................................................................................6 WILL MY TUITION REIMBURSEMENT BE TAXED?....................................................................................6 WHAT ARE MY PAYMENT OPTIONS WITH EDUCATION ASSISTANCE? .............................................................6 WHAT IS A LETTER OF CREDIT (LOC)? ...............................................................................................6 WHAT IF MY EDUCATION PROVIDER DOES NOT ACCEPT THE LETTER OF CREDIT (LOC)? .....................................6 CAN I GET ANOTHER COPY OF AN LOC THAT HAS BEEN LOST? ...................................................................6 HOW DO I FIND OUT IF MY SCHOOL INVOICE HAS BEEN PAID? ...................................................................6 WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS?................................................................................................7

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT ARE APPLICATION COMMENTS? ...............................................................................................8 DO I ENTER THE TOTAL TUITION AMOUNT PER COURSE OR PER CREDIT? .......................................................8 HOW DO I SUBMIT MY DOCUMENTS? (INVOICE AND GRADES)...................................................................8

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Frequently Asked Questions

WHO ADMINISTERS THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?

Hackensack Meridian Health has partnered with EdAssist to administer its Tuition Assistance Program. EdAssist is the leading provider of comprehensive managed education solutions.

HOW CAN I CONTACT EDASSIST?

APPLICATION For questions or comments related to a specific application you have submitted, you can now add a COMMENTS: "comment" via the Application Review page to initiate direct communication with EdAssist

VHD TICKET: Select Contact Us on the left side menu to submit a Virtual Help Desk (VHD) ticket.

PHONE:

855-222-6879 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. ? 8:00 p.m. ET)

WHAT DOES EDASSIST OFFER?

TUITION ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TAMS)

Through the EdAssist website, Legacy Meridian team members are able to submit applications for tuition assistance, as well as track the status of their application(s), see message board updates, view policy documents, and manage their profile. They are also able to upload documents directly to their applications and communicate with EdAssist about application statuses via Application Comments.

EDUCATION NETWORK BENEFITS

Legacy Meridian team members are eligible for tuition reductions from over 220 educational providers through the EdAssist Education Network. Additional benefits may include reduced or waived fees, dedicated contact, and tuition discounts extended to immediate family members. For the complete list of network schools, please visit:

EDUCATIONAL ADVISING

EdAssist offers access to expert academic & college financing advisors to help team members navigate today's complex educational landscape at no cost. Advisors work directly with team members to align their academic choices with personal, professional, and organizational goals.

WHAT IS HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH'S TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?

Hackensack Meridian Health offers tuition assistance to eligible Team Members who seek to pursue education that supports the current business needs and future objectives of the company. Although attainment of educational goals often leads to improved performance and new career opportunities, participation in this program does not guarantee a specific career result such as a promotion or salary increase. Hackensack Meridian Health reserves the right to terminate or amend this Tuition Assistance Policy at its sole discretion.

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Frequently Asked Questions

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE TUITION ASSISTANCE?

Tuition Assistance is available to the following team members:

Team Member must meet the following criteria at the time of application approval and payment processing. Team Member must be in an active or eligible leave status. To receive reimbursement team members must be in an Active status. Team Member is eligible to apply for courses that begin after completing 90 days of continuous employment

WHAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE ELIGIBLE?

Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree MBA EMBA Select Doctorate Degrees (Nursing, Pharmacy, OT, and PT) Select Certifications (Specific list can be found in the policy) Challenge or Prior Learning/Life experience exams or credits in connection with an undergraduate or graduate

degree program

WHEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT MY APPLICATION?

To be eligible to receive education assistance, a team member must submit a course approval application for each quarter, semester or academic term. Applications must be submitted prior to the course start date. Applications will not be accepted after the course start date. Applications will be reviewed for policy compliance by the program administrator before forwarding the application to the team member's immediate leader supervisor for final approval.

It is recommended that you submit at least two weeks prior to course start date so that your leader can approve online and your request is processed. If you select the Voucher program, your letter of credit (voucher) will not be available to print and provide to your school until the approver has processed your application.

WHEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT MY DOCUMENTATION?

You are required to submit required documentation 60 days after the course end date. Below are the required documents for each program:

Meridian Health Prepayment (Voucher)

Copy of grade report that includes: Student name School name Course name Grade received

Meridian Health Reimbursement Program

Copy of grade report that includes:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Student name School name Course name Grade received

Invoice/Statement of charges for your course/term that includes: Student name School Name Tuition amounts per course Itemized list of expenses Proof of Payment If paid using financial aid, must list the type of financial aid received

WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBLE EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS?

All courses must be provided by either national or regionally accredited institution as defined by the Department of Education. The system will warn you if your school does not hold the proper accreditation when you advance to the next step, but will not fully stop you until you submit the application.

WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND MY SCHOOL OR SCHOOL LOCATION?

Please contact EdAssist at 855-222-6879 if you are unable to find your school using the Education Provider Search. If you can find your school but not your exact school address, please select the nearest location.

WHAT EXPENSES ARE ELIGIBLE?

The Eligible expenses include tuition only. For the eligible Certification/ Designations, prep courses and exams are covered. The prep course will only be reimbursed once you have passed the certification exam.

IS THERE A MAXIMUM BENEFIT AMOUNT FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE?

The Annual Maximum benefit amounts are determined by the team member's work hours at the time of application submission and payment processing of the application. The maximum amount for eligible team members are:

Calendar Year Maximums

Status I (36 or more hours per week) Status II (20 to less than 36 hours per week) Status III (less than 20 hours per week)

$5,000 $2,500 $1,250

Tuition Assistance benefits are subtracted from the calendar year in which the course/term ends, not when the benefit is paid. The tuition assistance benefit year runs from January 1 through December 31.

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Frequently Asked Questions

IS THERE A MINIMUM GRADE REQUIREMENT?

All courses related to an undergraduate degree must be completed with a minimum grade equivalent of C or better (grades of C- are ineligible). All courses related to a graduate degree must be completed with a minimum grade equivalent of B- or better. Courses that are based on a pass/fail grading system must be completed with a passing grade. Courses in which a team member receives an incomplete, withdrawal, or equivalent grade are ineligible. Certification/Designation exams must be passed at a level eligible to earn the industry accepted certification/ designation.

WILL MY TUITION REIMBURSEMENT BE TAXED?

Benefits paid to team members under the program will be excludable from gross income to the maximum extent allowed under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code Section 127. Benefit amounts received over $5,250 in one calendar year will be treated as taxable income at the federal level.

WHAT ARE MY PAYMENT OPTIONS WITH EDUCATION ASSISTANCE?

Hackensack Meridian Health's Tuition Assistance Program offers both traditional reimbursement and prepayment (letter of credit) for their team members.

For the Traditional Reimbursement Program, the team member must pay for the educational costs upfront and out of pocket, and then submit an official grade report and itemized receipt for reimbursement within 60 days of the course end date.

For the Prepayment Program (voucher), an application must be submitted by the team member in the EdAssist system 10 days after the course starts to generate a Letter of Credit (LOC). The team member must print and deliver the EdAssist LOC to their provider. Per the instructions on the LOC, your provider will email an invoice to EdAssist at which point EdAssist will pay your provider directly. It is mandatory that the team member upload their official grade report within 60 days of the course end date to avoid repayment.

WHAT IS A LETTER OF CREDIT (LOC)?

If you've selected the Prepayment (Voucher) Program, a Letter of Credit (LOC) acts as money for registration and enrollment in courses and programs. Your provider will allow you to register with a Letter of Credit in lieu of payment. Letters of Credit will be issued by EdAssist after submitting your application and expire 60 days after the course end date.

WHAT IF MY EDUCATION PROVIDER DOES NOT ACCEPT THE LETTER OF CREDIT (LOC)?

If you submit your application and your education provider does not accept the Letter of Credit then your application will be denied. You will need to submit your application through the Tuition Reimbursement Program.

CAN I GET ANOTHER COPY OF AN LOC THAT HAS BEEN LOST?

Yes; you may access your account on the EdAssist website at any time to print a copy of the LOC from the application link via My Dashboard page. Once the application is in Application Closed status, the LOC cannot be re-printed. A closed application is fully paid, with a satisfactory grade recorded in the system.

HOW DO I FIND OUT IF MY SCHOOL INVOICE HAS BEEN PAID?

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