Wellthy Program Details for

Program Details

Overview

Who can use this benefit?

Backup care is available to eligible Harvard Graduate School of Education students. During the onboarding process, please create your account with your email address and a unique password. If prompted, you will provide your Student ID to verify your eligibility.

What’s included in this benefit?

Offering

Eligible students are able to use up to 10 backup care days per fiscal year.

Costs and Coverage

Harvard Graduate School of Education covers the cost of a backup care day up to $250 per day for any providers within Wellthy’s Care Network, Licensed Providers, Harvard Community Network, and your Personal Network. You are responsible for a copayment of $25/day and any costs that go beyond the subsidized amount Harvard Graduate School of Education provides.

For more detailed information regarding the breakdown of how imputed income is calculated, details on the timing of tax withholding, and other relevant dependent care benefit limits. For questions regarding your tax withholding, please contact Pair Team's People Team.

To view the number of Backup Care days you’ve used, visit your Backup Care Dashboard. There, you can see your total days used per year. In the "Care Events" section, you can click on past events to view a summary of the care provided, including the date and time, care recipients, provider details, and a breakdown of costs.

It may be that you are able to claim federal, state or local tax credits relating to the childcare expenses covered by the income imputed by your employer. Please note that Wellthy is not qualified to provide personal tax advice. For guidance on your specific tax situation, we recommend consulting a tax advisor.

Provider Payment

In order to request a reimbursement after you’ve paid a provider, you will be required to submit proof of payment which includes: who provided the care, the date when care was provided, and the amount paid. Examples of acceptable proof include:

Who can this benefit be used for?

Backup care can be used for your children.

Getting Started

Activate your Wellthy Account

  1. Visit wellthy.com/member/hgse to activate your Wellthy account. You can sign up with your student or personal email address and create a password of your choice.
  2. Verify your eligibility for Wellthy by confirming your student ID.

Tips for signing up

How do I get in touch with Wellthy?

The Wellthy team is ready to support you!

Dependent Verification

Why do I need to submit dependent eligibility information?

What do I need to submit to verify my dependent status, and how?

Can I book care without dependent verification?

Wellthy Care Network and Providers

What kinds of providers will I find in Wellthy’s Care Network?

Will I have options, or will I have to use a certain provider?

You will never be required to use a particular provider for Backup Care. Wellthy has created a Care Network of different types of vetted options for you to choose from and our Backup Care Specialists are here to help you find the best-fit provider with availability. You can also use your family, friends or even neighbors (who are not your regular caregivers) for Backup Care. Please note that proof of payment and documentation that care took place will be required in order to receive coverage.

How do I know that the providers in Wellthy’s Care Network are high-quality, safe, and reliable?

Wellthy’s Care Network of backup care options are vetted providers that go through a rigorous screening process.

Please note: Wellthy does not directly employ or oversee any provider in the Care Network or within an individual’s personal network. Wellthy does not take responsibility for the final selection, whether they are sourced by Wellthy, the family, or through other means.

If employees use a caregiver or center from their personal network, they are fully responsible for all vetting and verifying.

Costs and Payments

How much is Backup Care?

What am I responsible for?

You are responsible for a copayment of $25/day and any costs that go beyond the subsidized amount Harvard Graduate School of Education provides. You can use a personal credit or debit card for those costs.

If you would like to use funds from a Dependent FSA account, you can pay for the copay and cost of care out-of-pocket, then submit for a reimbursement with Wellthy and submit a claim with your Dependent FSA provider.

How does the care get paid for?

Wellthy can pay providers directly when they source and book care on your behalf (Please note, in order for Wellthy to pay a provider directly, care must be reserved more than 24 hours in advance from when the time of care starts.) However, if you pay the provider directly, you can request a reimbursement, and submit appropriate evidence to receive reimbursement.

Here are a few examples of the various scenarios:

  1. Wellthy reserves an in-home provider within Wellthy's Care Network for 9 hours, $25/hour

    • Wellthy will pay the provider $225 for the full day
    • You will be charged for the $25 copay and 1 Backup Care day

  2. Wellthy reserves care at a community childcare center within Wellthy's Care Network for the full day at $250/day

    • ‍ Wellthy will pay for community childcare center $250 for the full day
    • You will be charged for the $25 copay and 1 Backup Care day

  3. You secure your neighbor within your Personal Network for 8 hours, $20/hour

    • You pay youneighbor $100, save proof of payment to be eligible for a reimbursement up to $100
    • ‍ ‍ You will be charged the $25 copay and 1 Backup Care day
    • You will submit proof of payment and complete a reimbursement form for approval which includes: who provided the care, the date when care was provided, and the amount paid. Examples of acceptable proof include:
      • A receipt provided by a care program
      • A screenshot of digital payment (e.g., PayPal, Zelle, or Venmo)
      • A photo of a check written out to the care provider

Can I schedule Backup Care on my own and get reimbursed?

Yes, you can reserve the care on your own, pay the provider, collect a receipt for the payment, and request a reimbursement on the Wellthy platform by completing a reimbursement form which includes: who provided the care, the date when care was provided, and the amount paid. Examples of acceptable proof include:

How long will it take to get my reimbursement?

Once the appropriate documentation is submitted, a Backup Care Specialist will review within 1 business day, and the funds will be reimbursed within 5-7 business days.

How long do I have to submit for reimbursement?

You have 30 days from the date you received backup care to claim and submit your reimbursement request. Please make sure to allow enough time for your request to be reviewed, approved, and processed before the deadline.

Backup Care Allowance

What if I use up all of my Backup Care days for the year and I need more?

Once you’ve used your allotted Backup Care days for the year, you can continue to use Wellthy’s Care Network to search for and book care on your own. While you will be responsible for covering the total cost of care out-of-pocket, Wellthy’s Backup Care Specialists will remain available to support you with finding and coordinating care.

If I have Backup Care days left over at the end of the year, can I roll them over to the next year?

No, you cannot roll over any unused days. You can only use the number of Backup Care your employer provides.

What if my spouse/partner and I work for the same company?

You and your partner are both eligible for your individual allowance. Each employee would need to set up their profile within the Wellthy platform

How can I use my days across multiple loved ones?

Employee with one eligible dependent and one aging adult

Employee has two eligible dependent children

Cancellation Policy

Note: Cancellation policies vary per provider. Wellthy will provide clear expectations around each of the providers cancellation policies when booking care so you know in advance.

If you need to cancel care more than 24 hours before the scheduled care start time

As long as the cancellation occurs within the provider’s cancellation policy, you can ask your Backup Care Specialist to cancel or contact the provider directly to cancel.

If you need to cancel care less than 24 hours before the scheduled care start time

You can ask your Backup Care Specialist to cancel or contact the provider directly to cancel.

What if the provider cancels my confirmed reservation?

Your Backup Care Specialist will make every effort to secure care for you promptly. In these situations, we encourage you to leverage your own personal network for added support.

If care was not secured after the cancellation:

FAQs

Can Wellthy’s Backup Care Specialists find and schedule backup care for me?

Yes! Backup Care Specialists are here to help you find and secure care when you need care. They can also proactively help you build a list of potential options for when the time comes — this is called building your Backup Care Circle. Backup Care Specialists are available Monday - Friday from 5am to 1am ET and Saturdays and Sundays from 5pm to 1am ET.

What’s a Backup Care Circle?

A Backup Care Circle is like a ‘speed dial’ of your family, friends, preferred and vetted providers. It’s a great planning tool you can turn to when you have to schedule an urgent or planned backup care need.

How do I build a Backup Care Circle?

On your dashboard, click “Build your Backup Care Circle”. There you will be given options to add your own providers (family, friend, neighbor, babysitter, etc) or choose from the Wellthy’s Care Network.

What happens if I don’t have a Backup Care Circle when I need to schedule care?

You can either explore Wellthy’s Care Network by clicking, “Find Providers” button and schedule care on your own or enlist the help of a Backup Care Specialist by clicking the “Schedule Care” button, answer a few questions and schedule care on your own or connect with a Backup Care Specialist and they will help you find safe and reliable providers in your area.

Can I provide feedback about my care experience using Wellthy’s Backup Care?

Once the care event is completed, connect with your Backup Care Specialist for any immediate feedback you would like to share. You will also receive a Wellthy survey by email.

Is backup care only for when I am at work?

Yes, backup care helps you cover unexpected gaps in your regular care, allowing you to focus on your studies.

Can I utilize backup care for my loved one who has different abilities (eg. neurodivergent, physical limitations, etc)?

Yes, Wellthy can help locate appropriate options for your loved one with diverse needs.

If my child is sick, can I use Backup Care?

Yes, you can use backup care when your child is sick, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

In these moments, family, friends, and neighbors in your personal network are also great options. We encourage families to tap into your personal network and proactively build their Backup Care Circle when possible. Don’t forget, Backup Care Specialists are here to help you build a reliable backup care plan for your family!