Once you make your benefit elections as a new employee or during the Annual Open Enrollment period, you cannot make changes to those elections until the next plan year unless you experience an eligible qualifying event. A qualifying event may allow you to add, change or delete coverage options. For these changes to take effect, you must notify Human Resources within 30 days of the qualifying event as well as provide any required supporting documentation. If Human Resources is not notified within the allowable time frame, you’ll be required to wait until the next Annual Open Enrollment to make any benefit changes, unless you experience another eligible qualifying event within the same plan year.
Qualifying Events include, but may not be limited to:
- Birth, adoption of a child, or placement for adoption
- Change in marital status (Marriage/Divorce)
- Change in your spouse’s employment resulting in a gain or loss of coverage
- Your spouse’s or dependent’s loss of eligibility for other group health coverage
- Death of a spouse or dependent, only if the dependent is currently enrolled
- Medicare/Medicaid eligibility
Please note the benefit changes you elect must be consistent with the Qualifying Event you have experienced. Again, coverage elections and/or changes are not effective until approved by Human Resources.
Proper documentation must be provided to Human Resources in order to add newly eligible dependents. Examples of supporting documentation include birth certificates, marriage licenses, or adoption paperwork.