Changing your benefits due to major life events

by Michelle Saport  |   

Remember, it is the employee's responsibility to notify Benefits staff when dependents are no longer eligible for health insurance under the UA Choice plans. Dependent children must come off active coverage at the end of the month in which they turn age 26. Spouses are no longer eligible after the end of the month in which the employee is divorced. Generally, 30 days is the window to make changes due to a "major life event." Read more about qualifying major life events that allow you to make changes to insurance benefits outside of open enrollment.

What are major life events?

Review the Major Life Events Checklist to determine if you have experienced a qualifying event and determine what changes you wish to make. Completed forms must be sent to your regional HR office within 30 days of the event-except for adding a newborn, which can be done up to 60 days after birth.

The following are considered qualifying events:

  • Marriage or divorce of the employee
  • The employee meets the minimum requirements on the Financially Interdependent Partners Statement or ends a relationship with a financially interdependent partner.
  • An enrolled family member dies.
  • Birth or adoption of a child by the employee
  • Termination of employment (or commencement of employment) of the employee's spouse
  • Taking an unpaid leave of absence by the employee or the employee's spouse
  • The employee or spouse/partner has a significant change in employment status (for example, you go from part-time to full-time or vice versa, or your spouse loses or gains employment).
  • You waive medical coverage for yourself or your family members because of other health-care coverage-and you lose that other coverage for certain reasons.

How do I change benefits due to a major life event?

Changes (addition or deletion of dependents) will be limited to those that are both on account of a major life event, and are consistent with that major life event. Enrollment changes are subject to the other terms and limitations of this program.

If you have experienced a major life event, you may want to add or delete dependents, or change your level of coverage for supplemental benefit elections. You may also need to change your marital status, address, beneficiary, etc. The list of forms on this page may assist you in making these decision(s).

Changes that alter your level(s) of coverage (e.g., health insurance, life insurance, AD&D, reimbursement accounts, etc.) must be received by Human Resource Services within 30 days of the major life event with the exception of adding a newborn, which can be done up to 60 days after birth.

The UA benefit plan year is July 1-June 30.

Creative Commons License "Changing your benefits due to major life events" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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