This is a reminder that you must notify Human Resources and submit supporting documentation within 31 days of a qualifying event to make changes to your health insurance coverage outside of the annual open enrollment period.
Qualifying events include the following:
- Marital Status – any event that changes your legal marital status, including marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, and legal separation.
- Number of dependents – any event that changes your number of dependents, including birth, death, divorce, adoption, and legal guardianship.
- Employment status – any event that changes your employment status, or the employment status of your dependents, resulting in gaining or losing eligibility for coverage.
- Dependent status – any event that causes your dependent to become eligible or ineligible for coverage. Note: Your children, including stepchildren and adopted children, are eligible for medical coverage through the end of the calendar year in which age 26 is reached and for dental coverage until the end of the month in which age 19 is reached. Human Resources automatically removes dependent children who reach the age limits for Medical/Dental coverage; employees do not need to take any action. Human Resources also notifies employees and dependent children when dependent children have aged-out of coverage.
Children for whom you are legal guardian can remain on coverage up to age 18 unless proof of continued dependency is provided and an extension is approved by the Office of the State Comptroller. Disabled children may be covered beyond age 26 with proper documentation from the medical insurance carrier. Changes in your marital status may impact whether an individual qualifies as a dependent; for example, a stepchild is no longer eligible as your dependent in the event of a divorce.
- Residence – a change in your place of residence (i.e. moving into or out of CT) that affects your ability to access network providers.
It is the responsibility of the employee to:
- Cover only eligible dependents;
- Provide timely notification to HR@uconn.edu or 860-486-3034 if there is a qualifying event (within 31 days); and
- Submit required documentation to HR at the time of a qualifying event (within 31 days).
Failure to remove a dependent who is no longer eligible for coverage within 31 days of the qualifying event (i.e. divorce) shall result in the employee being required to reimburse the State and pay interest for the ineligible medical and/or dental insurance benefits received, paying taxes on the fair market value of the ineligible medical and/or dental benefits received, as well as being subject to disciplinary action.
Please contact Human Resources immediately at HR@uconn.edu or 860-486-3034 if you have any questions, or have had a qualifying event that needs to be reported.
For more information, contact: Human Resources at HR@uconn.edu