Eligibility

The university provides health and welfare benefits to eligible employees, retirees and dependents.

Don’t miss the enrollment deadline! You must enroll within 31 days of your initial eligibility date. If you miss your enrollment window, you’ll have to wait until open enrollment to elect benefits for the following year.

Employees

If you are a full-time employee, you are eligible for benefits. A full-time employee is any employee who is employed half-time or greater, and holds at least a nine month appointment.

Dependents

Your eligible dependents include:

  • Your legal spouse
  • Your child(ren), from the day of birth until the last day of the month in which they turn age 26. Child includes adopted child(ren), stepchild(ren), and/or anyone for whom you are the legal guardian

Continuation of Benefits for Adult Children

For dependent children at age 26 and older, there are no options for new enrollments or for return to previous enrollments. 

For dependent children enrolled in the university’s benefits before age 26, there are two potential options for continued coverage. Other than these options, participation in the university’s benefits programs will terminate on the last day of the month in which your adult dependent child reaches age 26. 

  • At age 26, your child will receive enrollment and cost information for COBRA continuation of benefits. In COBRA continuation coverage, a participant has access to the same health, dental and vision plans as available to active employees, and can most often continue coverage for a period of up to 18 months.
  • For a totally disabled adult dependent child who is enrolled in the plan and meets the plan definition of disabled before age 26, there may be opportunity to continue participation in the health, dental and/or vision plans at age 26 and beyond. Total disability generally means that a dependent child cannot engage in the activities of daily living and/or substantial gainful activities.  

Please refer to the Medical Plan SPD and contact your campus HR office or UMR for details regarding these options and eligibilities.

Retirees

Review the Retiree Benefit Options page for information on retiree coverage eligibility.

When Coverage Begins

You must enroll in coverage through Workday within 31 days of hire. Your benefits coverage begins on the first day of the month following the completion of enrollment. Coverage for your eligible dependents begins on the same day as your coverage.

Certain qualifying events, such as marriage, the birth of a child, or the loss of eligibility for coverage, allow you to make mid-year changes to your benefits coverage, but you have only 31 days after a qualifying life event to make those changes through Workday. If you do not make your changes during the 31-day period, you will have to wait until the next Open Enrollment or when you have another qualifying life event to make any benefit changes. The university will not provide any exceptions. For more details, review the list of qualifying events and requirements on the Life Events page.

When Coverage Ends

Coverage under the Plan ends if:

  • The Plan terminates
  • Your employment ends
  • You and your dependents are no longer considered eligible, as defined by the Plan

When your or your dependents’ plan coverage ends, you may be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage.