Life Events

Benefit Changes & Enrollment

If you pay your medical, dental, and vision premiums with pre-tax dollars, you can only make benefits changes during open enrollment or within 31 days of a qualifying life event.

Qualifying life events include birth/adoption, divorce/legal separation, marriage, changes in employment status (going to part-time/full-time), termination of employment, becoming age 65 (Medicare-eligible), retiring, death, loss of eligibility for other coverage or employer contributions for other coverage ending, a dependent reaching age 26, or a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (from a court of law) indicating you must provide coverage for a dependent.

If you have any of these qualifying life events, you can:

• Add or remove dependents from medical, dental or vision coverage; and/or
• Increase or decrease your Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account elections.

Making Coverage Changes

If you have a qualifying life event, you can update your coverage by logging in to Workday. Once you log in, select “Benefits” and follow these steps:

1. Click the “Benefits” button under “Change.”
2. Select the “Benefit Event Type.”
3. Click the “Calendar” icon to enter the date of your qualifying life event.
4. Attach the required documentation. Enrollments and/or new dependents will not be approved until the correct documentation is received.
5. Click “Submit,” then click “Open” under “Change Benefit Elections” to make your selections.
6. Review your coverage options under “Health Care Elections,” then elect or waive plans as needed. Review the selections you’ve made on the final screen.
7. Check the box next to “I Agree” to electronically sign your elections.
8. Click “Submit.” Your change request is not finalized until your Human Resources representative has reviewed and approved your documentation.

For more detailed information, including screenshots of the election windows, review the Workday Enrollment Instructions. Note: If you are electing a medical plan for the first time, you must complete the Tobacco Pledge and Notice during your enrollment.

Dependents

If you add a dependent due to a marriage, birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or loss of other coverage, you have 31 days from the date of the event to add that dependent to your coverage.

If you previously waived coverage or did not elect coverage during your initial eligibility period, you can add coverage for yourself and your eligible dependents within 31 days of a marriage, birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or loss of other coverage (see below).

Any change you make to your coverage must be consistent with your life event. For example, if you get married, you can add your new spouse and their dependents to your coverage, but you cannot change your medical plan election until the next Open Enrollment period.

If 31 days have passed since your qualifying life event and you have not enrolled your dependents in coverage, you will not be able to add your dependents until the next Open Enrollment period or until you have another qualifying life event.

Important! When you make a change, your payroll deduction amount will update automatically to reflect any coverage tier or benefit changes.

Loss of Other Coverage

If you add a dependent due to loss of other coverage, including losing coverage under another employer’s plan or a state-sponsored plan, you have 31 days from the date of the event to add that dependent to your coverage.

To add your dependent, you will need to provide a letter from the previous employer or health plan that includes when coverage ended, the type of coverage provided, and who was covered. When you make your coverage change, submit your required documentation through Workday.

Employment Status Changes

Generally, if you change from full-time to part-time, part-time to full-time, or end employment due to retirement, termination or a leave of absence, you can change your benefit elections. If any of these qualifying life events occur, you can:

• Add or remove medical, dental and vision coverage. (Note: If you remove benefits coverage during a leave of absence, coverage can be reinstated when you return to work);
• Continue benefits through retiree coverage, if eligible; or
• Transfer coverage to a spouse if he or she also works for the University.

Termination of Employment

If you are covered by the University’s medical, dental and/or vision plans when you end your employment with the University, including resignation, retirement or termination, you may continue coverage at your own expense under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

If your employment ends, you will be contacted by UMR about your COBRA rights and the cost of COBRA coverage.

Certain other benefits, including life and disability insurance, can be continued by paying premiums directly to the provider or by converting your coverage to a private policy.

Effective Date of Coverage Changes

As long as you meet the 31-day enrollment deadline, medical, dental and vision coverage changes will be effective as follows:

• If you are removing coverage for your spouse and dependents due to divorce or legal separation, changes are effective the later of the date of divorce/separation or the date benefit changes are submitted through Workday and approved.
• If you are adding coverage for your spouse and dependents, it begins the first day of the month following the date you submit your change through Workday, including any additional required documentation.

For more information about life events, making changes to your coverage, and required documentation, contact your campus Human Resources Department.