Do your dependent children still qualify for health insurance?

From Human Resources

Do you have a child graduating from college in May? Graduating from high school and not planning to enter college in the fall? Taking more than one term off from full-time college? If so, that child will no longer qualify as a dependent for purposes of medical, dental or vision coverage.

To ensure that your child is not without coverage, contact Becky James (651) 962-6497, in the Benefits Office, Human Resources Department, for assistance.

Federal and state laws require you to notify the Human Resources Department within 60 days of a “qualifying event.” For dependent children, qualifying events include (but are not limited to) attaining age 19, or upon attaining age 25 if the dependent is a full-time student. (Other events also require you to take action, but this article addresses only the loss of dependent status issue.)

When notifying Human Resources of a change in your child’s dependent status, include his or her current mailing address and the date of the change in status. OptumHealth (UST’s COBRA administrator) will mail to your child COBRA papers, which will explain his or her rights to continue health care coverage – specifically, the federal and state laws that allow a child losing dependent status the opportunity to continue medical, dental and vision coverage for up to 36 months at their own cost. Failure to provide St. Thomas proper notice within 60 days of a qualifying event will result in the forfeiture of the child’s rights to continue coverage.

Dependent Optional Life Insurance, which is provided through Unum, covers dependents up to age 19 or up to age 25 if a full-time student. If you have elected this coverage, it will terminate at the same time as the medical, dental and vision coverage.

For more information call Becky James , (651) 962-6497, Stephanie Monogue, (651) 962-6219 or Pete Ronza, (651) 962-6521.