Do you have a child graduating from college in December?
Do you have a child graduating from college in December? If so, that child will no longer qualify as a dependent, for purposes of medical and dental coverage. To ensure that your child is not left without coverage, you need to notify the Benefits Office in the Human Resources Department. Please call Jeanne Kittleson, (651) 962-6497, or e-mail her for assistance.
Federal and state laws hold YOU responsible for notifying UST within 60 days of the “qualifying event.” For dependent children, qualifying events include attaining age 19, or upon attaining age 25 if the dependent is a full-time student. NOTE: Other events also require you to take action, but this article addresses only the loss of dependent status issue.
Within 14 days of notifying us of your child losing dependent status, COBRA papers will be mailed to the “former” dependent child, which explain continuation rights. ARC, the UST COBRA administrator, will mail the paperwork to the last known address. If your address has changed, please let us know as soon as possible.
The Federal COBRA laws and State of Minnesota continuation laws allow the child losing dependent status the opportunity to continue medical and/or dental coverage for up to 36 months at their own cost. Failure to give us notice of a qualifying event, within the 60 day time period allowed, will result in the forfeiture of continuation rights for the child.
Dependent Optional Life Insurance through UnumProvident covers dependents to age 19, or to age 26 if a full-time student. If you have elected this coverage, please review the situation with your children and have them determine if they want to continue the coverage. Optional Life Insurance continuation options will be included in the COBRA paperwork, which will be sent to the “former” dependent child. You are able to continue coverage for your other remaining eligible dependents.
Please note that there are a number of employee notification responsibilities. If you are unfamiliar with your other responsibilities, please go to the Human Resources Department Web page or contact one of the Benefits Office members for another copy of the COBRA Notice. This notice outlines various actions you must take upon the occurrence of certain events.
