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Qualifying Life Events

Qualifying events include:

  • When your dependent spouse or child obtains insurance coverage

    Medical/Prescription Drug, Dental and Vision

    Now is a good time to review and compare your spouse’s health benefits with those offered by the University so you can choose the coverage that’s best for you. If you are already enrolled in a University healthcare plan, you may remove your dependent spouse and/or child or cancel your coverage and join your spouse’s insurance by providing a letter from his/her employer stating the effective date of your new medical coverage. Before canceling, first check with your spouse’s employer to be certain they do not require that you maintain your own coverage if available. If canceling, your coverage will remain active until the last day of the current month.

    If your dependent is enrolled in a University healthcare plan, you may remove your dependent from coverage by providing a letter from his/her employer stating the effective date of their new healthcare coverage. Their coverage will continue until the last day of the current month.

    Life Insurance

    If you are covered under the University’s life insurance program and your spouse obtains life insurance, you may choose to cancel your optional and/or dependent life insurance coverage(s) with the University. You may also elect to update or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form.

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    You may wish to reconsider your participation in Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or, if already participating, changing your contribution amount. You may wish to decrease your Health Care FSA contributions in accordance with any changes you made with your health coverage and/or begin, stop, increase, or decrease your contributions to a Dependent Care FSA.

    Retirement Programs

    This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amount to make sure they reflect your financial goals. You may wish to update or change your beneficiary(ies) as well.

  • When your dependent spouse or child loses insurance coverage

    Medical/Prescription Drug, Dental and Vision

    If you are currently enrolled in a University healthcare plan and a family member loses his/her insurance coverage, you may wish to add your dependent spouse and/or children to your University plan.

    If you are not currently enrolled in a University health plan, you may elect coverage for yourself along with your dependent spouse and/or children.

    In both instances, you will need to provide a letter from your spouse/child’s employer stating the date his/her insurance coverage was terminated. Coverage will be effective as of the date of coverage loss through your spouse/child’s employer.

    Life Insurance

    This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage and determine whether you would like dependent life insurance for your spouse. You may also choose to update or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form.

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    You may wish to reevaluate your participation in Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts by signing up now or, if already participating, changing your contribution amount. You may need to increase your Health Care FSA contributions to pay for your spouse and/or child(ren)’s out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or begin, stop, increase, or decrease contributions to a Dependent Care FSA.

    Retirement Programs

    This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to make sure they reflect your new financial goals. You may wish to update or change your beneficiary(ies) as well.

  • When you get married

    Medical/Prescription Drugs, Dental and Vision

    Now is a good time to review and compare your spouse’s health benefits with those offered at the University so you can choose the coverage that suits you best. If you are already enrolled in a University healthcare plan, you may decide to add your spouse (changing coverage levels from individual to individual +1) or your spouse and dependent children (changing coverage levels from individual to family). Coverage for your spouse and dependent children (if applicable) will be effective the first day of the month following the date of marriage.

    You may also elect to cancel your current coverage and join your spouse’s insurance plan. Before canceling, first check with your spouse’s employer to be certain they do not require that you maintain your own insurance if available. If canceling, your coverage will remain active until the last day of the current month.

    Life Insurance

    This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage to ensure that you have proper coverage to accommodate the change in your family. You may elect to change your optional and/or dependent life insurance coverage(s) as well as update or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form.

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    You may want to reconsider your participation in Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or changing the amount of your contributions. If you are already participating, you may want to increase your Health Care FSA contribution to pay for your spouse’s out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or Dependent Care FSA contribution should you be gaining a dependent requiring day care services.

    Retirement Programs

    This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to make sure they are consistent with any agreement you may have made with your new spouse about sharing financial responsibilities. You may also wish to update or change your beneficiary(ies).

  • When you get divorced

    Medical/Prescription Drugs, Dental and Vision

    If you were covered under your ex-spouse’s health insurance plan, you may need to enroll in a University healthcare plan. If the divorce decree requires you to insure your dependent child(ren), you may add the dependent(s) during your enrollment period by providing the divorce decree. Coverage will be effective as of the date of divorce.

    If you are already enrolled in a University health plan, you need to remove your ex-spouse from your plan effective the last day of the month following your divorce. If stepchildren were previously covered under your plan, you may need to remove them from your coverage. If your ex-spouse and stepchildren were covered under a University health plan at the time of the divorce, they will have the right to continue medical insurance participation through COBRA for a period of up to 36 months.

    If there is a name or address change as a result of your divorce, please complete a Name/Address Change Form.

    Life Insurance

    This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage to accommodate the change in your family structure. If you purchased dependent life insurance for your ex-spouse and/or step-children, you may wish to cancel this coverage. You may also need to change your optional life insurance coverage and update or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form (above).

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    You may wish to reevaluate your participation in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or changing the amount of your contributions.

    Retirement Programs

    This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to accommodate your new situation. You may either begin, stop, increase, or decrease your contributions as well as update or change your beneficiary(ies).

  • When you have/adopt a child

    Medical/Prescription Drug, Dental and Vision

    If you are already enrolled in a University healthcare plan, you may add your child(ren) to your current plan by providing a government issued birth certificate. If you are not currently enrolled in a University medical, dental, and/or vision plan, you may elect coverage at this time for yourself and your family. Coverage will be effective as of your dependent child’s date of birth or adoption/legal guardianship.

    Life Insurance

    This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage to ensure that you have proper coverage to accommodate the change in your family. You may elect to change your optional or dependent life insurance coverage(s) and/or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies) at this time. This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form.

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    You may wish to reevaluate your participation in Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or, if already participating, changing your contribution amount. If you are already participating, you may wish to increase your Health Care FSA contribution to pay for your child’s out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or your Dependent Care FSA contribution should your child require day care.

    Retirement Programs

    This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to make sure they reflect your new financial goals. You may wish to update or change your beneficiary(ies) as well.

  • When your dependent child loses eligibility

    When is a dependent’s eligibility lost?

    Generally, a dependent’s eligibility to participate in a University benefit plan is lost at the end of the month when the dependent no longer meets at least one of the conditions for eligibility.

    Eligibility

    The following dependents are eligible for Benefits:

    • Your children up to age 26 who are your natural children, stepchildren, adopted children
    • Disabled children who are unmarried and became disabled prior to age 26, and children for whom you are a court appointed guardian
    • Any child for whom you are required to provide coverage under a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO)

    Removing ineligible dependents

    If your dependent is enrolled in a University healthcare, or supplemental life insurance plan and becomes ineligible, you must remove your ineligible dependent(s) from coverage. Coverage will end on the last day of the month following loss of eligibility.

    Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contribution adjustments

    Expenses for a dependent(s) health care do not qualify for reimbursement from a Flexible Spending Account once the dependent loses eligibility. If you participate in the Flexible Spending Account and you experience the loss of a dependent’s eligibility, you may wish to consider decreasing your contribution amount.

  • When there is a death in your immediate family

    Medical/Prescription Drugs, Dental and Vision

    Spouse’s Death: If you were covered under the health insurance plan of your deceased spouse, you may need to enroll in a University healthcare plan. If you are already enrolled in a University health plan, you will need to remove your deceased spouse from the plan by providing a certified death certificate. Depending on your level of coverage, you may need to change to an individual+1 or Individual plan. You may also need to add your dependent child(ren) to your benefit plan, if they were previously covered under your spouse’s plan by providing a government issued birth certificate(s).

    Child’s Death: If your deceased child was covered under your University healthcare plan, you will need to remove him/her from the plan by providing a certified death certificate.

    Life Insurance

    This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage to accommodate the change in your family structure. You may need to change your optional and/or dependent life insurance coverage(s) along with your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form. If your deceased spouse or child was covered under your life insurance coverage, you will need to file a life insurance claim.

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    You may want to reconsider your participation in Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or changing the amount of your contributions.

    Retirement Programs

    This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to accommodate your new situation. You may either begin, stop, increase, or decrease your contributions as well as update or change your beneficiary(ies). This may be done by accessing the investment company’s web site.

  • When you terminate your employment with Willamette (COBRA)

    Medical/Prescription Drugs, Dental, and Vision

    All health insurance coverage ceases on the last day of the month that you terminate employment. If you carry health insurance coverage at termination, the University offers you the option of continuing your health insurance coverage for up to 18 months through COBRA.

    Life Insurance and Disability

    All life insurance and disability coverage stops on the last day of the month that you terminate employment. If eligible, you will be offered the option to convert your life insurance to an individual policy.

    Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

    If you are enrolled in a Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, your contributions will cease and claims incurred up through the last day of the month in which you terminate are eligible for reimbursement. Any claims made after the date of termination will not be eligible for reimbursement from the accounts.

    You may choose to continue making contributions to your Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts through the end of the calendar year by making a COBRA election. However, contributions will be continued on an after-tax basis.

    Retirement Programs

    Because retirement plan participation is based on salary paid to you and you will no longer be receiving a salary from the University, any and all University contributions as well as your contributions (if applicable) to the retirement programs will cease when you separate from the University.

    Additional information

    Please see our Leaving Willamette page.

We are here to help

We are also available to assist or provide guidance in navigating any changes in your personal circumstances that may affect your benefits. Please feel free to contact us.

Willamette University

Human Resources

Address
University Services Building
Willamette University
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6210 voice
503-370-6570 fax