Family status changes like those outlined below allow you to make a coverage change to some of your benefits after your initial eligibility or outside of open enrollment in November. But if you don't apply for a change in coverage within 30 days of your family status change, you'll have to wait until the next open enrollment to make a change that will start on January 1.
Depending on the life event, you may also want to go to MyU to update your personal contact information (such as your legal name, address, or emergency contact) and W-4 tax information with the number of federal and state withholding allowances.
Life Events That Could Allow for Benefit Changes
Note: you must provide documentation for your change in coverage. See the Required Documentation for Status Events (pdf) to learn what you need to include based on your life event.
If you have specific questions, need a form, need to submit a form, or want to request a benefit change, email benefits@umn.edu or call 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and select option 1.
Marriage
Medical and Dental
You can add your spouse and eligible stepchildren to your medical or dental plan with coverage that starts on your marriage date. You can also use this time to change to a different medical or dental plan. Or, you can cancel your coverage under this plan and switch to coverage under your new spouse’s plan.
Health Care FSA
You can start or increase your contributions to your health care FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
You can start, increase, or decrease your contribution to a dependent care FSA, depending on your circumstances. For example, if you marry someone with no job or who works part-time and that results in you needing fewer dependent care expenses, you may be able to reduce your contribution.
Divorce, Annulment, and Legal Separation
Medical and Dental
Ending Ex-Spouse’s Coverage: Coverage for your ex-spouse following divorce or annulment ends on the last day of the month in which the divorce or annulment is final. You need to cancel coverage within 30 days of the date of the divorce or annulment. If you don't, the family contribution rate will continue to be deducted from your pay, but any services for your ex-spouse will not be covered.
Your ex-spouse may continue group medical and dental coverage under COBRA Continuation of Coverage until the earlier of:
- 36 months following loss of coverage, or
- becomes covered under another group insurance plan.
Your ex-spouse must pay the full cost of coverage plus a 2% administrative charge and complete the form for COBRA coverage within 60 days of the divorce.
Changing Your Coverage: You can change your coverage to a different medical or dental plan at this time.
Adding Coverage for Yourself: You can enroll yourself in medical and dental coverage if you were enrolled in your ex-spouse’s plan, but lost coverage under that plan as a result of the divorce, annulment, or legal separation (depending on the terms of that plan).
Health Care FSA
You can start, increase, decrease, or stop contributions to a health care FSA. The amount after a decrease cannot be less than the funds used or already contributed.
Dependent Care FSA
You can start, increase, decrease, or stop contributions to a dependent care FSA. The amount after a decrease cannot be less than the funds used or already contributed.
Life Insurance
Spouse life insurance coverage ends on the last day of the month in which the divorce is final.
For information on how to change the beneficiary designation, visit our Manage Your Beneficiary Designation page.
Birth, Adoption, Placement for Adoption, and Guardianship
Medical and Dental
You can add your child to your medical or dental plan. Coverage starts on the date of birth, adoption, or placement for adoption. You can also add your spouse at this point or change to a different medical or dental plan.
Health Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to a health care FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to a dependent care FSA.
Leaves for Adoptions and Births
Depending on your employment classification, you can use parental, sick, vacation, and unpaid time for your leave. More information on planning a medical or family leave is available for Labor Represented and Civil Service staff as well as Faculty and P&A staff. If you need help understanding programs and policies regarding your leave, contact your HR Lead or the LOA team.
Death of Employee, Spouse, or Dependent Child
The OHR Contact Center can help you update your employee benefits in the event of a death in the family. The Contact Center can be reached by email at benefits@umn.edu or call 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and select option 1.
If the Deceased is a University Employee
The Office of Human Resources will provide a case manager to help you with payouts, return employee property, learn how to continue benefits for family members using COBRA, and other important processes. Reach out to the Contact Center with the deceased’s Social Security Number, date of death, and the next of kin’s name and contact information.
The Contact Center can be reached by email at benefits@umn.edu or call 612-624-8647 or 800-756-2363 and select option 1.
Loss of Coverage Due to Age
Medical and Dental
Your Child Reaches Age 26: Dependent status for your child usually ends when they reach age 26, except in cases of disability, regardless of student status and even if the adult child no longer lives with you. Medical and dental coverage for your child ends on the last day of the month in which they turn 26.
Your child can continue coverage under COBRA Continuation of Coverage for up to 36 months by paying the full cost plus a 2% administrative fee. Contact the Office of Human Resources for the COBRA instructions and application within 60 days of the date your child loses eligibility.
You Reach Age 26: You can start medical or dental coverage if you were a dependent on someone else’s plan and lose your coverage because you turned 26.
Health Care FSA
Your Child Reaches Age 26: You can stop or decrease contributions to a health care FSA. The amount after a decrease cannot be less than the funds used or already contributed.
You Lose Dependent Status Under Another FSA Plan: If you were covered under another FSA plan and lose coverage due to loss of dependent status, you can start contributing to a health care FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
Your Child Reaches Age 13: When your child reaches age 13, you can stop your current dependent care FSA.
New Employment or Benefit Eligibility of Spouse or Dependents
Medical and Dental
You can remove coverage for yourself, your spouse, and/or dependents if other coverage is available under your spouse’s plan. You can also remove coverage for your dependents if other coverage is available under the dependent’s plan.
Health Care FSA
You can stop or reduce contributions to a health care FSA. The amount after a decrease cannot be less than the funds used or already contributed.
Dependent Care FSA
If coverage is available under your spouse’s or dependent’s plan, you can stop or reduce contributions to a dependent care FSA. The amount after a decrease cannot be less than the funds used or already contributed.
You can increase contributions to your dependent care FSA if your spouse has new employment or benefit eligibility, but your dependent does not.
Spouse or Dependents Experience Termination of Employment, Strike or Lockout, or Unpaid/FMLA Leave of Absence
Medical and Dental
You can start coverage or add a spouse or dependents to your medical or dental plan.
Health Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to your health care FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to your dependent care FSA.
Spouse or Dependents Lose Their Own Benefit Eligibility
Medical and Dental
You can start coverage or add a spouse or dependents to your medical or dental plan.
Health Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to your health care FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to your dependent care FSA.
Change in Spouse’s Employment Between Full-time and Part-time
Medical and Dental
You can add or remove coverage for a spouse or dependents. This includes adding coverage for you, your spouse, and dependents if you all were covered under your spouse’s plan but lost coverage once they reduced to part-time. This also includes just adding a spouse or dependents, depending on the situation.
You can also change to a different medical or dental plan at this time.
Health Care FSA
You can start, increase, decrease, or stop contributions to your health care FSA. The amount after a decrease cannot be less than the funds already contributed.
Dependent Care FSA
You can start, increase, decrease, or stop contributions to your dependent care FSA.
Other Loss of Spouse or Dependent Coverage
This includes when an employer stops contributing to a spouse or dependent’s coverage, or if your coverage ends due to an insurer leaving an Exchange, such as a state’s health insurance marketplace.
Medical and Dental
You can decrease, waive, or add self or dependent coverage.
Health Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Dependent Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Change in Residence or Worksite for Spouse or Dependents Outside of Service Area
Medical and Dental
If your spouse or dependent’s residence or worksite changes to a location outside of the current plan’s service area, making your plan unavailable, you can decrease, waive, or add self or dependent coverage.
Health Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Dependent Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Daycare Provider or Cost Changes
Medical and Dental
No changes permitted.
Health Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Dependent Care FSA
You can increase or decrease contributions to your current dependent care FSA.
Eligibility for Medicaid Changes
Medical and Dental
You can add, increase, decrease, or stop medical and dental coverage for yourself, your spouse, and your child.
Health Care FSA
You can start, increase, decrease, or stop contributions to a health care FSA. The amount after a stop or decrease cannot be less than the funds already contributed.
Dependent Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Gain Eligibility for Medicaid Premium Assistance
Medical and Dental
You can add medical or dental coverage for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent.
Health Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Dependent Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Gain Eligibility for CHIP Premium Assistance
Medical and Dental
You can add medical and dental coverage for your child. If you previously waived coverage for yourself, you must now add coverage for yourself as well.
Health Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Dependent Care FSA
No changes permitted.
Loss of Eligibility for CHIP
Medical and Dental
You can add or increase medical and dental coverage for your child. You can also add or increase medical and dental coverage for yourself if you previously waived coverage but are not electing coverage in order to cover your child.
Health Care FSA
You can start or increase contributions to a health care FSA.
Dependent Care FSA
No changes permitted.