How Qualifying Life Events can impact your health insurance coverage
¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Open Enrollment happens once a year with changes effective January 1. There are times when life changes, and you may need to change your benefits outside of the Open Enrollment period. To accommodate specific life changes, a special enrollment period allows you to change coverage in the 30 days immediately following a Qualifying Life Event.
What Is a Qualifying Life Event?
Certain changes in your life situation are known as Qualifying Life Events and typically include circumstances that may impact your current benefit coverage and make it necessary to enroll in a new plan. These events include:
- Loss of coverage
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Having a baby or adopting a child
- Experiencing a death of the primary policyholder in the family
How to change benefits after you experience a Qualifying Life Event
You can request changes to your benefits in the 30 days immediately following a qualifying life event. If you know you will soon experience a qualifying life event, contact our Benefits team in advance to help avoid a coverage gap. If you experience an unexpected life change, contact our Benefits team as soon as possible after the event occurs to understand your coverage options.
When making changes, you will be required to complete necessary forms and may be required to provide additional documentation.
Qualifying Life Event Forms
Depending on the changes you are requesting to make, different forms may be necessary. You only need to fill out forms for the benefits you are looking to change.
- Medical Insurance Change - Please complete the
- BCBSVT Medical Enrollment/Change Request Form (PDF) and
- Certification of Dependents Form (PDF) if coverage extends to a spouse, civil union partner, or dependent children.
- - for retirees only.
- - for retirees only.
- Dental Insurance Change - Please complete the Dental Enrollment Form (PDF).
- Vision Insurance Change - Please complete the VSP Enrollment Form (PDF).
- Flexible Spending Account Change - Please complete the Flexible Spending Enrollment Form (PDF).
- Group Term Life Insurance Change - Please complete the
- Group Term Life Insurance Enrollment/Change Form and
- , if necessary.
- Long Term Disability Change - Please complete the
- Group Long Term Disability Enrollment/Change Form and
- , if necessary.
- Retirement Savings - Changes to your retirement contributions can happen at any time during the year and do not need to wait until Open Enrollment or a Qualifying Life Event. More on Retirement Savings and Planning.
Additional Documentation
Documentation is required for the following Qualifying Life Events:
- Loss of coverage - Proof of lost coverage which could include a COBRA letter or official letter from the employer’s HR office
- Gained coverage - Proof of gained coverage which could include a plan identification card or an official letter from the employer’s HR office
- Marriage, having a baby, or adopting a child - Certification of Dependents (PDF)
- Death of primary policyholder - Death certificate
- Divorce - Divorce decree