Birth or Adoption

When you welcome a child into the family, or a child becomes eligible for coverage, you can make changes to the benefit plans listed below. You must make these changes within 30 days of the event by submitting a Life Event change request through the Employee Center. Coverage will be effective as of the date of the birth, adoption, or placement for adoption.

Newborn Eligibility for Medical Plan Coverage

The newborn child of an employee covered by an IU-sponsored medical plan is covered immediately from birth for the first 31 days if (1) the employee was covered under the plan on the child's date of birth, and (2) the newborn meets the definition of an eligible dependent.

Notice to the Plan Administrator does not add the newborn to the employee's medical or dental plan. In order for the newborn to have coverage beyond the first 31 days, the employee must enroll for dependent coverage, or add the dependent to existing coverage by completing the Life Event Enrollment process within 30 days after the child's birth (even if the employee is currently enrolled in Family or Employee/Child coverage).

Important Information

  • A birth certificate, hospital birth confirmation, or custody/adoption order will be required.
  • Coverage for a newborn stops after 31 days unless they are added to the plan.

Medical and Dental Coverage

You may take the following actions:

  • Add the new child to your existing coverage
  • Enroll yourself and your spouse/dependents in any IU plan (see HIPAA special enrollment rights)
  • Drop IU coverage if you enroll in your spouse’s plan

Critical Illness Insurance

You may take the following actions:

  • Add or drop coverage for yourself and/or your spouse (if you’re enrolled in Critical Illness coverage, your eligible children are automatically enrolled at 50% of your coverage level)
  • Drop Increase or decrease your coverage.

Supplemental Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance

You may take the following actions:

  • Add or drop coverage.
  • Increase or decrease your coverage between employee and family.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

You may take the following actions. The action must be consistent with the qualifying event.

  • Enroll in a Healthcare and/or Dependent Care Spending Account.
  • Increase your Healthcare and/or Dependent Care Spending Account election (if already enrolled).

Health Savings Account (HSA)

If you enroll in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) you are also eligible to enroll in a Health Savings Account (HSA). Once enrolled, you may change your contribution amount at any time by completing an HSA Enrollment/Change form.

NOTE: if you enroll in the HSA or change your HDHP coverage level on or after October 1, you will not receive IU’s contribution to your HSA for the remainder of the calendar year.

Additional Considerations

You may also want to consider making changes to the information and plans listed below. Such changes do not require completion of a Life Event Change and can be done at any time.

Resources

Make Benefit Changes