Eligibility for Medical and Dental Plans
On this page: Eligibility | Enrollment | HSA Eligibility | Coverage Period | Continuation Opportunities
Eligibility and Enrollment Guidelines
Eligible Employees
Full-time (75% FTE or greater) appointed Academic and Staff employees are eligible for medical and dental plan enrollment.
Eligible Dependents
Dependents that are eligible for coverage on IU-sponsored medical and dental plans include the eligible employee’s:
- Spouse (by marriage, either opposite-sex or same-sex, legally entered into in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory or a foreign country); and/or
- Children who meet all of the following criteria:
- The child has one of the following relationships to the employee or spouse:
- A biological child; or
- A lawfully adopted child; or
- A stepchild of the employee; or
- A child for whom the employee or spouse has been legally appointed sole guardian for an indefinite period of time; and - The child is age 25 or under (eligibility ends at the end of the month in which the child reaches age 26) or qualifies for Disabled Child Eligibility.
- The child has one of the following relationships to the employee or spouse:
- Additional eligible individuals include children for whom the employee is legally required to provide health care coverage under a Qualified Medical Support Order, as defined by ERISA or an applicable Indiana state law.
- When an adoption is in the legal process, coverage for such child may begin from the point the child is placed with the employee (granted custody) for the purpose of adoption.
Documentation providing proof that an individual is a qualified dependent (e.g., marriage or birth certificate, guardianship orders) is required at the time of initial enrollment and periodically thereafter. Failure to provide proof of dependent eligibility within 30 days of the university's written request for such proof may result in termination of health plan coverage
Disabled Child Eligibility
Your dependent child's healthcare coverage may be continued beyond the maximum age for coverage (age 26) if the child meets the definition of "fully disabled." For the purposes of determining eligibility for IU-sponsored medical and dental coverage, a dependent qualifies for disabled dependent eligibility if:
- fully disabled, that is, incapable of engaging in self-sustaining employment because of a mental or physical disability; and
- dependent on the employee for support and maintenance and does not have personal resources sufficient to be self-supporting (for example, trust funds or settlements); and
- unmarried; and
- covered under the employee’s IU-sponsored health plan at the time he/she reaches age 26.
Proof that the child is fully disabled must be submitted in writing no later than 30 days prior to the date that dependent coverage would have ceased. The university has the right to require proof that the child continues to meet the requirements for disabled dependent eligibility at reasonable intervals
Newborn Eligibility
Your newborn child will be covered immediately from birth for the first 31 days if (1) you are covered under an IU-sponsored healthcare plan on the child's date of birth, and (2) the newborn meets the definition of eligible dependent. However, notice to the university of the birth does not add the newborn to your plan. In order for the newborn to have coverage beyond the first 31 days you must enroll the child in IU-sponsored coverage within 30 days after the child's birth by (1) submitting a Life Event change through the Employee Center, and (2) paying any contributions for the newborn child to continue as a covered dependent.
Enrollment Guidelines
Adding and Dropping Dependents Mid-Year
Outside of Open Enrollment, a dependent can only be dropped or added if you experience an IRS-defined Life Event, for example: marriage, divorce, or loss of coverage under your spouse's health plan. Changes must be made within 30 days of the event by submitting a Life Event change through the Employee Center. After 30 days, changes will not be accepted and you must wait until the next Open Enrollment period to make any plan changes.
Dual Coverage
Individuals cannot be enrolled under more than one IU-sponsored healthcare plan. Ineligible coverage includes an individual covered as:
- the employee on more than one IU plan, or
- as both an employee on one IU plan and a dependent on another IU plan, or
- as a dependent of more than one IU employee.
IU Spouses
University policy does not allow IU spouses to both enroll under the lower-compensated spouse. If you and your spouse are both eligible for IU-sponsored coverage, you have two options:
- Enroll as “employee only” or “employee with children” in separate plans; or
- Enroll as “employee with spouse” or “family” in the higher compensated spouse’s health plan.
Duty to Notify of Ineligibility
You are responsible for notifying the university in writing of any changes that affect your dependent’s eligibility, for example, marriage or divorce. Regardless of when notice is provided to the university, a medical or dental plan enrollee ceases to be a covered dependent on the date they no longer meet the definition of a dependent. You are responsible for notifying the university in writing within 30 days to initiate any reduction in premium contribution. Failure to provide timely notice to the university can jeopardize COBRA benefits and result in additional cost to the employee. There may also be tax consequences when coverage is provided for ineligible dependents.
Health Savings Account (HSA) Eligibility
Enrollment in a high deductible health plan (HDHP) provides you with the opportunity to also enroll in a Health Savings Account (HSA). However, you must meet additional IRS-defined eligibility criteria to enroll in the HSA.
Coverage Period
Your coverage as an employee is effective on the first day of active employment as an eligible employee as long as you enroll within 30 days of hire. However, your coverage will not be activated until your benefit enrollments are received and processed by the university and the plan vendor. This may result in you having to pay for healthcare costs out-of-pocket, then submit claims for reimbursement once your coverage is activated.
If you are placed on leave at the time of initial employment, your coverage will become effective on the first day of active employment.
Your coverage will terminate when:
- your employment terminates, or
- you cease to be a member of the eligible class for coverage.
Dependent coverage ends on the date the dependent no longer meets the criteria for dependent eligibility.
Continuing Your Coverage
For information on opportunities for continuation of coverage in the event of lost healthcare coverage due to a change in employment, or the loss by a spouse or dependent of group health care coverage under an IU-sponsored healthcare plan due to changes in family status, please refer to the COBRA web page.
For information concerning continuation or conversion of health insurance as a retiree with IU Retiree Status, refer to the Retiree benefits web page.