We’re going to abandon the fitness talk this week and venture into another area of wellness — employee benefits.
I can hear it now, “Chuck, what do employee benefits have to do with wellness?”
Well, as we’ve stated before, the term “wellness” relates to all things that help a person gain a sense of well being.
And if you don’t think benefits help you achieve a sense of well being, imagine living without them.
Fortunately — we work at UNMC and don’t have to worry about that.
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According to the fine people at UNMC Employee Benefits, dependent children can be covered under your University of Nebraska benefits if they meet the following criteria:
- They are under the age of 19 and are dependent upon you financially (step children also must reside in your home);
- They are age 19 but have not yet attained the age of 24, are a full-time student, are dependent upon you financially and reside in your home or list your home as their permanent address if they are away at school; and
- They are unmarried.
When you are covering a child between the ages of 19 and 24, you will be required to complete student information forms for Blue Cross Blue Shield, stating where they attend school and the number of credit hours they are taking.
Coverage for your child under the University of Nebraska benefits program will stop at the end of the month in which they turn 24, they drop below the required number of credit hours to be considered a full-time student, or they marry.
If your child becomes ineligible under your coverage, you must notify the UNMC Benefits Office at 559-4340 or 559-5911 immediately. Benefits personnel will then send a COBRA letter to your home, addressed to your dependent, explaining how they may continue coverage under our Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan.
COBRA is a federal regulation that allows the dependents to continue coverage in their own right for up to 36 months when they lose eligibility; however, they do pay the entire cost of the coverage (no University contributions), plus a 2 percent administration fee. The current COBRA rates may be found on the benefits Web site.
It may be to your advantage to compare private plans offered at Blue Cross Blue Shield or other insurance companies for your dependent, or if they have met the limiting age of 24 but are still in school, to check with that school about student insurance coverage.
In most cases, schools require that you arrange for their insurance within 30 days from the loss of other coverage. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact the UNMC Benefits Office at 559-4340 or 559-5911.