My Dependent Child is Turning 26
UNI’s self-insured health and dental plans allow dependents to remain covered through December 31 of the year in which they turn age 26.
If your child is unmarried and a full-time student, you may have the option to continue coverage beyond age 26. Human Resource Services will contact employees with dependents approaching age 26 during each open enrollment period to provide additional information and available options.
Additionally, if your dependent child is considered disabled prior to reaching age 26, they may be eligible to continue coverage under the plan.
Required Documentation
All documentation must be submitted by the life event deadline.
Supporting Documentation Required for Benefits Enrollment and Changes
Documentation is required in order to add, or continue coverage for a disabled dependent. You will be asked to upload documentation during the life event process within UNI Works.
Acceptable Documentation:
- SSI Card
- Medicare Card
- Letter Documenting Disability
Verifying Dependents
Adding new dependents to your health and/or dental plan?
You can verify your dependents by Uploading Dependent Verification Document(s) in UNI Works. Once the required documentation has been uploaded, click Submit to complete and clear the task.
Do not send personal documents by email. Email is not a secure method for submitting dependent verification documentation.
Examples of Acceptable Documentation
- Spouse – Marriage certificate or common law spouse affidavit
- Domestic Partner – Notarized domestic partner affidavit
- Child – Birth certificate that includes the parents' names, adoption paperwork, court order, or guardianship paperwork
Previously Verified Dependents
Once a dependent has been verified, you do not need to verify that dependent again unless there has been a change that affects their eligibility or the documentation previously provided.
Examples of changes that may require updated documentation include:
- Spouse – A change in marital status, such as divorce.
- Child – A change to a court order or guardianship arrangement.
If there have been no changes affecting your dependent's eligibility, no additional verification documentation is required.
Health, Dental, & Vision Coverage
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires group health plans to offer dependent coverage until an adult child reaches age 26. At University of Northern Iowa, your dependent child may remain on your health, dental, and vision plans through December 31 of the year in which they turn 26. Eligibility is not affected by marital status or employment, meaning your child may be married or employed in a full-time, benefit-eligible position and still remain on your plan.
If you do not intend to continue coverage beyond December 31 of their 26th year, no action is required. Your dependent will be automatically removed from coverage effective January 1.
Unmarried, Full-time Students
Under UNI’s group insurance plan, if your child is over age 26, unmarried, and a full-time student at an accredited college or university, you may be eligible to continue coverage under your health, dental, and/or vision plans. To maintain eligibility, you must complete an annual student status verification and confirm tax dependent status through UNI Works.
If your dependent child does not qualify as a tax dependent, the value of their health and dental coverage will be considered taxable income. This is known as imputed income and is calculated as the difference between the employer contribution toward a family plan premium and the contribution toward a single plan premium.
Dependents with Disabilities
Coverage may be available for an unmarried dependent over age 26 who is disabled. The disability must have existed prior to the dependent turning age 26 or while the dependent was a full-time student.
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield considers a dependent disabled if they meet the following criteria:
- The child is claimed as a dependent on the employee’s, plan member’s, subscriber’s, policyholder’s, or retiree’s tax return; and
- The child is enrolled in and receiving Medicare benefits due to the disability; or
- The child is enrolled in and receiving Social Security Administration disability benefits.
To make a benefits change due to a qualifying life event, please use the UNI Works system.
Voluntary Term Life (VTL) Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
Voluntary term life coverage for a child will end on the last day of the month in which the child turns age 26.
A dependent child may continue coverage beyond age 26 if they are primarily supported by you and are incapable of self-support due to a developmental or physical disability. To request continuation of coverage, you must complete an Application to Continue Disabled Child and submit it to Human Resource Services. The application will be forwarded to Principal Financial Group for review and approval.
To end coverage, log into UNI Works and choose the option "I Want to Cancel My Voluntary Term Life Policy."
When You Can Make Changes to Your Benefits in Regards to a Dependent Child
Annual Open Enrollment
If you do not make any changes during open enrollment your coverage selection will remain the same.
Qualifying Life Event
You may also enroll, waive, or change your coverage selection based on a qualifying life event:
How to Make Changes to Your Benefits
UNI Works
UNI Works is designed to help you enroll, make changes, and view your current benefit elections, dependents and beneficiaries all in one location. When logging into UNI Works, select Benefits and Pay from the Main Menu.
Contact Information
HRS Benefits Team
319-273-2422
hrs-benefits@uni.edu
Wherever conflicts occur between the contents of this site and the contracts, rules, regulations, or laws governing the administration of the various programs, the terms set forth in the various program contracts, rules, regulations, or laws shall prevail. Space does not permit listing all limitations and exclusions that apply to each plan. Before using your benefits, review the plan's coverage manual. Benefits provided can be changed at any time without the consent of participants.