Life and Family Status Changes

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Following IRS regulations, you can make changes to your benefits that are consistent with your life or family status change within 30 days of the date that the status change occurred. If you miss the 30-day enrollment period, you must wait until the next Open Enrollment to make changes.

You have 30 days from the event to request benefit changes in Workday. After electing the new benefits, you have 30 days to upload required documentation. This includes documentation to verify the status change and to verify newly added dependents. (View instructions [pdf].)
The benefit changes you request must be consistent with your life or family status change. For example, if your spouse loses outside Medical/Rx coverage, you may add your spouse to your Medical/Rx plan, but you would not be able to drop Vision coverage.
In most cases, you may not change the benefit carrier or option (e.g., UPMC to Highmark or PPO Option 2 to PPO Option 1), but you may modify the level of your coverage (e.g., employee and spouse to family coverage).

Qualifying Changes

Marital/domestic partnership status changes (e.g., marriage or registration of partnership, death, divorce or termination of partnership)
Employment status changes (e.g., part-time to full-time)
Coverage from another source is gained or lost
Dependent eligibility changes (e.g., birth or adoption, death, or dependent becomes ineligible for coverage)
Significant change in cost or coverage of plan (as defined by the university)
Relocation (e.g., domestic to international position change, spouse arriving from overseas)

Life Event Supporting Documentation

Supporting documentation to verify a status change, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or proof of new coverage, is required. View the Uploading Supporting Documents in Workday System Guide [pdf] for instructions.

If you experience a qualifying life or family status change, but do not yet have the required supporting documentation, please do not wait to request the change in Workday until you receive it. You can follow up and upload the documentation in Workday within 30 days of making the elections. The Benefit Change Effective Date is the first of the month on or following the Benefit Event Date.

Event Category	Event Type Options	Benefit Event Date and Deadline to Submit Changes	Documentation Required
Employee Dropping Carnegie Mellon Benefits Due to Gain of Other Coverage	Gain of Coverage Outside of Carnegie Mellon* Entitlement to Medicare or Medicaid*	Benefit Event Date is the effective date of your new coverage. Example 1: Your spouse starts a new job and you elect coverage through their employer. The effective date of the new coverage is Sept 1. �� coverage would end Aug 31. You have until Oct 1 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Sept 1. Example 2: You are eligible for Medicare effective Sept 15. You have until Oct 15 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Oct 1.	Document detailing the gain of coverage, including names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being gained (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and the date coverage is effective. Examples (must provide all required information): Insurance provider notice, letter from spouse's employer, Medicare Evidence of Coverage, Medicare card, Advantage plan information from insurance provider. If dropping coverage due to marriage, document detailing the gain of coverage must include names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being gained (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and date coverage is effective.
Employee Enrolling in Carnegie Mellon Benefits Due to Loss of Other Coverage	Loss of Coverage Outside of Carnegie Mellon*	Benefit Event Date is the end date of the coverage being lost. Example: Your spouse covered you under their medical, prescription and dental plans. Your spouse changes jobs on July 3 and your benefits coverage ends on July 31. You have until Aug 30 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Aug 1.	Document detailing the loss of coverage, including names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being lost (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and the date coverage is ending. Examples (must provide all required information): COBRA notice, other insurance provider notice, letter from dependent's (former) employer.
Add or a Spouse or Dependent to Carnegie Mellon Benefits	Birth, Adoption, Placement for Adoption Add Spouse or Dependent Due to Loss of Coverage* Marriage/Add New Domestic Partner*	Benefit Event Date is your newborn's birth date, the end date of your dependent's coverage being lost, or your marriage date. Example 1: Your baby is born on July 4. You have until Aug 3 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Aug 1. Example 2: Your spouse loses their medical and prescription coverage on April 15. You have until May 15 to submit the benefit event in Workday. The benefit change is effective May 1. Example 3: You get married on Aug 6 and want to add your new spouse to your benefit plans. You have until Sept 5 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Sept 1.	Official birth certificate and/or adoption papers. Note: You can request to add a new dependent child in Workday before you receive the birth certificate. Newborns will be enrolled in benefits before the birth certificate is received. Newborns are covered under their mother's insurance for the first 30 days. You will see the benefit event change in Workday effective the first of the month following, but your newborn will have coverage from their date of birth. Document detailing the loss of coverage must include names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being lost (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and the date coverage is ending. Examples (must provide all required information): COBRA notice, other insurance provider notice, letter from dependent's (former) employer or provider. Marriage certificate or Registration Statement of Domestic Partnership for Insurance Benefits and three verification documents (Registration Statement and details concerning the required verification documents can be found in the Domestic Partner Registration Packet). See dependent eligibility documentation for details.
Remove Spouse or Dependent from Carnegie Mellon Benefits	Divorce/Termination of Domestic Partnership* Remove Spouse or Dependent Due to Gain of Coverage* Death of Dependent Child/Spouse/Domestic Partner	Benefit Event Date is the effective date of your dependent's new coverage or date divorce is finalized (per court document), date of dependent's death. Dependent children are automatically removed from covered benefit plans at the end of the month they turn 26. If your dependents are eligible for Medicare / Medicaid, use the Remove Spouse or Dependent Due to Gain of Coverage benefit event type. Example 1: Your dependent son gets a new job, and his medical and prescription coverage is effective on April 15. You have until May 15 to submit the benefit event in Workday. The benefit change is effective May 1. Example 2: You and your spouse are divorcing. You cover your spouse on ��'s benefit plans. Your divorce is finalized Jan 15. You have until Feb 14 to submit the benefit change. The benefit change is effective Feb 1.	Divorce decree with finalized date or Termination Statement of Domestic Partnership (found in the Domestic Partner Registration Packet). If adding coverage due to divorce, document detailing the loss of coverage must include names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being lost (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and date coverage is ending. Death Certificate. Examples (must provide all required information): Insurance provider notice, letter from dependent's employer. For a gain of Medicare / Medicaid: Medicare Evidence of Coverage, Medicare card, Advantage plan information from insurance provider, CHIP coverage verification letter for dependent children.

Event Category

Event Type Options

Benefit Event Date and Deadline to Submit Changes

Documentation Required

Employee Dropping Carnegie Mellon Benefits Due to Gain of Other Coverage

Gain of Coverage Outside of Carnegie Mellon*

Entitlement to Medicare or Medicaid*

Benefit Event Date is the effective date of your new coverage.

Example 1: Your spouse starts a new job and you elect coverage through their employer. The effective date of the new coverage is Sept 1. �� coverage would end Aug 31. You have until Oct 1 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Sept 1.

Example 2: You are eligible for Medicare effective Sept 15. You have until Oct 15 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Oct 1.

Document detailing the gain of coverage, including names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being gained (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and the date coverage is effective.

Examples (must provide all required information): Insurance provider notice, letter from spouse's employer, Medicare Evidence of Coverage, Medicare card, Advantage plan information from insurance provider.

If dropping coverage due to marriage, document detailing the gain of coverage must include names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being gained (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and date coverage is effective.

Employee Enrolling in Carnegie Mellon Benefits Due to Loss of Other Coverage

Loss of Coverage Outside of Carnegie Mellon*

Benefit Event Date is the end date of the coverage being lost.

Example: Your spouse covered you under their medical, prescription and dental plans. Your spouse changes jobs on July 3 and your benefits coverage ends on July 31. You have until Aug 30 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Aug 1.

Document detailing the loss of coverage, including names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being lost (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and the date coverage is ending.

Examples (must provide all required information): COBRA notice, other insurance provider notice, letter from dependent's (former) employer.

Add or a Spouse or Dependent to Carnegie Mellon Benefits

Birth, Adoption, Placement for Adoption

Add Spouse or Dependent Due to Loss of Coverage*

Marriage/Add New Domestic Partner*

Benefit Event Date is your newborn's birth date, the end date of your dependent's coverage being lost, or your marriage date.

Example 1: Your baby is born on July 4. You have until Aug 3 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Aug 1.

Example 2: Your spouse loses their medical and prescription coverage on April 15. You have until May 15 to submit the benefit event in Workday. The benefit change is effective May 1.

Example 3: You get married on Aug 6 and want to add your new spouse to your benefit plans. You have until Sept 5 to submit the benefit change request. The benefit change is effective Sept 1.

Official birth certificate and/or adoption papers. Note: You can request to add a new dependent child in Workday before you receive the birth certificate. Newborns will be enrolled in benefits before the birth certificate is received. Newborns are covered under their mother's insurance for the first 30 days. You will see the benefit event change in Workday effective the first of the month following, but your newborn will have coverage from their date of birth.

Document detailing the loss of coverage must include names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being lost (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and the date coverage is ending. Examples (must provide all required information): COBRA notice, other insurance provider notice, letter from dependent's (former) employer or provider.

Marriage certificate or Registration Statement of Domestic Partnership for Insurance Benefits and three verification documents (Registration Statement and details concerning the required verification documents can be found in the Domestic Partner Registration Packet).

See dependent eligibility documentation for details.

Remove Spouse or Dependent from Carnegie Mellon Benefits

Divorce/Termination of Domestic Partnership*

Remove Spouse or Dependent Due to Gain of Coverage*

Death of Dependent Child/Spouse/Domestic Partner

Benefit Event Date is the effective date of your dependent's new coverage or date divorce is finalized (per court document), date of dependent's death.

Dependent children are automatically removed from covered benefit plans at the end of the month they turn 26.

If your dependents are eligible for Medicare / Medicaid, use the Remove Spouse or Dependent Due to Gain of Coverage benefit event type.

Example 1: Your dependent son gets a new job, and his medical and prescription coverage is effective on April 15. You have until May 15 to submit the benefit event in Workday. The benefit change is effective May 1.

Example 2: You and your spouse are divorcing. You cover your spouse on ��'s benefit plans. Your divorce is finalized Jan 15. You have until Feb 14 to submit the benefit change. The benefit change is effective Feb 1.

Divorce decree with finalized date or Termination Statement of Domestic Partnership (found in the Domestic Partner Registration Packet).

If adding coverage due to divorce, document detailing the loss of coverage must include names of enrollee(s), type of coverage being lost (e.g., medical, dental, vision), and date coverage is ending.

Death Certificate. Examples (must provide all required information): Insurance provider notice, letter from dependent's employer.

For a gain of Medicare / Medicaid: Medicare Evidence of Coverage, Medicare card, Advantage plan information from insurance provider, CHIP coverage verification letter for dependent children.

*Benefit changes will not be finalized until the supporting documentation is submitted and approved.

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