Welfare Notes - February 2011

February, 2011

Check with the Plan Office for Eligibility Questions

Once you have attained your initial eligibility you must work 60 days within your eligibility period to keep your eligibility from terminating. The new eligibility period does not necessarily start when you get off the ship. Contact the Plan office by phone or e-mail to make sure about your eligibility status. This is especially true if you may be off of work for an extended period of time.

New Dependents

New dependents must be added to your plan within 30 days of acquiring the new dependent by marriage, birth, or adoption. If the new dependent is not added to the Plan within 30days of marriage, birth, or adoption you must wait until the next open enrollment period to add the dependent to your Plan. If your dependent has lost coverage because of a change in work status or other situations, you may be able to enroll the dependent outside of the open enrollment period but you will need to provide evidence of the loss of coverage from the prior plan or carrier with a letter or notice from that Plan.

Active Participants' Coverage for Dependents Age 19-26

The extension of coverage for dependents up to the age of 26 according to the Affordable Health Care Act will be effective retroactively to the first day of the plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010. Dependents who have lost their coverage or were not able to enroll because of being over the Plan's eligible age as a dependent will be allowed to enroll or re-enroll in a period starting July 1, 2011. Dependents who lose coverage because they no longer meet the requirements of dependents by age at this time can continue coverage by enrolling as COBRA members during the period that COBRA enrollment is available to them.

Please check with the SUP Welfare Plan for any questions about your eligibility or enrollment in a Medical or Dental Plan. Be sure to take the time to enroll in a plan once you become eligible to give yourself the best options to deal with unexpected illnesses, injuries, or dental emergencies. Also keep us informed of address changes and dependent changes. Check your wallet to make sure you have an ID card for your medical and dental plans.

 

Michelle Chang, Administrator  
Patty Martin  
Virginia Briggs, Claims   
Michael Jacyna, Eligibility