Making Changes

Normally, your benefit elections remain in effect from January 1 through December 31, and you may only make changes during Benefits Annual Enrollment. However, if you experience a qualifying life event or employment status change during the year, you may be able to change some of your benefit elections. Review the list of qualified status changes below.

When to make the change

You must make any eligible changes within 31 days after the event or wait until the next Benefits Annual Enrollment period. Changes are not automatic—in other words, the birth of a baby does not automatically enroll the child under your coverage.

How to make the change

First, you will need to obtain the appropriate supporting documentation to validate the life event. If you want to add a family member to your profile and benefits (for example, after having a baby), you’ll need to process a life event. This can be done using the Birth, Marriage or other Life Event link in Common Actions on the homepage or by going to Manage Profile and clicking Life Event in the left navigation menu. Enter the Life Event Date and Reason (e.g., ‘Birth’) to get started and then you’ll be able to add the new dependent’s information and enroll.

Keep in mind there may be rules about when you can process a life event (such as within 30 days of a birth or marriage), what qualifies as one (for example, you can only add a dependent to your insurance if they lose their existing coverage) and what documentation is required. If you’re not sure you qualify, please contact an administrator.

• What’s a qualifying life event?

  You must make any modifications to your benefit elections within 31 days following the date a life event change occurs, or you will have to wait until the next Benefits Annual Enrollment period. Qualifying life events are:

  Qualifying Life Event Changes	Supporting Documentation Required to Validate the Event
  Marriage	Marriage license
  Divorce or Legal Separation	Divorce decree or court document for legal separation addressing benefit coverage
  Dissolution of domestic partnership	Completed and notarized dissolution of domestic partnership form
  Death of a spouse, domestic partner or a dependent	Death certificate
  Birth	Footprints, hospital documentation or birth certificate
  Adoption or placement for adoption or foster care of a child	Adoption paperwork or court appointed document for placement of adoption/foster care
  Termination of employment (or commencement of employment) of a spouse	COBRA notification for spouse’s coverage or letter from employer showing that the spouse gained coverage with coverages identified
  Dependent child losing eligibility for health care coverage	Documentation required other than limiting age requirement (i.e., age 23 for dependent life and age 26 for medical, dental and/or vision coverage). Provide letter or documentation showing gain of/loss of coverage elsewhere.
  Switching from full-time to part-time status by the teammate/spouse	Teammate: Completed Affidavit—Request to Cancel Health Care Coverage Teammate’s Spouse: Letter and/or other documentation from the spouse’s employer reflecting the change in spouse’s job status
  Significant change to health coverage that is attributable to the spouse’s employment	Letter and/or other documentation from the spouse’s employer reflecting the significant change (e.g., significant increase in employee premiums, significant increase in deductibles/coinsurance/out-of-pockets) IMPORTANT: Spouse’s employer subsidized COBRA coverage ending is not considered a qualifying life event under the rules of the plan. The spouse’s termination of active coverage is the qualifying life event and the 31-day rule applies to the latter of the spouse’s termination date or loss of active coverage date.
  You can make modifications to your benefit elections within 31 days of your eligibility date if you: Convert from full-time hourly to part-time hourly status Convert from part-time hourly to full-time hourly or salaried status Commence or return from an unpaid leave of absence	If moving from a part-time to full-time hourly or salaried status, you will want to review the New Hire section of this site for your benefits options. If you are converting from full-time hourly to part-time hourly status and would like to waive your medical benefits, please contact benefits@dcsg.com. If you are commencing or returning from an unpaid leave of absence, please contact benefits@dcsg.com.