Insurance Continuation & Adding a Child to your Health Insurance Plan
If you receive UW paid health insurance and you meet Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) eligibility requirements, you will receive employer-paid health insurance coverage, except for premiums or copays, for up to 12 weeks of FMLA covered parental leave, even if you are on leave without pay. If you receive UW-paid health insurance, your health insurance will continue while you are in pay status even if you do not meet FMLA eligibility requirements. You are considered to be in pay status while using annual leave, sick leave, compensatory time, or your personal holiday. You will remain responsible for any insurance premiums or copays for your health care plan. If you have a limited amount of paid leave, you are allowed to spread out (intersperse) your use of paid leave by using eight hours of leave in a month for up to four months so that your health insurance can continue during those months. See the Parental Leave page for information about your leave eligibility and for help in determining how much paid leave you are likely to have when your parental leave starts. If you do not have sufficient paid leave to cover your absence and you are not FMLA-eligible, you will have to self-pay to continue health insurance plan coverage. Dependent Children & Insurance Eligibility The term “dependent child� includes the following:
Children through age 25: Who are naturally born, legally adopted, or a stepchild; or, For whom you have legal responsibility for supporting in anticipation of adoption; or, Whom you support under a court order or divorce decree. Children of any age with a disability, provided the child is incapable of self-support and the disability, mental illness, intellectual, or other developmental disability occurred before age 26. The PEBB Program certifies dependents with disabilities periodically beginning at age 26. Proof of disability and dependency must be provided to the Health Care Authority upon application. Married children who qualify as your dependents under the Internal Revenue Code and “extended dependent� children approved by the Health Care Authority. If you are a UW faculty or staff member who is enrolled in a medical and/or dental plan, your eligible dependents can be enrolled in the same plan you are. If you have previously waived your own UW health insurance coverage, you cannot enroll your dependents. You can enroll yourself at the nextopen enrollment, or with a qualifying change in family status. Qualifying changes in family status regarding children are: Plan for Health Insurance Coverage While On Leave Determine whether you are covered by the FMLA and if so, how many weeks of FMLA covered leave you have. Determine whether you have enough paid leave to ensure continued health insurance coverage while on leave (see Planning and Requesting Leave). If you are not eligible for FMLA covered leave, and you will not have enough paid leave to maintain your health insurance coverage, see the self-pay page. Consider asking your department's administrator, payroll coordinator, or leave specialist to help you to determine your leave balances and FMLA eligibility. [Source:https://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/worklife/becomeparent/he althins.html]