Following your initial 30 day enrollment period for benefits, you can only change your benefit elections for health, dental, vision, and FSA plans during the State’s annual Open Enrollment period or when you experience an IRS qualifying life event.
Open Enrollment
The State’s benefit plan year is from July 1 through June 30. Teammates may change their benefit plans each year during the annual Open Enrollment period which occurs in May of each year and changes become effective on July 1. You will make changes during Open Enrollment through the Employee Worker Center (EWC).
Qualifying Life Events
Outside of Open Enrollment, the only time you can make changes is when you experience a qualifying life event. You have 30 days, unless noted otherwise, to submit your request through EWC – All About Me.
Following are the events that allow mid-year changes and the required documentation to be included with the request for change. If you are requesting to terminate coverage based on a qualified status change, the change request becomes effective the first of the month following the request. No refunds or retroactive terminations will be allowed.
If you have questions regarding qualifying life events, please contact your agency human resource office or call AS-Employee Wellness and Benefits at: 402-471-4443 (toll free: 877-721-2228). You may also email Employee Wellness and Benefits at: as.employeebenefits@nebraska.gov.
Qualifying life events include:
- Birth of a Baby
- Adoption of a Child
- Marriage
- Legal Divorce
- Death of a Spouse or Dependent Child
- Child Turns Age 26
- Gain or Loss of Coverage under a State Medicaid Program
- Newly Enrolled for Medicare Coverage
- Open Enrollment Period for a Spouse
- Employee's Change in Employment Status
- Spouse/Dependent's Change in Employment Status Resulting in Gain or Loss of Coverage
- Rehires
BIRTH OF A BABY
Under State Statue 44-710.19, all newborns receive 31 days of automatic coverage. For coverage to continue after the first 31 days you must enroll your newborn in your health plan within 30 calendar days of the child’s birth and, also supply a copy of the State issued birth certificate. We will not accept copies of hospital issued birth announcements as verification. If you are currently enrolled in Employee + child(ren) or Family coverage, you must still request your newborn to be added to your plan; however, you will not see a change to your premium when adding another dependent. If this is your first child, your new premium becomes effective the first of the month following the child’s date of birth.
If a request is not submitted within 30 days of the child’s birth, coverage ends at the end of the 31 days and the child cannot be added to your health plan until the next Open Enrollment period.
ADOPTION OF A CHILD
To be in compliance with HIPAA, all adopted children, regardless of age, must be enrolled using the same process as described above for newborns and coverage becomes effective on the date of placement. For documentation, a copy of the adoption decree issued by the court indicating the date the child was placed for adoption must be submitted. If a request is not submitted within 30 days of the date the child was placed for adoption, the child cannot be added to your health plan until the next Open Enrollment period.
MARRIAGE
Employees have 30 days from the date of a marriage to add your new spouse, terminate your insurance coverage, or change your FSA. A copy of the government issued marriage license must be submitted at the time of change request for documentation.
Employees may add their new spouse and step child(ren) with the effective date being the first of the month following the date of marriage. Step children can only be enrolled if enrolling in family coverage.
You may also terminate your insurance benefits and be covered on your spouse’s plan. The marriage license and proof of enrollment on your spouse’s plan(s) will need to be supplied to terminate coverage on your State’s insurance plan(s). You can only drop coverage on plans which you are now enrolled in on your spouse’s insurance. Coverage is never terminated retroactively and will be effective the first day of the month following the date you submit the request in EWC.
Example – If you are currently enrolled in the State’s dental plan and, you are not being added to your spouse’s dental plan, you will not be able to terminate your coverage due to your marriage. You will need to wait until the State’s next Open Enrollment to terminate the coverage.
LEGAL DIVORCE
In the State of Nebraska, your divorce is considered final six months after the decree is rendered. Any requests to change your coverage due to the divorce will be effective on the first day of the month following the six month waiting period.
If you or your eligible dependent children currently do not have coverage with the State, you may enroll for coverage when the divorce is final. You must submit the divorce decree indicating the date the decree was filed with the court and also documentation from the ex-spouse’s employer indicating what benefits you and the children were enrolled in and, the coverage termination date. Your ex-spouse is not eligible to continue coverage under the State’s plan once the divorce is final and will be offered 36 months of continued coverage through COBRA.
If an teammate wants to remove an ex-spouse prior to the six month waiting period, there must be specific language in the divorce decree indicating that the teammate is not responsible for the ex-spouse’s coverage and, when the coverage should terminate.
DEATH OF A SPOUSE OR DEPENDENT CHILD
Upon death of a spouse or dependent child, changes to premiums, if any, would become effective the first of the month following the death of the spouse or child.
CHILD TURNS AGE 26
Upon turning age 26, you are required to remove your child from your health, dental, and vision plan at the end of the month in which he/she turns age 26. Your child will then be eligible to continue coverage through COBRA up to 36 months.
GAIN OR LOSS OF COVERAGE UNDER A STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM
If you or your eligible dependents become newly eligible or ineligible for a State Medicaid program, you have 60 days to make a request to change your State insurance benefits. Documentation will need to be provided from the Department of Health and Human Services indicating who has become eligible or ineligible for Medicaid coverage and the date the coverage either terminated or became effective.
NEWLY ENTITLED FOR MEDICARE COVERAGE
When you or your spouse first enrolls in Medicare, you have 60 days to terminate your health insurance coverage. The coverage termination date will be the first of the month following the change request. A copy of the Medicare ID card indicating the Medicare effective date must be supplied at the time the change request is made.
OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR A SPOUSE
The Open Enrollment period offered by your spouse’s employer is also a qualifying life event. You have 30 days from the event date to submit the request on EWC. The event date is the date changes made during your spouse’s Open Enrollment become effective. Along with your request, you must supply documentation from the spouse’s employer indicating (1) their Open Enrollment period; (2) the effective date for benefits elected and (3) a copy of a confirmation/enrollment statement indicating the elections made by your spouse. Any changes you request must correspond with elections made by your spouse.
Example - If your spouse enrolls in his/her employer’s group dental plan, you may request to terminate coverage for your spouse on the State’s dental plan effective the same date your spouse’s new coverage begins. However, if your spouse has not enrolled in the dental coverage during their Open Enrollment period, you would not be able to remove your spouse from the State’s dental plan until the State’s next Open Enrollment period.
EMPLOYEE’S CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS
If your employment status (FTE) increases or decreases by 10 hours or more per week thus affecting the premiums you pay, you may elect to make corresponding changes to your health insurance and basic life insurance. If you increase your work hours by 10 or more hours per week, you may enroll in the health and basic life plans. If you have a decrease of 10 or more hours, you may terminate your health and basic life coverage. This does not allow you to make changes in dental, vision, or FSA plans.
SPOUSE/DEPENDENT’S CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS RESULTING IN GAIN OR LOSS OF COVERAGE
When your spouse or dependent gains or loses insurance coverage under their employer’s plans due to a status change such as change in hours, new job, termination/retirement, or layoff; you are eligible to make corresponding changes to your State insurance benefits. You have within 30 days from the date coverage begins or ends to request the change through EWC. You will need to supply documentation from the Spouse/dependent’s employer supporting the change in coverage and the effective date.
Examples - If your spouse terminates employment and you were covered under your spouse’s health insurance plan, you are able to enroll yourself and your spouse on the State’s health insurance plan with 30 days of the last day of coverage. However, this would not be a qualifying event to enroll in the State’s dental or vision plan if no dental or vison coverage was lost when your spouse terminated employment.
If your spouse has a new job and enrolls in their employer’s health insurance, you may remove your spouse from the State’s health insurance plan.
If your dependent starts a new job and becomes enrolled on their employer’s health and vision plan, you may remove your dependent from the State’s health and vision plan.
REHIRES
If you leave employment with the State of Nebraska, and return to a benefit eligible position within 30 days, you will be required to enroll in the same benefit plans and tiers you had on your last day of employment. The waiting period is waived and coverage will begin first day of the month following your rehire date.
If you are rehired after 30 days, you will follow the same guidelines as a new hire. You will have to re-elect your benefit plans and coverage will begin the first day of the month following the 30 day waiting period.
Rehires are NOT eligible to participate in the State’s Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical or Dependent Care) until Open Enrollment for the following Plan Year (July 1).
- This site contains information on coverage available to State teammates who are eligible for insurance benefits.*
- The State of Nebraska offers comprehensive insurance benefits to permanent*, full-time teammates. Part-time teammates who work 20 or more hours are also eligible for insurance benefits. Participation in the State's insurance program is voluntary. The State contributes 79% of the health insurance premium, 100% of the basic life insurance coverage, and 100% of the teammate Assistance Program cost (for participating agencies). All other insurance plans are offered to teammates at a group rate.
- Teammates' contributions to the health and dental insurance plans are tax-sheltered under Internal Revenue Code 125. Anyone who participates in the health or dental insurance plans will pay their portion of the premium with before-tax dollars, which are automatically deducted from the teammate's paycheck. The State also allows permanent teammates to participate in two Flexible Spending Accounts, the Medical Reimbursement Account, and/or the Dependent Care Account. *
- As a State of Nebraska teammate, you will have the opportunity to select from insurance benefits listed for your specific teammate-group type.