Your child graduating from college, obtaining their own insurance coverage, or turning 26 allows you to make changes to your insurance coverage because of a qualified life event.The following web page supports Academic Administrators, Faculty, Institutional Officials, P&S, and Merit Supervisory & Merit Confidential employees who are currently employed at the university.

If your child is an unmarried, full-time student, you have the option to keep a dependent on your plan past their 26th year. Human Resource Services will reach out to employees covering age 26 dependents each open enrollment to provide information and options.

Health, Dental, & Vision Coverage

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires plans offer dependent insurance coverage and to make the coverage available until the adult child reaches the age of 26. At UNI your dependent child may remain on your health, dental, and vision plans until December 31st of the year in which they turn 26. They can be married, with a full-time benefit eligible position, and still remain on your insurance plans. If you do not intend to keep your child on your insurance plans past December 31 of their 26th year, no action is needed. They will be automatically removed effective January 1.

Under the University of Northern Iowa’s group insurance plan if your child is over age 26, unmarried, and a full-time student at a college or university you are eligible to keep your adult child on your health, dental, and/or vision coverage. You will be required to complete an annual student status verification and tax dependent status through Benefits Self-Service.

If your dependent child does not qualify as a tax dependent, you will be taxed on the fair market value of health and dental coverage. This is known as imputed income, and is calculated by taking the difference of what the employer (UNI) contributes to a family plan premium and what the employer contributes to the single plan premium.

Dependents with Disabilities

Coverage is available for an over age 26, unmarried, disabled dependent. The disability must have existed before the dependent child turned 26 or while the child was a full-time student. Wellmark considers a dependent disabled when they meet the following criteria:

• The child is claimed as a dependent on the employee's, plan member's, subscribers, policyholder's, or retiree's tax return; and
• Enrolled in and receiving Medicare benefits due to the disability; or
• Enrolled in and receiving Social Security benefits due to disability.

To make a change due to a life event, please use the Benefits Self-Service system.

Documentation

Documentation is required in order to add, or continue coverage for a disabled dependent. You will be asked to upload documentation during the Benefit Self-Service process.

• SSI Card
• Medicare Card
• Letter Documenting Disability

Voluntary Term Life (VTL) Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)

• Benefits will end the last day of the month in which the child turns age 26.
• A child may continue to be covered under the group policy after age 26 if you primarily support a dependent incapable of self-support as the result of a developmental or physical disability. To continue coverage, you will need to complete an Application to Continue Disabled Child and return to Human Resource Services. We will provide the application to Principal Financial for their review and approval.
• To end coverage log into Benefits Self-Service and choose the option I Want to Cancel My Voluntary Term Life Policy.

Benefit Enrollment

Stress, Mental Health, and Grief Services

Many of us can face challenges every day that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions. Visit our Stress, Mental Health, and Grief Services webpage for services that may be useful to you and/or your family.

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