Life Events (Qualifying)
Contributions to Drexel University's health plans are on a pre-tax basis. The Internal Revenue Service states that elections under this type of plan that are made during an enrollment period, including contributions to Pre-Tax Expense Accounts (Medical and Dependent Care) must stay in effect for the entire year (January 1 – December 31), unless you experience a Life Event, also known as a Qualified Life Event.
What is a Life Event
A Life Event is a change in your family or employment status that may allow you to make certain benefit changes. If you experience a Life Event and wish to add or drop a dependent(s) for coverage purposes, you must do so on or within 31 days after the qualifying event date. Changes must be consistent with the qualifying life event.
Unless you experience a Life Event during the plan year, you may only change coverage and/or add or drop dependents at each Open Enrollment.
Reporting your Life Event
You may report your Life Event via the Benefitexpress portal accessed through DrexelOne, or by calling Benefitexpress, Drexel's benefits administrator, at 1.844.690.3992.
- Log in to DrexelOne.
- Select the Employee Tab.
- Select the My Drexel Benefits link to access the Benefitexpress portal.
- Once in the portal select the Life Events tab on the left menu bar.
- Submit supporting documentation to the Benefitexpress by uploading documents through the Benefitexpress portal (via DrexelOne) or email at help@mybenefitexpress.com.
Dependents must be marked verified in the Benefitexpress portal to enroll under Drexel group coverage. Please follow instructions in the portal on how to verify your dependent. Dependent's elections will pend until documentation is approved and verification is complete, and then relayed to carriers.
Required Supporting Documentation
Marriage: A marriage certificate. If you are dropping your health coverage because you have been added on to your new spouse's coverage as a result of your marriage you must report a Gain of Coverage life event, not a marriage event.
Divorce: A divorce decree or a notice of legal separation.
A birth certificate or birth notice from the hospital, or an adoption agreement. Hospital discharge papers are not acceptable documentation.
If your spouse has gained new coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date that your new coverage became effective, the types of coverage that have been gained (for example – medical, dental and vision coverage), and the names of the affected dependents.
If your spouse has lost his/her coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date that coverage terminated, the types of coverage that have been lost (for example – medical, dental and vision coverage) and the names of the affected dependents. A complete COBRA notice including all of the required information previously listed is also acceptable.
A letter from your daycare on company letterhead stating the date that your rate changed, or will change, and the new rate.
A death certificate. An official death certificate is required if the deceased had active life insurance coverage.
Loss or gain of coverage due to a change in your own employment status or your spouse's employment status.
Loss of Other Coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date that your coverage terminated, the types of coverage that have been lost (for example &ndash medical, dental and vision coverage), and the names of the affected dependents. A complete COBRA notice including all of the required information previously listed is also acceptable.
Gain of Other Coverage: A letter on company letterhead stating the date that your new coverage became effective, the types of coverage that have been gained (for example – medical, dental and vision coverage), and the names of the affected dependents.
Please submit your address change to the HRIS department by emailing hris@drexel.edu. Once HRIS makes this update, within one week this change will be updated automatically by Drexel's benefits administrator.
Election Changes Due to Status Changes
You may change your coverage elections in accordance with the special enrollment rights provided under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Group health plans and health insurance issuers are required to provide special enrollment periods during which individuals who previously declined coverage for themselves and their dependents may be allowed to enroll (without having to wait until the plan's next open enrollment period).
All changes to benefits are effective the first of the month following the date of the event, unless the date of the event falls on the first of the month. In that case, the benefits are effective that day. Newborns' benefits are effective as of the date of birth.
All correspondence from employers, carriers and/or colleges/institutions must be provided on respective letterhead.
Dependent Verification Process
Drexel University reserves the right to request documentation to substantiate that your dependent(s) are eligible for coverage under Drexel group plans. Human Resources has employed a dependent verification processing vendor who will request documentation for your dependent(s) upon enrollment in order to verify legitimacy. This dependent verification team will notify you via the enrollment process, email and postal mail to submit requested documentation. You can upload these documents to the Benefitexpress portal accessed via DrexelOne, or send by fax. For more information, please contact Benefitexpress at 1.844.690.3992, or email at help@mybenefitexpress.com.
New hires will need to submit documents verifying each dependent who is enrolled under the Drexel group plans during their new hire enrollment timeframe.