January 5, 2011
One-time open enrollment to add dependents age 20-26
There is a new kind of open enrollment taking place until March 1 — its for adding dependents age 20 to 26, and was a result of the 2010 health care reform legislation.
Effective Jan. 1, national health care law allows you to keep your children on your medical coverage through age 26. The Washington State Public Employees Benefits Board, which oversees such benefits, will also allow employees to add children up to age 26 on their dental and life insurance coverage.
These dependents can be married or unmarried, and do not need to be students or tax dependents of state employees to qualify for the coverage.
Conversely, the one-time open enrollment period also allows you to disenroll any dependents age 20-26 who were automatically added to their accounts, if you dont want them on your plan. Disenrollments become effective Jan. 31.
More information is available on the Public Employees Benefits Boards page of frequently asked questions.
