Making health insurance changes outside of open enrollment

Q         If an employee’s child joins the military and now has health coverage through the military, is she allowed to drop the child’s coverage outside of open enrollment.

A   Typically, when an employee makes her health insurance choices during the annual open enrollment period at work, including adding dependents to your plan, they are locked in until the next enrollment period. A dependent’s ability to procure his or her own health coverage through a change in employment status or joining the military, however, constitutes a qualifying event, an event during which you can drop coverage for your child.

Be aware, however, that the window to make the change to a job-based health plan is short, usually just 30 days. If you don’t act promptly, you may lose the opportunity and need to wait until the next open enrollment period.

Sarah K. Downey is an attorney with Jackson Loman Stanford Downey & Stevens-Block, P.C., in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can reach her at sarah@jacksonlomanlaw.com.