MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR BENEFITS

IMPORTANT COVID-19 NOTICE:

In May 2020, the government temporarily extended the deadlines of when employees could make changes to their benefits for certain life events due to the various issues you may have or may be facing due to COVID-19. The extension applies ONLY to the following events: Adoption, Birth, Marriage, Spouse/Child/You Lost Coverage Elsewhere. If you have experienced one of these events since March 1, you have until 90 days after the President declares the national emergency caused by COVID-19 has ended to make your elections online and submit documentation. As of today, the national emergency is still ongoing, meaning you may still make changes to your benefits and submit documentation for events that have happened after March 1, 2020, if you have not already done so.

We strongly recommend you make every effort to make your changes online and submit documentation as quickly as possible, because the sooner you make changes online and submit documentation, the sooner your changes can go into effect.

If you have any questions, please contact Benefits Support at 1-877-698-4754 prompt 9 or THRBenefitsSupport@texashealth.org.

When You Can Make a Change

Having a baby? Checkout this guide.

During the Year: Due to federal laws, you can only make changes to your benefits throughout the year if you have an eligible work or life event, called a qualifying status change. When you have one of these events (such as a birth or going full-time), you have within 31 days of your event date occurring to make your benefit changes online and provide documentation. Details are in the next section.
Annual Benefits Enrollment: All benefits eligible employees can make changes to their benefits during each annual Benefits Enrollment period. When you make changes to your benefits during Benefits Enrollment (which is usually in November each year), the changes are effective January 1 of the next year.

Qualified Status Changes

Life Events

Event	Description	Documentation Requirements	Deadline to Enroll & Submit Documents	Date Change is Effective
Adoption	An employee gains a child due to an adoption.	Finalized adoption decree signed and dated by presiding judge -OR- Paperwork showing a child has been placed for adoption	Within 31 days of event date*	Date of the event
Birth	An employee gains a child due to a birth event.	Birth Certificate -OR- Verification of birth facts	Within 31 days of event date*	Date of the event
Divorce	An employee has legally been divorced from his/her spouse.	1^st and last page of finalized divorce decree signed by presiding judge	Within 31 days of event date	Date of the event
Gain of other coverage (*Employee, spouse* or *child*)	Employee, spouse, or child gains coverage elsewhere.	Document or letter from the other employer or insurance company showing the names of those gaining coverage elsewhere and date coverage begins. –Insurance cards are NOT accepted	Within 31 days of event date	The pay period begin date after changes are made online and applicable documentation is submitted.
Guardianship or legal custody of a child	An employee has been granted legal custody of a child or a managing conservator.	Copy of court order signed and dated by presiding judge	Within 31 days of event date	Date of the event
Loss of other coverage (*Employee, spouse* or *child*)	Employee, spouse, or child loses coverage elsewhere.	Document or letter from the other employer or insurance company showing the names of those losing coverage elsewhere and date coverage ended. Standard dependent verification requirements for any newly added dependents	Within 31 days of event date*	The pay period begin date or the first of the month after changes are made online and applicable documentation is submitted, whichever is sooner.
Marriage	An employee has legally been married.	A legal marriage license *Proof of shared address is not required for a newly married spouse	Within 31 days of event date*	The pay period begin date or the first of the month after changes are made online and applicable documentation is submitted, whichever is sooner.

Work Events

Event	Description	Documentation Requirements	Deadline to Enroll & Submit Documents	Date Change is Effective
Newly Eligible for coverage	An employee changes from a Non-Benefits Eligible position.	Standard dependent verification requirements for any newly added dependents	Within 31 days of event date	The pay period begin date after changes are made online and applicable documentation is submitted, as long as you have had 30 days of service.
Part Time to Full Time	An employee changes from a Part Time Benefits Eligible Benefits position to a Full Time Benefits Eligible position	Standard dependent verification requirements for any newly added dependents	Within 31 days of event date	The pay period begin date after changes are made online and applicable documentation is submitted.
Full Time to Part Time	An employee changes from a Full Time Benefits Eligible Benefits position to a Part Time Benefits Eligible position	None	Within 31 days of event date	The pay period begin date after changes are made online and applicable documentation is submitted.

*The deadline for this event, which qualifies for special enrollment rights, is extended due to COVID-19. The deadline is 60 days following the end of the national declaration of emergency or one year following the event date whichever is earlier.

How to Make a Change Online

Go to www.MyTHR.org.
Click the “Benefits” tile.
- Click “Benefit Enrollment” if you have a job event and follow these enrollment instructions.
- Click “Life Change Event” if you have a life event and follow these enrollment instructions.
Make your applicable changes to your benefits based on your event.
- Please know that according to legal guidelines, your changes must be consistent with the event you experienced.
You must provide documentation within 31 days of your event date, or the changes you made to your benefits will not take effect.
- Not sure what your deadline is? Check out this deadline cheat sheet.
Submit your documentation to Texas Health Benefits Support via email to THRBenefitsSupport@texashealth.org.
Please include this cover sheet when submitting documentation.

Making Changes To Your Benefits