The addition of a child to your family is a qualifying life event to make changes to your benefits enrollment. You must submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal within 60 days of the birth or adoption being finalized. If you are outside of the 60-day deadline to submit your life event request, you will need to wait until the annual open enrollment period to make changes. There may be other options to cover your child under CHIP or the Healthcare Marketplace if you are unable to meet the 60-day deadline.

Accepted Documentation

• Birth certificate
• Verification of birth document
  • NOTE: This document is accepted as a placeholder until you receive the official birth certificate. A copy of the birth certificate should also be submitted upon your receipt, which should be within 31 days.
• Legal court ordered document confirming the adoption of child.

Medical, Dental, Vision

• You have the option to add your child to your existing policies for coverage to begin first of the month following the date of birth or adoption.
  • IMPORTANT: Newborns are automatically covered under the mother’s insurance for the first 31 days following their birth. You must take action within 60 days to continue your newborn’s coverage.

A change in your marital status, such as marriage or divorce, provides you with the opportunity to make changes to your benefits enrollment. You must submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal within 60 days of the marriage date or the date of a divorce being finalized. If you are outside of the 60-day deadline to submit your life event request, you will need to wait until the next annual open enrollment period to make changes.

In the event of a marriage, you also have the option to waive University coverage to be added to your spouse’s employer-sponsored plan. You will be required to submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal and upload a copy of your marriage certificate acceptable documentation within 60 days of the date of marriage. In the event of a divorce and if you are covered under a spouse’s employer sponsored plan, you will need to submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal and upload a copy of your divorce decree within 60 days of the divorce being finalized in order to enroll in University coverage.

Accepted Documentation

• Copy of the Marriage Certificate
• Copy of the Divorce Decree

Medical, Dental, and Vision

• In the event of a marriage, you have the option to add your spouse and any new stepchildren to your existing policies for coverage to begin the first of the month following your date of marriage.
• In the event of a divorce, you must remove your ex-spouse and any stepchildren from your existing policies for coverage to end the first of the month following the date of the Divorce Decree.
  • NOTE: If you and your ex-spouse no longer share a residence, please update the Benefits Department by submitting an inquiry online at www.hr.pitt.edu/contact-ohr. We will need this information for the purpose of offering COBRA to the ex-spouse, if eligible. To find more information about COBRA eligibility, please visit this page.

When you experience the loss of a dependent, you may make changes to your benefits. Please submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal within 60 days of the passing of your dependent.

Accepted Documentation

• Copy of the Death Certificate

Medical, Dental, Vision

• You can remove your deceased spouse or child from your existing policies for coverage to end the first of the month following the event date.

Students in a domestic partnership that would like to enroll their partner in benefits coverage must submit a certification of domestic partnership to Benefitsolver. Learn more about the certification of domestic partnership for students.

Accepted Documentation

• Certification of Domestic Partnership

Medical, Dental, and Vision

• In the event of a domestic partnership, you have the option to add your partner to your existing policies for coverage to begin the first of the month following your date of the start of the domestic partnership.
• In the event of a termination of the domestic partnership, you must remove your ex-spouse from your existing policies for coverage to end the first of the month following the date of termination of the partnership.
  • NOTE: If you and your ex-partner no longer share a residence, please update the Benefits Department by submitting an online inquiry at www.hr.pitt.edu/contact-ohr. We will need this information for the purpose of offering COBRA to the ex-spouse.

Gaining coverage through an employer-sponsored plan or state-sponsored programs such as Medicaid, CHIP, etc. is considered a qualified life event to remove you, your spouse and/or child(ren) from your benefits. You must submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal within 60 days of the eligibility and/or effective start date of the coverage. If you are outside of the 60-day deadline to submit your life event request, you will need to wait until the next annual open enrollment period to make changes.

Accepted Documentation

• Confirmation statement of benefits that outlines the coverages (i.e., medical/dental/vision), enrollee(s), and effective start date of coverage.
• Letter from employer’s human resources department or insurance company that outlines coverages (i.e., medical/dental/vision), covered person(s), and effective start date of coverage.
• Letter or statement that you/your dependents are newly eligible for state-sponsored coverage.

Medical, Dental, Vision

• You may cancel your own policy and/or remove a dependent(s) from your existing policies for coverage to end the first of the month following the effective date of other coverage.
  • Student gaining coverage may waive their existing policies based on the coverage elected on the other employer-sponsored plan. For example, if you are gaining only medical and dental with your new insurance company, you would only be able to waive the University medical and dental at this time and you cannot waive vision coverage because it is not something that is being gained. The coverage would end first of the month following the effective date of other coverage. The vision coverage can be dropped during open enrollment.

A loss of coverage through an employer-sponsored plan or state-sponsored programs such as Medicaid, CHIP, etc. is considered a qualified status change to add your spouse and/or child(ren) to your benefits. You must submit a life event in the Benefitsolver portal within 60 days of the loss of the coverage. If you are outside of the 60-day deadline to submit your life event request, you will need to wait until the next annual open enrollment period to make changes.

Accepted Documentation

• COBRA letter from the former employer (please provide a full copy)
• Letter from employer’s human resources department or insurance company that indicates what coverage(s) are terminating (i.e., medical/dental/vision), covered person(s) and effective termination date of coverage(s).
• Letter or statement that you/your dependents are no longer eligible for state-sponsored coverage (i.e., CHIP eligibility, loss of Medicaid eligibility)
• Dependent documentation must be submitted for a spouse and/or child(ren) that you are requesting to be added to benefits due to loss of coverage. Please see the documentation requirements for dependents on the Benefits Eligibility page.

Medical, Dental, Vision

• You may newly enroll in and/or add a dependent(s) to your existing policies for coverage to begin the first of the month following the effective end date of other coverage.
  • Students losing coverage can make elections based on the coverage(s) lost on from their employer-sponsored plan. For example, if you had only medical and dental with your previous insurance company, you would only be able to enroll in University medical and dental at this time and you cannot elect vision coverage because it is not something that was recently termed. The coverage would begin the first of the month following the effective end date of other coverage.