The employee or a family member has the responsibility to inform the Benefits Office of a divorce, legal separation, or a child losing dependent status under a group health plan, within 60 days of the date of the event. In addition, the employee or a family member must inform the Benefits Office of a determination by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that the employee or covered family member was disabled during the 60-day period after the employee’s termination of employment or reduction in hours.   This notification must be made within 60 days of SSA determination and before the end of the original 18-month continuation of coverage period. (See Special Rules for Disability below.) If, during continued coverage, the Social Security Administration determines that the employee or family member is no longer disabled, the individual must inform the Benefits Office of this re-determination within 30 days of the date it is made. After notification that one of these events has happened, the employee will be notified that he/she has the right to choose continuation of coverage. An employee has 60 days from the date he/she would lose coverage because of one of the events described above to inform the Benefits Office that he/she wants continuation of coverage. If an employee does not choose continuation of coverage within the 60 day period, the employee’s group health coverage will end. If the employee chooses continuation of coverage, the plan will provide coverage identical to the coverage provided under the plan to similarly situated employees or family members. This means that if the coverage for similarly situated employees or family members is modified, the employee’s coverage will be modified. Similarly situated refers to a current employee or dependent who has not had a qualifying event.

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