In late June 2010, AFTRA H&R published on this blog an initial announcement of the revision of definition of dependent to include children up to age 26. Now complete details are known about this Health Plan change and how it will affect participants and qualified performers under the Health Plan.
Effective Dec. 1, 2010, children of AFTRA Health Plan participants may be covered as dependents under the participant’s Health Plan enrollment until the end of the calendar quarter in which they reach age 26. This new provision will apply to all biological children, adopted children, children placed for adoption, stepchildren and foster children of participants, regardless of the child’s marital status, place of residence, student status or financial dependency status.
However, adult children under age 26 who are eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan (other than a group health plan of a parent) will not qualify for coverage as a dependent under the AFTRA Health Plan. Accordingly, effective Dec. 1, 2010, the definition of “Dependents” (found on pages 7-8 of the
2005 Health Plan Summary Plan Description (SPD) and subsequently amended by Benefits Updates), is amended to include dependents newly qualified as a result of the Plan change described above.
Children of participants who previously were denied or not offered coverage, but now qualify for coverage as a result of the Plan change described above, may be added as dependent children to participants’ AFTRA Health Plan coverage during a 30-day special enrollment period which begins Sept. 25, 2010 and ends Oct. 25, 2010. Such coverage will be effective Dec. 1, 2010. A
notice of this special enrollment opportunity, along with the required special enrollment form, is being mailed to performers who qualify for Health Plan coverage.
For additional information, please refer to the September 2010 Benefits Update, which is being mailed to all Health and Retirement Plan participants in late September. If you have additional questions about this or any other issue, please call Participant Services at (800) 562-4690.