Extending insurance to children in college
Employees with children due to graduate or going off to college in the fall may want to assess the medical/dental coverage of these dependents under WSU’s insurance plans.
Dependent children are eligible to continue coverage under the employee plans through age 19. A dependent age 20-23 is eligible to continue coverage if he or she is registered as a student and attends classes at an accredited qualifying school.
Dependent student coverage continues year-round for students who attend three of the four school quarters or two of the three school semesters. Coverage continues for three months after graduation as long as the employee is covered at the same time and the dependent has not reached age 24.
To continue dependent coverage, a student certification/change form must be completed certifying age and student status. This form is available at Human Resource Services (HRS), French Administration 139; by calling 335-4521; or www.hrs.wsu.edu/utils/file.aspx?fileid=1104.
This form must be completed when you enroll your student, annually, and when requested by the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB).
When a dependent reaches age 24 or is no longer enrolled as a student, health insurance coverage is available through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). This allows dependents who lose eligibility to maintain coverage for up to 36 months. For more information, contact HRS at 335-4521.
