Changing Coverage
What you need to know
When certain changes in your life occur, you have the option to change your benefits. If these life events affect your coverage needs, you have 31 days from the date of the event to notify the Fund Office and make changes to your coverage. If you do not enroll a new dependent within the initial 31 days, you will still have an additional 31 days to enroll and pay for your new dependent’s coverage, but you will need to pay an additional $100 penalty payment, and coverage will not take effect until the premium and $100 penalty are paid.
Life events
Please notify the Benefit Services Department within the Fund Office immediately at (212) 869-9380, or call (800) 344-5220 toll-free outside the New York metro area in case of any life events, such as the following, as they may affect coverage for you and your dependents:
- Loss of other health coverage
- Marriage
- Birth, adoption, or a change to the legal custody of a child
- Marriage, divorce, legal separation, or a change in your domestic partner relationship
- When your dependent child turns 26
- Death of a covered spouse or child
- Disability
- Relocation
Please also notify the Fund Office when there is a change in dependent status.
Annual Open Enrollment in November
If your current Equity-League Health Fund medical plan coverage continues into the next calendar year, you have the opportunity to make changes to your benefits in November. Specifically, you can change to an HMO if one is available in your area (or switch back from an HMO to the Cigna medical plan), add or switch dental coverage, and add dependent coverage.
If you miss the deadline, you can still enroll until December 31. But you’ll pay a $100 penalty. No enrollments will be accepted after December 31, even with a penalty payment (unless you satisfy one of the Health Fund’s limited Special Enrollment exceptions).
You will be notified of this annual Open Enrollment period by the Fund Office.