If your adult child is not a full-time student or not disabled, they are no longer eligible for coverage under your benefit plans and must be removed during the 2026 open enrollment period.  

What you need to do:

Please complete your 2026 benefits enrollment by updating your elections for each applicable benefit. To remove your dependent:

1. Log in to the benefits enrollment system.
2. Review each benefit your dependent is currently enrolled in:
   1. Health insurance
   2. Dental insurance
   3. Dependent life insurance
   4. Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
3. Uncheck the box next to your dependent's name under each applicable benefit.
4. Click the blue "Recalculate" button to refresh your elections.
5. Submit your updated elections before the Open Enrollment deadline.

Note: Your adult child may remain a beneficiary on your life insurance plans, but they can no longer be covered under the plan itself. 

A COBRA continuation offer will be mailed to your dependent in January 2026, should they wish to continue coverage independently. 

If you're not planning to make any changes to your benefits, your current elections will automatically roll over, except for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). You must re-enroll in the FSA program each year during open enrollment unless you have leftover benefit credits that default into the account for you. 

Even if you're not making changes, it's still a good idea to:

• Review your current elections to ensure they still meet your needs.
• Confirm whether any benefits require annual re-enrollment or added attention, such as Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or waiving benefits.
  • You must re-enroll in the FSA program every year. Those contribution elections will not carry forward to the following year.
  • When an employee waives health coverage, they must answer the minimum value coverage attestation every year during enrollment. If you do not answer this question and submit to the benefits office, you will be limited to receiving a total of $500 in university credits for the entire year.
• Check for any new offerings or changes to existing plans that might affect your coverage or costs.
  • For example, if you had a milestone birthday this year, your life insurance rates will increase. Depending on your age, it may be worth comparing the prices of the group life insurance plan vs. the voluntary life insurance plan.
• Verify your personal information (like dependents and beneficiaries) is up to date.

If everything looks good and no action is required, you’re all set!

If you're expecting a baby after open enrollment, you do not need to add the baby during open enrollment.

What to do:

• Once your baby is born, that event qualifies as a life event (specifically a "birth").
• You have 60 days from the date of birth to submit a benefits change request within your Employee Self-Service to our office to add your baby and any other eligible dependents to your coverage.
  • The new coverage will take effect on the first of the month the baby was born. (i.e., if the baby was born February 16, 2026 - the new coverage will retroactively begin on February 1, 2026, to include medical services for mom and baby)
• Once your benefits change request is approved, a Family Status Change event will be opened in Employee Self-Service for you to update your dependents and benefits coverage.  

To update your beneficiary following your marriage, please email the Benefits Office at benefits@uiowa.edu.

Be sure to include:

• The name of the beneficiary/dependent to be updated
• The date of your marriage
• and the request to update your previous beneficiary designation to your spouse.  

Our office will need to update your dependent information manually, so please provide these details to ensure we can process your request accurately and promptly.

 Enrollment is administered by World Insurance Associates and runs Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, 2026, with an effective date of April 1. 

University Benefits will share additional details once the enrollment period begins.