University of Southern California
 

 

How Benefits Work

A Quick Overview of Benefits

Who's eligible for what?

How do I pay my share of benefits?

Getting Started in Benefit Programs

Making Changes to Your Benefit Programs

For Employees Leaving USC

 

What is Provisional Documentation?

Provisional Documentation is documentation that can be temporarily accepted when an employee needs to make changes to his or her coverage (e.g., marriage or birth of a child).

Receipt of official certified documentation can take several months. You must still initiate the enrollment of your new dependents via eTrac and submit provisional documentation within 30 days of the change in family status (i.e. date of marriage or date of birth).

Here are some examples of acceptable provisional documentation:
For Marriage
  • copy of application for marriage license
  • copy of church certificate

Birth of a Child
  • copy of letter from hospital normally given to parents at birth of child

If you do not enroll your dependents within 30 days of the qualifying event you must wait until the next Open Enrollment period with coverage becoming effective the following January 1.

Please provide the appropriate documentation to your benefits office in order for us to approve your enrollment. Your may fax or hand-deliver or mail the documentation to us.

 

 

Making Changes to Your Benefit Programs (continued)

Birth of Child or Placement of a Child for Adoption or Legal Guardianship

Medical Coverage

You must initiate your new dependent's enrollment via eTrac within 30 days of the event to add your child to your medical and dental coverage. This is a two-step process. On eTrac, you must first add your new dependent as your Personal Associate and then go to the Benefit Enrollment page to enroll him or her in your plan. Any forms that you complete in the hospital or doctor's office are not university forms and do not add your child to your medical plan. If you do not enroll the child to your plan within 30 days of the qualifying event, your next opportunity will be during open enrollment with coverage effective January 1.

Even if you do not have the official birth certificate you will still need to provide provisional documentation (see sidebar) to authorize temporary enrollment. A copy of the official state Certified Birth Certificate will still be required in order to finalize your child's enrollment. Please contact the Office of Benefits Administration at (213) 740-6027 or the Health Sciences Personnel Office at (323) 442-1010 to discuss what acceptable provisional documentation may be submitted before the 30 days elapse. Failure to provide the final official documentation will result in cancellation of the applicable benefit for your new dependent.

 

Dental Coverage

Dental coverage is not included in the medical plan; you will need to initiate an eTrac enrollment to elect dental coverage along with medical coverage. If your premium cost will increase by adding a newborn to your dental plan, you may wish to wait until a later open enrollment period to add the child. Otherwise you must enroll the child within 30 days of the qualifying event.

 

Flexible Spending Accounts

You may initiate or change the amount of a health care or dependent care FSA via eTrac within 30 days of the status change and the change must meet IRS "consistency rules."

 

Life Insurance

If you already have dependent coverage, an additional child is covered under the policy after the age of 14 days. Otherwise, you can initiate dependent coverage at any time by completing an enrollment form. You may wish to review your beneficiary designation(s) on eTrac and update if necessary.

 

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

If you already have dependent coverage, an additional child is covered under the policy. Otherwise you can initiate dependent coverage within 30 days of the child's birth or placement for adoption or during any future open enrollment period. You may wish to review your beneficiary designation and update if necessary.

 

Retirement Plans

You may wish to review your beneficiary designation and update if necessary.

 

« back   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9   next »

 

How Benefits Work · Health Benefit Programs · Retirement Programs
Financial Security · Educational Benefits · Work/Life Balance
Forms · Coming Events · Directory and Links · Resources
Print Your Own Booklets · Contact Us · Orientation · Site Map · eTrac
USC Benefits Home