Can I drop spouse from health coverage?

[Bobby22]

What is the name of your state? NJ

Just received open enrollment package (July 08-July 09), premiums have went up and they have added a surcharge for spouse who is eligible through her employer****************************.....My question is: Can I just cover me and the kids and have her get benefits through her job? Her open enrollment isn't until November 08, would this situation fall under a quailfying event?

We would be saving a little over $200 a month.


Thank you in advance
Bobby

 

[cbg]

Assuming that:

1.) It is open enrollment for you
2.) Your employer has a three or four tier plan

you can legally drop your wife from your coverage and only cover yourself and your kids.

She will have to investigate whether or not her employer considers a voluntary loss of coverage during a spousal open enrollment to be a qualifying event. It can be legally; it is not necessarily.

 

[momm2500]

yes this is a qualifying event. make sure you have a letter from your employer indicating that spouse is being terminated and get the HIPAA certificate (credibility of coverage letter) so she will not be subject to pre-x under her plan.

 

[cbg]

It CAN be a qualifying event, legally.

That does NOT mean that the wife's employer has chosen to consider it so. She needs to check before automatically assuming that she will be able to pick up her own employer's coverage.