Employee benefits termination

[dixiechick7]

What is the name of your state? Employed in Maine; Live in New Hampshire.

I am in the process of trying to terminate my current medical and dental health plans with my employer, due to the qualifying event of marriage. I seem to be in some sort of Catch-22 because my current benefits provider is telling me that I need to give them a marriage certificate and proof of new coverage in order to cancel. Otherwise, I am not allowed to cancel my coverage. Can my employer really force me to keep benefits that I no longer need or want?

 

[Beth3]

Can my employer really force me to keep benefits that I no longer need or want? Some employers group health Plan Documents specify that all employees must maintain a "core" health insurance plan unless the employee can provide proof of coverage through another source. This is usually only done when employees contribute a portion of the premium so as to prevent some employees from making the unwise choice of going without any medical insurance, as some undoubtedly would.

If you want to opt out of the Plan, then just show your employer what they're asking for. Why is that a problem?

You shouldn't drag your feet as if your employer has a pre-tax premium deduction, then you only have 30 days from the date of your marriage to make this change.