Divorce
Eligibility for coverage for your spouse under
the health and other benefit plans terminates as of the date of divorce. However, your spouse may
elect to continue health and/or dental care coverage
by purchasing coverage under COBRA for up to 36
months.
If you are covered under one of the health or dental
plans sponsored by the University System of Georgia
(USG), you or your spouse must notify the Office
of Employee Benefits within 31 days of the date
of the final divorce decree to drop coverage on
your former spouse so that:
• Your spouse will be eligible to obtain COBRA
continuation coverage and
• You will not continue to a pay premium for
spouse coverage
When coverage ends and premiums change
The change you make will become effective the date of divorce as long
as the timeframes described above are met. Failure
to notify the Office of Employee Benefits within
the timeframes will result in coverage being terminated
for the ineligible former spouse the date of the divorce, but premiums will not
change until the first month following receipt of
your request through HRconnection and receipt of your required documentation by UGA Human Resources.
What you need to do
- To change health or dental coverage, visit the HRconnection Web site and select the "Change coverage" tab. Select the reason for the change (divorce) and complete the remainder of the online form. This information will be sent to UGA HR. Be sure to submit
this request (using HRconnection) within
31 days of the date of the divorce so you
will not continue to pay premiums for this coverage.
You must also provide a copy of the signed pages
of the divorce decree verifying the parties
involved and the date of divorce. UGA Human Resources will contact you concerning your request and required documentation.
- A qualified medical child support order (QMCSO)
or a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO)
could have an effect on your benefit coverage
or elections. Please notify the Office of Employee
Benefits if you become aware of an order like
this as part of divorce proceedings.
- Your former spouse should review the university’s
COBRA information and enroll in coverage within
the specified guidelines, if he or she would
like to continue coverage under the plans. The
spouse should complete and submit the health
COBRA form and/or the dental
COBRA form in order to continue coverage.
Other benefits to consider
As a result of your divorce, you may also be
able to make changes to some of your other benefits.
Contact the Office of Employee Benefits for information
about the following:
• Spouse or dependent life insurance coverage
• Beneficiary designations
• Medical and dependent flexible spending
accounts
• Tax withholding
June 1, 2008
