Make Changes

How to enroll or request a change

New hires and most life event changes

You can accomplish most enrollment, including your new hire enrollment and most life event requests, via the enrollment system.

Many requests require additional documentation, which can be uploaded through the enrollment system. We invite you to review information that's relevant to your particular request by exploring additional information on this page. 

When Insurance Begins

New hires & newly eligible employees

For new hires or employees who have recently started working 30+ hours each week, insurance begins the first day of the month, following 30 days of eligible employment. 

  • As an example, if you're hired January 5, your insurance starts March 1

You'll need to elect coverage before your benefits start date, or you'll have to wait until the next open enrollment period to enroll.* 

  • As an example, if your benefits are scheduled to start March 1, you'll need to enroll before March 1

After open enrollment

Open Enrollment changes generally take effect July 1. 

However, if you request to add or increase life insurance or long term disability coverage, those changes take effect once the insurance carrier approves the request for additional coverage.

After a qualifying life event

Most life event changes take effect the first of the month following the date of the life event. However, changes due to birth of a child take effect on the child's birth date.

After you retire

Your employee medical, dental, vision and life insurance continue through the end of the month during which you retire.

If you elect to continue medical, dental or vision as a retiree, coverage begins the first of the month, following your retirement. Retiree life also begins the first of the month, following your retirement.

Making Changes

Open Enrollment

Open enrollment is your annual opportunity to add, drop, or change your insurance selections and the people you're covering. The City has two open enrollment periods:
  • Spring enrollment includes medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, and Colonial coverage.
    • Elections generally take effect July 1
    • The plan year is July 1 - June 30
  • Fall enrollment includes the health care and dependent day care flexible spending accounts
    • Elections take effect January 1
    • The plan year is January 1 - December 31

Making changes when it's not open enrollment

Generally, you may make changes during an annual open enrollment period, or within 31 days of a qualifying life event (60 days for birth, adoption, or gaining/losing coverage through a Medicaid or CHIP program).

However, certain changes are allowed outside open enrollment by logging your request in the online enrollment system, such as

  • Dropping life insurance
  • Reducing long term disability
  • Dropping after-tax Colonial benefits
  • Changing your personal HSA contribution

If you're a retiree, you may drop your insurance at any time by logging your request in the enrollment system. 

To change other benefits outside of open enrollment, you'll need to have a qualifying life event. See below for the most common types of qualifying events.

Birth or adoption

Congratulations and best wishes to you and the newest member of your family! 

You have 60 days after your child is born, adopted or placed for adoption to request coverage for your new child:
  1. Add your child's personal information and request medical and dependent life coverage for your child via the enrollment website. (You'll need to wait until the next open enrollment period to add dental and/or vision.) 
  2. Be sure to update your life insurance beneficiaries as part of this process. Remember, the City will provide employer-paid life insurance, but only if you register your child for the coverage.
  3. Be sure to upload a copy of your child's birth certificate using the "upload documents" link on your home page. If you don't have it yet, you'll have 60 days from the date your child is born / adopted to upload it.
  4. If we receive your request and the birth certificate within the 60-day deadline, coverage begins as of the date of birth / adoption. This may mean that we'll collect retroactive premiums from you, if we receive your request after the coverage start date.

SSN

Be sure to apply for a Social Security number for your child, if the hospital doesn't submit the application for you. Please call us as soon as you receive the SSN so we can add it to your child's record. 

Dependent Audit

You'll need to prove all new dependents' eligibility through the City's audit process. This usually occurs in the spring but could occur at any time. Visit the other FAQs for details.

Other items to consider

  1. Work with your department's payroll team if you'd like to update your tax withholding. 
  2. Consider whether you need to update your beneficiaries for your HSA Bank account, Colonial benefits, pension, deferred compensation, union benefits, and any non-work related policies and financial accounts.
  3. Consider creating a simple will, if you don't already have one.

Marriage

You have 31 days after you get married to request coverage for your new spouse and step-children:
  1. Add their information and request their coverage via the enrollment website. Be sure to update your life insurance beneficiaries as part of this process. Remember, the City will provide employer-paid life insurance for them, but only if you register them for the coverage.
  2. Be sure to upload a copy of your marriage certificate using the "upload documents" link on your home page.
  3. Coverage will start the first day of the month following your date of marriage. This may mean that we'll collect retroactive premiums from you, if we receive your request after their coverage start date.

Dependent Audit

You'll need to prove all new dependents' eligibility through the City's audit process. This usually occurs in the spring but could occur at any time. Visit the other FAQs for details.

Retirees Requesting Dental and/or Vision

Retiree dental and vision have continuous coverage requirements. For new family members to be approved for dental and/or vision, in addition to requesting the coverage, you will need to prove that they have had continuous similar coverage for the 36 months immediately preceding the date City coverage would take effect.

Other items to consider

  1. If you're changing your name, be sure to supply a copy of your new Social Security card to your department's payroll team. Also check with them if you'd like to update your tax withholding. 
  2. Consider whether you need to update your beneficiaries for your HSA Bank account, Colonial benefits, pension, deferred compensation, union benefits, and any non-work related policies and financial accounts.
  3. Consider creating a simple will, if you don't already have one.

Divorce

You have 31 days after you get divorced to remove your former spouse and step-children from City insurance:

  1. Log your request via the enrollment website. Be sure to update your life insurance beneficiaries as part of this process. 
  2. Upload a copy of your divorce decree (first page and signature page only) using the "upload documents" link on your home page.
  3. Coverage will end the last day of the month during which you divorce. This may mean that we'll refund retroactive premiums to you, if we receive your request after the coverage end date.

Other items to consider

  1. If you're changing your name, be sure to supply a copy of your new Social Security card to your department's payroll team. Also check with them if you'd like to update your tax withholding. 
  2. Consider whether you need to update your beneficiaries for your HSA Bank account, Colonial benefits, pension, deferred compensation, union benefits, and any non-work related policies and financial accounts.
  3. Consider creating a simple will, if you don't already have one.

Gaining other coverage

You have 31 days after you, your spouse or child gain other group insurance to drop corresponding coverage with the City (60 days if you gain AHCCCS, Medicaid or CHIP).

  1. Log your request to drop individuals who gained coverage from the same type of insurance that was gained
  2. Upload proof of the new coverage showing:
    • Who gained coverage
    • Type of coverage gained (medical, dental, vision)  
    • Date coverage started
City coverage ends the last day of the month during which the new coverage starts. This may mean that we'll refund retroactive premiums to you if we receive your request after the new coverage starts.


Other items to consider

  1. You may drop only the same type of coverage that was gained through another group health plan, such as through another employer, Medicaid, Medicare or Tricare. 
  2. You may not drop coverage outside open enrollment if you gain coverage through an individual policy, such as through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
  3. Consider whether you need to update your beneficiaries for your HSA Bank account, Colonial benefits, pension, deferred compensation, union benefits, and any non-work related policies and financial accounts. See the "Changing Your Beneficiary" FAQ for details.
  4. Consider creating a simple will, if you don't already have one.

Note to retirees

If you're a retiree, you may drop your insurance (or insurance for your dependent) at any time by logging your request in the enrollment system. No proof of gaining other coverage is necessary. The change would be effective the first of the month following the date you log your request.

Losing other coverage

You have 31 days after you, your spouse or child lose other coverage to request coverage with the City (60 days if you lose AHCCCS, Medicaid or CHIP).

  1. Log your request to add individuals who lost coverage to the same type of insurance that was lost
  2. Upload proofof the lost coverage showing:
    • Who lost coverage
    • Type of coverage lost (medical, dental, vision)  
    • Date coverage ended
  3. Retirees wishing to add dental or vision also must upload proof that they and any dependents for whom they are requesting coverage had similar coverage through another group plan for the 3 years immediately preceding the date City coverage would go into effect. This requirement applies only to retirees. 
City coverage starts the first day of the month following the date other coverage ends. We'll collect retroactive premiums from you if we receive your request after the old coverage ends.

Dependent Audit

You'll need to prove all new dependents' eligibility through the City's audit process. This usually occurs in the spring but could occur at any time. Visit the other FAQs for details.

Other items to consider

  1. Make sure you understand the rules. For example, you may join coverage only if you lose coverage through another group health plan, such as through another employer, Medicaid, Medicare or Tricare. You may not join coverage outside open enrollment if you lose coverage through an individual policy, such as through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
  2. Retirees pay vision premiums directly to the vision insurance carrier. Only medical and dental are deducted from pension checks.
  3. Consider whether you need to update your beneficiaries for your HSA Bank account, Colonial benefits, pension, deferred compensation, union benefits, and any non-work related policies and financial accounts. See the "Changing Your Beneficiary" FAQ for details.
  4. Consider creating a simple will, if you don't already have one.

Add or change a beneficiary

You may need to designate beneficiaries separately for different benefits with the City:

Search in this area

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Contact the Benefits team

Contact one of our Vendors

Cigna - medical, dental, EAP

  • 800-244-6224 (members)
  • 888-806-5042 (pre-enrollment)
  • mycigna.com

Avesis - vision

  • 833-282-2438
  • avesis.com
  • Plan 926COT-L2
  • Group 10790-2150 (employees) & 10790-2152 (retirees)

Hartford - life & LTD

  • 888-301-5615 (claims)
  • 800-331-7234 (applications)

ASI Flex (flexible spending accounts)

Colonial (voluntary insurance)

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