Medical, Dental, & Vision Eligibility and Coverage

Eligibility

You are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage if you satisfy one of the following requirements:

  • You are a faculty, postdoctoral associate or fellow with an appointment of at least 50% of time
  • You are a clerical & technical, service & maintenance, security or YPBA employee scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week
  • You are a managerial & professional staff member, police supervisor, or a police command staff member scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week

Various categories of coverage are available for each plan. However, you must enroll yourself to enroll your eligible dependents.

Please note: Visiting faculty are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage. Postdoctoral fellows are only eligible for medical and dental coverage.

Dependent Eligibility and Verification

Individuals who add a new dependent or dependents to their coverage will be required to provide documentation supporting the eligibility of each of those dependents. Changes to enrollment outside of the annual benefits enrollment period can only be completed within 30 days of a qualifying life event.

False and/or incomplete responses or statements may result in rescission of coverage and/or non-payment of claims for you or your eligible dependents as well as, discipline up to and including possible termination of employment. Understand that your file may be audited at any time to determine the eligibility of yourself and/or any dependent listed on your enrollment for medical and dental coverage.

Additional information can be found in the Yale University Dependent Verification FAQs.

Eligible Dependents

  • Your legal spouse 
  • Your eligible dependent children 
  • You and/or your spouse’s natural children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children 
  • A child placed in your and/or your spouse’s home for legal adoption by you and/or your spouse if the child remains in your and/or your spouse’s home and the adoption procedure have not been terminated, whether or not the adoption has become final 
  • Your and/or your spouse foster child; or a child for whom you and/or your spouse are the legal guardian

Faculty and M&P staff 

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage: Dependent children are eligible until end of month in which they reach age 26 
  • Disabled dependent children: Coverage may be continued past the age of 26 if disability status is met under the Social Security Disability Act 

C&T, S&M, Security, and YPBA staff 

  • Medical and vision coverage: Dependent children are eligible until end of month in which they reach age 26 
  • Disabled dependent children: Coverage may be continued past the age of 26 if disability status is met under the Social Security Disability Act 
  • Dental: Dependent children are eligible until the end of the month in which they reach age 19 if they are not full-time students. If they are full-time students, then coverage extends until the end of the month that they turn 25 

Coverage Start and End Dates

Understand when your medical and dental coverage begins and ends to ensure you maintain continuous coverage.

Coverage Begins for Medical

If your date of employment is the first day of the month, your medical coverage will be effective on the first day of the month. If your date of employment is after the first day of a given month, your medical coverage will be effective on the first day of the month following your date of employment.

Coverage Begins for Dental

Your dental coverage is automatic and begins on the first day of the month following your date of employment. Your spouse and dependents may be added to your dental coverage, which will become effective on the first day of the month following your date of coverage.

Coverage Ends for Medical and Dental

Your medical or dental benefits will terminate at the end of the month following your date of termination.

  • For example, if the termination date is January 20, benefits will end February 28 and one month’s deduction [at the employee rate] will be taken from the employee’s final paycheck.
  • If the amount of the employee’s last paycheck does not cover the required deduction, the University will pay the cost.
  • The employee is not able to opt out of this final month of coverage.
  • COBRA continuation of coverage will be offered immediately following the termination date.

Coverage Begins for Medical and Dental

If your date of employment is the first day of the month, your medical coverage will be effective on the first day of the month. If your date of employment is after the first day of a given month, your medical coverage will be effective on the first day of the month following your date of employment.

Coverage Ends for Medical and Dental

Your benefits will terminate at the end of the month in which you terminate employment.

  • For example, if your termination date is January 20, your benefits will end on January 31.
  • COBRA continuation of coverage will be offered immediately following your termination date.