June, 2010

Health Care Reform law was signed earlier this year that includes many provisions that over time will impact your health care plan. What you might not be aware of is that dental coverage is termed as an “excepted benefit” and is not subject to the all of the same provisions as your medical plan will be. An initial provision has to do with dependent eligibility and we understand the importance to clients of having similar eligibility between your medical and dental programs.

Effective for plans that renew after September 23, 2010, your dependents will be eligible for coverage through age 25, even if they are married. At your next open enrollment, any dependents that are eligible based on this new provision will be allowed to enroll on your plan unless they have access to other employer-sponsored health coverage.

In advance, Washington Dental Service will be extending coverage effective July 1, 2010 to any dependents that are currently enrolled on your plan that would lose coverage because of marriage or because of age. This is an early adoption for currently enrolled dependents only and dependents that now qualify based on this new law will not be allowed on coverage until your next open enrollment.

If you have any questions about this change in eligibility, please contact Karen Ottoson or Carol Pederson at (800) 286-1885.