|
Domestic Partner Benefits
Health Insurance Premium Reimbursement Program:
Frequently Asked Questions
If I just moved in with my partner to whom I am not legally married, how do I enroll in the HIPR program?
You can enroll in the HIPR program by completing and submitting a signed and notarized Declaration of Domestic Partnership (112 KB PDF) to Benefits after six months of living with your partner. Your eligibility to participate in the program will not become effective until 31 days after the date on which a relationship meets all the requirements of a domestic partnership.
Are all employees eligible to participate in the Health Insurance Premium Reimbursement (HIPR) Program?
No. Only employees who participate in the Federal Employees' Health Benefits program, who have a domestic partner, as defined in the Board's Domestic Partner Benefits program, and whose domestic partner, or his or her unmarried dependent children under the age of 22, are not eligible for subsidized health insurance coverage from any source, are eligible to participate.
Can I still participate in the HIPR program if my working domestic partner is eligible for health insurance coverage through his/her employer?
If the domestic partner's health insurance coverage is not subsidized, and the domestic partner is not eligible for subsidized health insurance coverage from any other source, the Employee would be eligible to participate in the HIPR program if all other conditions for participation are met.
Does this benefit require an annual election?
No. Once an employee has returned a signed and notarized Declaration form, no renewal of that filing is necessary unless the relationship between the employee and his/her domestic partner changes.
Can employees submit requests for reimbursement for a future period?
No. Requests for reimbursement will be processed for the current quarterly period or a prior period. If a request contains payment for a future period, that amount must be resubmitted for reimbursement at the end of the appropriate quarter.
Health Insurance Reimbursement Form (17 KB PDF)
What does it mean to reside together?
In general, residing together means that the employee and the domestic partner share the same permanent residence. A domestic partner's temporary absence, for example, while on travel, would not indicate that the employee and domestic partner do not reside together.
What is a non-subsidized health insurance premium?
A premium paid for domestic partner health insurance is non-subsidized if the employee or the employee's domestic partner is paying the full cost of the health insurance coverage for the domestic partner and his/her dependent children. Put another way, if a third party (for example, the domestic partner's employer) pays a portion of the premium or if a policy is provided at below-market rates, then the premium is subsidized.
|
