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Open Enrollment - Dependents

1 - dependents; three cute children

Your Choices:

Do you need to add or change coverage for your spouse, partner, or dependent children?

You have two choices:

  1. ADD dependents to your coverage for any reason during open enrollment. 
  2. REMOVE dependents from your coverage for any reason during open enrollment. 

During the rest of the year, you can only add or remove dependents following a qualified life status change.

Check out Benefair to get answers from providers and Cornell benefits experts.

The Details: 

Who can be covered under your medical, dental, and/or vision plans?

You may enroll the following dependents:

Who is considered a dependent child?

To be eligible, a dependent child must be under age 26, and be one of the following:

  • Your legally adopted child
  • Your biological child
  • Your step child
  • Your domestic partner’s child
  • A child for whom you are responsible under a court order*
  • Your grandchild in your court ordered custody*
  • Any other child who lives with you in a parent-child relationship.*
  • Other children who are chiefly dependent on you and for whom you have assumed legal responsibility in place of the parent also are eligible.*

Note: Children marked with an * above, require completion of a Special Dependent Enrollment form.

Children may be eligible to continue coverage beyond 26 years old. Request a Continuation of Coverage for Disabled Child form, which must be completed and returned to Aetna prior to the child turning age 26.

 

 How do you add dependents to your plans?

To enroll dependents in health, dental, and/or vision insurance, you must complete the enrollment process online in Workday and submit your election during Open Enrollment.  Please refer to the Workday Enrollment Decision Guide for screen-by-screen instructions on how to first add a dependent to Workday (if they are not yet there) and how to add that dependent to health, dental, and/or vision coverage on the health screen. 

You might also find it helpful to first complete the Dependent Worksheet page in the Guide – including all information about the dependent(s) you are adding – PRIOR to accessing Workday to process the change.

IMPORTANT! You will need to provide documentation to the HR Services & Transi­tions Center (HRSTC). DO NOT UPLOAD documents to Workday: documentation must be received by the HRSTC before 4:00 pm EST, November 13 or postmarked by November 13, 2026. See details under the last drop down tab below, "What documentation is needed, and how to submit it?"

How do you remove dependents from your plans?

To remove dependents from health, dental, and/or vision insurance, you must complete the enrollment process online in Workday and submit your election during Open Enrollment.  Please refer to the Workday Enrollment Decision Guide for screen-by-screen instructions of how to remove a dependent from existing health, dental and/or vision coverage on the health screen. 

What documentation is needed, and how to submit it?

In addition to completing the applicable endowed health, dental, and/or vision plan enrollment in Workday (or enrollment form(s) if applicable), you must provide documents to support your dependent’s eligibility for coverage. Specific documentation is outlined here.

Documentation may be submitted in three ways:

  1. Campus mail or USPS: HR Services & Transitions Center, 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 130, East Hill Office Building, Ithaca, New York 14850. Ensure that it is postmarked no later than November 13, 2026.
  2. Visit the HR Services & Transitions Center: 395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 130, East Hill Office Building, Ithaca, New York 14850. Office Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday
  3. Electronically: Documentation can be securely submitted via ServiceNow - the HRSTC Service Request form.

ServiceNow - Benefit Services System

ServiceNow Service Center

  • Login with your NetID
  • Select "Submit a Request"
  • Under "Category" choose "Open Enrollment" from the drop-down selection
  • Click on the paperclip icon in top right corner of screen and follow instructions to upload documents; close when finished
  • Click "Submit" at bottom of "Create A New Cornell BSA Case" page

Call the HRSTC at 607-255-3936 if you need help to upload your files.

How To Add/Remove Dependents

Workday Enrollment Decision Guide