Terminate Dependent Coverage

Employees can remove a dependent from coverage through Open Enrollment or Life Event modules in Bentek. Administrators also have the ability to terminate coverage on member's behalf.

Administrators may need to terminate dependent coverage while member coverage continues:

  • Dependent child aging out of coverage
  • Divorce or other Life Event impacting Spouse
  • Change in Retiree benefit elections

Two actions are required when terminating a dependent from coverage:

  1. Terminate dependent coverage
  2. Enter Cobra information

Terminate Dependent Coverage

Navigate to member's record, select Benefits from sub-menu and choose appropriate coverage page.

Select Edit to enter a termination date on the dependent record, and Save.

In this example, because coverage tier remains Employee + Family, the dependent can simply terminate while others remain on the plan. See instruction further below for dependent termination requiring a change in tier.

Notice the termination date for the dependent was the first day of "No Coverage," (first day no longer covered).

Enter Cobra Information

After saving, an alert message reminds you to enter Cobra information on the dependent record.

Navigate to dependent's record to select Edit. Enter a Reason for Separation and Cobra Date, and Save.

The Cobra Date matches the dependent's termination date. It's the first day the dependent is eligible for Cobra continuation.

Dependent Termination with Tier Change

When dependent termination from a plan results in tier change, Administrators should terminate the existing plan for all members and add new coverage under new tier.

Enter Termination Date (dependent's termination date) in member record to terminate coverage for all. 

Add New Coverage with same effective date (no break in coverage for eligible members). New coverage tier is now Employee + Spouse, excluding the ineligible dependent.

After saving changes, remember to enter the Reason for Separation and Cobra Date on dependent's record.