There are four basic types of Qualifying Life Events that allow you to make changes to your benefits outside of Open Enrollment. Here are some examples for each type - this is not a complete list. Check this site for a more inclusive list of qualifying life events. 

• Losing health coverage
• Losing job based, individual, or student plans
• Losing eligibility for Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP
• Turning 26 and losing coverage from a guardian’s plan
• Change in household
• Getting married or divorced
• Having a baby or adopting a child
• Change in residence
• Moving out of network
• Moving to or from a shelter or other transitional housing
• Other, miscellaneous events
• Changes in income or DPS FTE status (example: moving from full time to part time work)
• Becoming a US citizen
• AmeriCorps members starting or ending their service

Sometimes things get complicated! If you’re not sure if an event might qualify you for a change in your benefits, check out the IRS’ Special Enrollment for Complex Issues page. Here the IRS posts notices for people who may be eligible for something that isn’t on the regular list - such as a natural disaster.

Changing Benefits Mid-Year: Certain changes in life can impact your insurance – like getting married, having a baby, or losing other health coverage – and allow you to make changes to or enroll in health insurance outside of DPS’s annual Open Enrollment period. In most cases, you have 30 days to complete your change request and make your elections. To get started, visit the Benefits Enrollment Site and select “Start a Qualifying Life Event”. Need extra help? Check out our How To Change Your Benefits Guide. 

Transferring within DPS: Employees transferring to new positions may experience a change in benefits eligibility or employer contributions if the number of hours you work or your bargaining unit changes. If the transfer results in a change in benefit credit contributions of $50.00 per month or more, you can request to enroll or make changes to your benefits by emailing employee_benefits@dpsk12.org within 30 days of your transfer date. For additional information  regarding requesting a change in benefits, please refer to the Transferring Roles Document.

Returning From Unpaid Leave Status (including Summer breaks): To request a benefits change when you return from your unpaid leave status, you must start by completing the Unpaid Leave Status - Benefits Change Google Form. Once your request is received and reviewed, you will be contacted by the DPS Benefits Department with a link to make your enrollment selections, a link to the Benefits Enrollment Guide, your deadline to enroll, and the effective date of your coverage. You have 30 days to complete your change request and make your elections. 

Important Notice About Deadline: In most cases, you have 30 days to complete your change request and make your elections. If you have a concern about this deadline, please contact Employee_Benefits@dpsk12.org. 

Retirement Plan Changes: You can make changes to your voluntary retirement plans at any time. For Corebridge 403(b) and 457(b) plans, just log on to myaccount.valic.com and submit your changes. For the PERAPlus 401(k) plan, submit the Google form. 

Retirement plan contribution changes will take place the first of the following month the change request was submitted.  

If all required documentation is included in your request, you will receive confirmation of your change within 10 business days of your submission. Benefits are effective the first of the month following the Qualifying Life Event. For births and adoptions: changes are effective on the date of the event.

Kaiser Members: Access everything for your plan on the Kaiser Permanente Site or call Kaiser at 303-338-3800 (current members) or 303-338-3990 (prospective members).

MotivHealth Members: Visit MotivHealth's microsite for DPS or call 844-234-4472.

UnitedHealthcare Members: visit https://member.uhc.com/myuhc or call 1-866-801-4409

In some cases, you will make elections after your effective benefits date. In this event, your elections will be backdated to the correct effective date. Missed deductions from your paycheck will be taken off your next check. This means that you may see two or more deductions on one check. 

For example: you submitted your change request on August 29 for an effective date of Sept 1. You make your elections on Sept 8. Your coverage will be backdated to Sept 1 and two deductions will be added to your Sept 22 paycheck. 

A Qualifying Life Event (QLE) opens up a 30-day window (in most cases) in which all of your DPS benefits can be changed.

Becoming eligible for CHP+, Medicaid or Medicare does not allow you to change DPS benefits.

To change your DPS benefits, you or your dependents must be enrolled in CHP+, Medicaid or Medicare coverage within the last 60 days. You will need to supply proof of coverage for your change request to be processed.