HR/insurance question

[Becca]

DH and I are both currently out on FMLA (for his medical issues, though within a week or so I will qualify to be out for my own issues)

We have separate medical insurance - each through our own employers. DD is on his plan. Our intention is to add baby to his plan as well (family coverage at my work is cost prohibitive)

Someone told DH that because he is out on FMLA for his own medical issue, he won't be able to add baby to the plan until he is back. This doesn't seem right to me. If I carried insurance for our family, and had a baby, I would be out on FMLA and still able to add baby to the plan.

He put a call in to a different HR person, but it will be a couple days before we hear back, and I am somewhat freaking out. Any advice/experience with this?

[Deleted]

I added my daughter to my insurance when I was out on FMLA.

[Deleted]

That makes no sense at all. Everyone is out on FMLA when they have a baby, as long as they qualify for FMLA. How else would you take the time off to have the baby? Don't worry, you guys will be fine. Your friend is just thrown off because it's your DH that is on leave.

[Becca]

chronoptomist, that is what I am hoping - but it wasn't my friend. It was someone in HR at DH's company.

[Deleted]

Your friend is wrong. There shouldn't be any issue adding the baby to his plan.

[gogreengowhite]

Are you paying premiums while he is out? Are you paying family or employee + 1 with his current plan?

At my company being out on FMLA has no bearing on if you can or cannot make changes.

I would think you will be fine. Unfortunately, not everyone in HR understand all of the rules. This friend might just not understand the situation.

[Becca]

Yes, we are continuing to pay our share of employee + 1 insurance while he is out

We are incredibly lucky with DH's job - STD is provided (no premiums for us or anything) and DH will receive 12 weeks of pay at 100%, and another 12 weeks of pay at 80%, and doesn't have to touch his vacation time. He just gets a normal paycheck with all the normal withholdings and whatnot pulled out

Hopefully he won't be out that long, but it is nice to know it is there if needed!

[birdmom]

There is no reason you shouldn't be able to add the baby, especially since you are still paying for the coverage. It hasn't lapsed, so I wouldn't think there would be an issue.

[Deleted]

Nice coverage! His HR person is rather uninformed though. Hope it's not the only person he can go though.