Benefits

Eligibility

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Eligibility: Active Employees

Faculty and staff of Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory as well as certain family members are eligible for benefits coverage if the criteria below are met:

Your Eligibility

You are eligible for Stanford's benefits program if you are scheduled to work in a benefits-eligible position for six months or more (four months or more for bargaining unit employees) and you are a:

  • Part-time employee working between 50% and 74% time (FTE), or
  • Full-time employee working between 75% and 100% time (FTE)

Both Work at Stanford?

You may not elect coverage as an employee/retiree and receive coverage as another employee's/retiree's dependent. Also, only one parent may cover eligible dependent children.

Your Family Members

Eligible family members include:

  • Spouse (same or opposite sex), unless legally separated
  • Registered Domestic Partner
  • Dependent children to age 26
  • Unmarried children over the age limit if:
    • They are dependent on you for primary financial support and maintenance due to a physical or mental disability
    • They are incapable of self-support, and
    • The disability existed before reaching age 19

Eligible children include:

  • Natural children
  • Stepchildren
  • Legally adopted children
  • Foster children
  • Children for whom you are the legal guardian
  • Children placed with you for adoption
  • Children of your Registered Domestic Partner who depend on you for support and who live with you in a regular parent/child relationship
  • Child for whom the court has issued a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO)

Confirming Eligibility

When you add a family member to your coverage, you need to confirm he or she is eligible. Look at the list of accepted documentsDependent Eligibility Documentation Requirements
List of dependents who may be eligible for various benefits, and documentation required to prove that relationship.
 to learn what you need to send to Stanford Benefits to get your family member covered. You have 30 days from the date you add your family member to submit the documentation. We will mail you a request for the documents that includes instructions on how to submit them. If you do not submit documentation by the deadline or the documentation is not approved, your dependent's enrollment is canceled from the date he or she was added. If you send in the documentation after the deadline, your dependent will be added back to your coverage effective the date the documentation is received.

 

***If you have dependents that do not live with you at your home address you need to contact the health plan prior to enrolling to verify if they live within the covered service area.

 

As An Official Retiree

Your Eligibility

Official retirees from Stanford University and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center are eligible for Stanford retiree medical benefits. There are two ways to become an official retiree:

  • If you were hired before January 1, 1992, you must complete at least 10 years of benefits-eligible service and be at least age 55. Or you can qualify under the "Rule of 75."
  • If you were hired after January 1, 1992, you must complete at least 10 years of benefits-eligible service and your age plus years of benefits-eligible service must equal at least 75 (the "Rule of 75").

To find out if you qualify as an official retiree, contact Stanford Benefits and to talk to a representative. Plan well in advance: you should allow at least 8 weeks after your call for us to research your employment history and determine your eligibility. Family member eligibility is the same as noted above. Learn more in our brochure, When Employment EndsWhen Employment Ends - Retirement
Guide to what happens to your benefits when you choose to retire; includes how to transition from employee plans to the versions for retirees.
. You should also read the Eligibility FAQRetiree Medical Plan General Rules FAQ
Common questions about retiree medical plans at Stanford.
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Returning Employees

Welcome back to Stanford. As a returning employee, your prior service may count towards becoming an official retiree. Read about this policyRetiree Medical Plan General Rules FAQ
Common questions about retiree medical plans at Stanford.
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Registered Domestic Partners

You can cover your domestic partner if your partnership is registered with the State of California. The State of California registers same-sex domestic partners, as well as opposite-sex partners when one is age 62 or older and qualified for Social Security benefits. You may register your partnership in California even if you're not a California resident. For more information visit the State of California Domestic Partners Registry Web page.

Generally, you can register your domestic partner if you share a common residence and your domestic partner is:

  • Age 18 or older
  • A member of your household for the coverage period
  • Not related to you in any way that would prohibit legal marriage
  • Not legally married to anyone else or in a registered domestic partnership with anyone else

Federal tax rules do not recognize domestic partners, the cost of the coverage is not tax protected and an imputed income tax is calculated on the cost of the coverage for the non-employee. Imputed income is the estimated value of Stanford's financial premium contribution towards health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision, and AD&D) for registered domestic partners. It must be reported as taxable wages earned and as such, the value of their coverages are exempt from State taxes.

Please note that qualified domestic partners enrolled in Stanford University medical plans need to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when they turn 65. Failure to enroll in Medicare may result in future penalties or impact the payment of claims.