Covering Dependents on NCFlex Plans
Covering Dependents on NCFlex Plans
From children's dentist appointments to loss of income due to a spouse's illness to new glasses for the whole family, adding your loved ones to your NCFlex plans as dependents can help them stay well and ensure they're cared for no matter what the future holds. Coverage is available to eligible family members on most NCFlex plans.
- Spouse: The employee's legally married spouse.
- Child: Any child, including natural, stepchild, foster child or adopted child, until the end of the month in which the child turns age 26 including:
- A child who is dependent on the employee for support and maintenance. The child does not need to be claimed as a dependent on the employee's federal income tax return.
- A child for whom the employee has legal obligation for purposes of adoption.
- Any child of any age who is unable to make a living because of a mental or physical handicap. (See Covering Disabled Dependents section below for more.)
- An employee must be enrolled in a plan for their eligible dependents to participate.
- An employee cannot be covered as both an employee and a dependent spouse or child.
- Children cannot be enrolled under both parents if both parents participate in NCFlex.
- For the Voluntary AD&D and Group Term Life Plans, if a person is eligible to participate as an employee, they must choose to be covered as an employee not a dependent.
- Employees should consult with their tax advisor if they have questions as to whether someone qualifies as an income tax dependent.
Who Can I Cover?
The chart below offers a general overview of who qualifies as an eligible dependent on specific NCFlex plans. Some plans have additional stipulations under certain circumstances. Please review a plan's certificate of coverage for additional guidelines and limitations.
| Spouse? | Unmarried Children Under 26? | Married Children Under 26? | Children 26+?* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident Plan | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Cancer Plan | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Critical Illness Plan | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Dental Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Vision Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Life Insurance Plan^ | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| AD&D Plan^ | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Disability Plan^ | No | No | No | No |
*In some cases, employees can cover a disabled child as a dependent even after they turn 26. See Covering Disabled Dependents section below for more.
^The Life Insurance, AD&D and Disability Plans under NCFlex are for non-university employees only.
Using FSAs for Dependents
Below you'll find how you can use each type of Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to make your dollars go further while taking care of your family.
Employees may use their pre-tax funds to pay for eligible FSA expenses for not just themselves, but also their spouse and qualifying children or relatives. Children qualify if they are under 26 or over 26 and permanently and totally disabled.
Funds may also be used for a qualifying relative, which includes any individual who is not the tax dependent of another taxpayer, has the same principal residence as the employee and for whom the employee provides more than half of the support for the calendar year.
Eligible dependents do not have to be listed on the HCFSA plan for funds to be used and do not have to be enrolled in any of the employee's insurance plans.
Eligible day care expenses may be reimbursed for:
- A qualifying child under age 13 for whom the employee is the legal guardian and who has the same principal residence as the employee for more than one-half of the year and does not provide more than one-half of their own support during the calendar year.
- A qualifying child (as defined above) of any age, spouse or other dependent (e.g. a disabled elderly parent) who is physically or mentally incapable of caring for themselves and has the same principal place of residence as the employee for more than one-half of the year and who receives over one-half of their support from the employee. To reimburse day care received outside the home, a disabled dependent must spend at least eight hours per day in the employee's home.
Special rules apply for divorced and separated parents with dependent children. Generally, a child must be a dependent for whom the employee can claim an income tax exemption. In other words, the employee must have legal custody of the child for over half of the year for day care expenses to be reimbursed through the DDCFSA.
Dependents on the TRICARE Supplement Plan
Eligible individuals must be registered with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and not eligible for Medicare. Please confirm a dependent's eligibility for TRICARE with DEERS before enrolling in the TRICARE Supplement.
- Unmarried dependent children up to age 21 or a dependent child who is a full-time student up to age 23. Documentation that a child, age 21-22, is a full-time student must be provided.
- Incapacitated dependents are covered after age 21, 23 or 26 if they are dependent on the member for primary support/maintenance and eligible for TRICARE. Proof of continued incapacity and dependency is required. Documentation must be provided. Incapacitated dependents must be enrolled in the TRICARE Supplement Plan before reaching age 21 or 23 if they are full-time students.
- Adult dependent children who are younger than 26 and who are enrolled in TRICARE Young Adult (TYA). The child must provide a copy of their TYA Enrollment ID card to Selman & Company and enroll in the supplement prior to their 26th birthday.
If a dependent's Military ID card has expired or if information has changed (i.e. address corrections), call DEERS at 800-538-9552.
Covering Disabled Dependents at Any Age
When a child that is covered as a dependent on an employee's NCFlex benefits turns 26, they are automatically removed from the plans at the end of their birth month. However, a disabled child can remain on an employee's benefits if:
- The child's disability started before age 26.
- The child was covered on the plan before age 26.
If you are interested in keeping a disabled dependent on your benefits after age 26, reach out to your HR department or email NCFlex 2–3 months before your child would age off of your plans.