Court Ordered Coverage: Your GoCo Guide to submitting this Qualifying Life Event
Sometimes life throws us a curveball, and a court order might require you to add a dependent to your benefits, even if you don't currently have coverage through your employer. At GoCo, we understand this can seem a bit tricky at first, but don't worry! We've made the process straightforward by combining the dependent addition with your benefit enrollment.
This article will guide you through how to navigate GoCo to add a dependent to your benefits when mandated by a court order, even if you are not currently enrolled in any employer-sponsored plans.
Why this is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE)
A court order requiring you to provide health coverage for a dependent is considered a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). This means you have a special opportunity outside of the annual Open Enrollment period to make changes to your benefits. Typically, you'll need to complete this process within 30 days of the court order to ensure seamless coverage.
Let's Get Started! Updating Your Benefits in GoCo
Follow these steps to add your dependent and enroll in coverage due to a court order:
Step 1: Access Your Benefits Module
First things first, log in to your GoCo account. From your Home page, locate and click on the "My Benefits" button. This is your hub for all things related to your insurance and employer-sponsored benefits. 
Step 2: Initiate the Benefit Change
In your Benefits Module, find and click the blue "Make Changes" button.
Step 3: Select Your Change Type
You'll see a pop-up asking "What kind of changes would you like to make to your benefits?". For a court order requiring you to add coverage for a dependent when you don't currently have coverage yourself, you will select "Enroll in new benefits."
Step 4: Provide Details for Your Life Event
After selecting "Enroll in new benefits," you will be taken to a screen to input details about your Qualifying Life Event.
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Your reason for change: Select "Other(please specify)" and specify "court ordered coverage".
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When should coverage start?: Enter the effective date as per your court order.
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Upload proof: This is where you'll upload a copy of the court order. You can also indicate if you will provide proof to your HR Admin separately.
Step 5: Add Your Dependent
The next screen is where the magic happens! Here, you'll add your dependent's information.
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My Family: Click "+ Add Dependent" and fill in their details.
After adding your dependent, click "Continue". You will then be able to select the benefit plans (e.g., medical, dental, vision) you wish to enroll in for yourself and your newly added dependent.
Step 6: Complete Your Enrollment
Once you have made all your benefit choices, click the "Finish Enrollment" button. If you need to step away, you can always hit "Finish Later" and return when you're ready.
Step 7: Confirm Submission
Finally, you'll see a confirmation page summarizing your enrollment. We recommend printing this for your records.
What Happens Next?
Your enrollment changes will be sent to your HR admin for review and, if required, carrier approval. You'll receive a notification in your GoCo account once your changes are approved or denied.
⚠️ Keep in mind: An employee can only have one pending QLE at a time.
Common Questions 🤔
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Why did I select "Enroll in new benefits" if I'm only adding a dependent? For court order scenarios where you might not have existing coverage, the system initiates a full enrollment to ensure both you and your dependent can be properly added to plans. It's designed to be one seamless process.
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What if I already have benefits and just need to add a dependent? If you already have active benefits and are adding a dependent for a reason other than a court order requiring new enrollment (e.g., birth of a child), you would typically select "Add a dependent" directly in the benefits dashboard.
Need to make an adjustment to a pending QLE?
If your Life Event is still processing and you need to make changes, no problem! You can edit it by going to the Employees page -> Benefits -> Life Events. Click the three dots to the right of the QLE and select 'Edit'. Remember to click 'Continue' and 'Finish' to save your updates!
For additional questions, please reach out to support@goco.io. 💚