Making Benefits Changes
Outside of open enrollment, you can make changes to certain benefits only if you experience a qualifying life event.
A qualifying life event is a major event, such as getting married or welcoming a new child, that allows you to make changes to your benefits outside the annual enrollment period.
You have 30 days from the date of the life event to make changes to your benefits.
Changes you can make with a qualifying life event
If you experience any of these qualifying life events:
- Marriage or divorce
- Birth or adoption
- Employee gains or loses coverage
- Spouse or dependent gains or loses coverage
- Death
You may be able to enroll in or change these benefits for yourself or eligible dependents:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance.
- Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSA).
- Supplemental, dependent and whole life insurance.
- Accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance
- Prepaid legal services
- Identity theft and fraud protection
How to report a life event
To make benefits changes, you must create a Qualifying Life Event request on SmartSource within 30 days of the event.
- Sign into SmartSource using your work credentials.
- Select Life Event.
- Upload required documents.
- Select Submit.
You’ll receive an email once your documents have been processed.
Dependent child turning 26
When your dependent child turns 26, their coverage automatically ends at the end of the month in which they turn 26. You do not need to create a life event request.
Other important life changes
Change in eligibility
If you transition to a new job, or the number of hours you’re regularly scheduled to work changes, your eligibility for certain benefits may change.
See what happens if your eligibility changes.
Leaving Johns Hopkins
If your employment with Johns Hopkins Health System ends, it’s important to know when coverage ends, which benefits you’ll keep and which you can continue.
See which benefits end and when.
Leave of absence
The status of your benefits during a leave of absence depends on which leave you take.