New Jersey State Health Benefits Program

Rutgers is proud of the comprehensive benefits package offered to employees. Eligible employees may enroll in one or more State Health Benefit Plans providing medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage. There are several plans offered designed to meet the cost and coverage needs of a diverse population. This summary provides information on eligibility, coverage effective dates, and enrollment procedures.

• Enrolling a Civil Union or Same Sex Domestic Partner
• How To Enroll
• Multiple Enrollments
• When Child Coverage Ends
• When Coverage Begins
• When Coverage Ends

Who Is Eligible

• Regularly appointed full-time faculty and staff
  • Regularly appointed teaching/graduate assistants
  • Full-time “type one” post doctorate associates
• Legal spouse
• Unmarried dependent children under age 23
• Registered Civil Union or Same Sex Domestic Partners

How to Enroll

• Complete a State Health Benefits Program Application
• Submit application(s) to the person in your department who handles payroll processing

Enrolling a Civil Union or Same Sex Domestic Partner in Health Benefits

Within 60 days of the date of the Civil Union or Domestic Partnership Certificate, or a valid certification from another jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex civil unions or domestic partnerships, complete a State Health Benefits Program Medical Application and the State Health Benefits Program Dental Application and mail the completed applications, along with a copy of the Certificate, to: Payroll Services, 65 Davidson Road, room 317, Busch Campus, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Coverage will be effective as of the date of the Certificate.  You may also add your civil union/same-sex domestic partner to your coverage during the regular open enrollment period, which is every October for an effective date of the following January 1.

Multiple Enrollments

• Individuals may belong to a SHBP medical plan as an employee or a dependent but not both
• Two state employees married to each other cannot both cover the same children or each other under two SHBP medical plans
• No individual is eligible for coverage in more than one state dental plan

When Coverage Begins

• Academic year employees with 10-month academic appointments with September 1 hire date = September 1 effective date
• All other employees, after 2 months of continuous employment, i.e., August 15 hire date = October 15 effective date

When Coverage Ends

• Employees with 10-month academic year appointments that end June 30 will continue health insurance coverage through July and August
• Employees who terminate employment prior to the 6th of the month will continue coverage through the end of that month; employees who terminate on or after the 6th of the month will continue coverage through the end of the month following termination
• Coverage can be continued through COBRA for up to 18 months

When Child Coverage Ends

• Coverage ends the last day of the calendar year in which the child reaches age 23 or the last day of the month in which the child marries

To submit a comment or to report any problems with this site, please email us. For questions about University Human Resources programs and services, please email our Operations Team.

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Last Updated: 02/20/2008