Changes to state employee health coverage are permitted during the annual open enrollment period (generally in May) or within 60 days of a qualifying mid-year event that permits changes. Changes to flexible spending accounts participation are permitted within 60 days of a qualifying mid-year event that permits changes. Employees who already maintain health coverage at the family membership level may add additional eligible family members prospectively at any time without a plan change.

Elections for many events listed below can be made online using the state program's Cardinal system. See the registration instructions and video tutorial for Cardinal. Reference the specific event details below for information. After making your election in Cardinal, submit to VCU Human Resources the required supporting documentation for your election, as well as the required eligibility documents (PDF) for any family members you elect to add to your coverage.

For elections that cannot be made in Cardinal, or if you have trouble making your election online, submit the Health benefits and flexible spending enrollment form (printable or DocuSign version found under "Health care and wellness forms") and attach the required supporting documentation verifying the event. With either form, if you are electing to add family members to your coverage be sure to submit the required eligibility documents (PDF) for each family member to VCU Human Resources.

Marriage:  Make your election in the online Cardinal system or submit the completed enrollment form. Provide to VCU Human Resources a photocopy of the government-certified or government-registered marriage certificate that includes the recording or registration stamp from the court or office of jurisdiction. Approved changes are effective the first of the month after receipt of your election.

Birth or adoption: Make your election in the online Cardinal system or submit the completed enrollment form. Provide to VCU Human Resources a photocopy of the birth certificate or other documentation validating the date of birth and parentage, or a photocopy of the legal adoptive agreement.  Legal pre-adoptive agreements require review by the state health benefits program, which VCU HR will facilitate. Approved health coverage changes are retroactive to the month of birth or adoption, and approved flexible spending changes are effective the first of the month after receipt of your election.

Divorce: Make your election in the online Cardinal system or submit the completed enrollment form. Provide to VCU Human Resources a photocopy of the pages of the final divorce decree that include the named parties and the date entered by the court with the presiding judge's signature. These are generally the first and last pages.  Divorce requires the removal of the divorced spouse and any stepchildren covered through the divorced spouse, but does not permit enrollment in coverage from a waived status. Family members losing eligibility are removed on the last day of the month in which the divorce is finalized. If you are losing coverage under your spouse's plan due to divorce and wish to enroll in state coverage through VCU, see "HIPAA Special Enrollment - loss of other group coverage" below.

Part-time to Full-time in an eligible position:  Faculty members, University and Academic Professionals, and Classified employees who change from part-time (less than 75% full-time equivalency) to 75% or greater full-time equivalency become eligible for the employer contribution toward premiums and may enroll in health coverage due to this change, which is a qualifying mid-year event. Enroll online using the Cardinal system or by submitting a completed enrollment form. For part-time employees already participating in coverage, this event also allows plan changes and addition of eligible family members.  Elect plan or membership changes online using the Cardinal system or by submitting a completed enrollment form. With either method, submit to VCU Human Resources the required eligibility documents (PDF) for each family member you elect to add to coverage. Approved changes are effective the first of the month after receipt of your election. This event does not permit flexible spending changes.  Changes to dependent care flexible spending can be requested using the qualifying mid-year event “Dependent care cost or coverage change” below.

Full-time to Part-time in an eligible position: Health coverage terminates on the last day of the month in which an eligible employee’s full-time equivalency reduces to below 75%, due to loss of the employer premium contributions.  When the full-time equivalency reduces to below 75% effective the first of the month, coverage terminates the last day of the previous month. Employees who remain in eligible positions (faculty members, University and Academic Professionals, and Classified employees) may re-enroll in part-time health coverage as a qualifying mid-year event. To enroll in part-time coverage, make your election online using the Cardinal system or by submitting a completed enrollment form. This event does not permit flexible spending changes.  Changes to dependent care flexible spending can be elected using the qualifying mid-year event “Dependent care cost or coverage change” below.

Beginning or returning from a leave without pay: Make your election online using the Cardinal system or by submitting a completed enrollment form.

Elections for the following events cannot be made online and require submission of a completed enrollment form to VCU Human Resources:

Spouse or child gained or lost eligibility under their employer's plan

Other employer's open enrollment or plan change

HIPAA Special Enrollment - loss of other group coverage

Add to existing family membership: Submit the completed enrollment form along with required eligibility documents (PDF) for the family member(s) to be added. No plan changes or flexible spending changes are allowed with this election. Changes are effective the first of the month after receipt of your enrollment form.

Beginning or returning from a leave without pay

Dependent care cost or coverage change

The following plans accept voluntary retirement savings contributions:

VCU 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity Plan: To change the amount of your pre-tax or Roth elective deferral from your paycheck, or to change the account provider for future deferrals, submit a new Salary Reduction Agreement form (printable or DocuSign version found under "Payroll Forms"). If you are electing deferrals to a new account provider, open your VCU 403(b) account with your new provider at TIAA or Fidelity Investments. 

Commonwealth of Virginia 457 Deferred Compensation Plan: To change the amount of your pre-tax or Roth elective deferral from your paycheck, register and log in to the plan portal or call the plan's customer service at 1-877-327-5261.

Virginia Retirement System Hybrid Retirement Plan: To change the amount of your contribution to the voluntary Hybrid 457 component, log into your plan portal or call the plan's customer service at 1-877-327-5261.

Virginia Retirement System Plan 1 and Plan 2, VaLORS Plan 1 and Plan 2, and the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) do not allow voluntary contributions. 

Life insurance for faculty and staff in VRS and the ORP is provided through the state employee group life insurance policy of the Virginia Retirement System.

To change the amount of your optional life insurance, add or remove coverage for dependents, or terminate optional life insurance, log into the myVRS portal on the Virginia Retirement System website.  Once you are logged in, select Life Insurance under the My History tab and then select the Visit Securian button. Optional life insurance changes are not initiated through VCU HR.

To change your life insurance beneficiary designation, log into the myVRS portal on the Virginia Retirement System website and select beneficiary designation from the menu. The beneficiary designation is not recorded by VCU HR.