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Can an employee drop health coverage during the plan year?Unless he or she is restricted due to participation in an Internal Revenue Code Section 125 cafeteria plan, an employee may drop all coverage or remove dependents. If he or she drops coverage during the plan year, the individual will not be eligible to re-enroll in TRS-ActiveCare until the next plan enrollment period unless there is a special enrollment event.Note: An employee cannot elect to drop coverage retroactively; a future cancellation date is required. The cancellation must be received by bswift within the membership processing guidelines; see page 37.Can employees change plan options during the plan year?If an employee or dependent has a special enrollment event under applicable law, the employee may change plan options when exercising a special enrollment right. Plan changes are also permitted if the employee is directed by a court order or national medical support notice to provide health coverage for a dependent child or if the employee or dependent loses coverage because they no longer live, work or reside in an HMO service area.Coverage Continuation while on Leave without PayEmployees must meet the participating employer%u2019s requirements for leave-without-pay status, including the requirements under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Eligible employees may continue TRS-ActiveCare coverage while on leave without pay for a period not to exceed six months.For example, if your participating employer only allows three months for leave without pay, at which time his or her employment is terminated, the employee could continue coverage under TRS-ActiveCare for three months. If your participating employer allows 12 months for leave without pay, TRS-ActiveCare coverage will end after six months.Coverage for an individual on leave without pay ends the earlier of the:%u2022 last calendar day of the month for which premiums are paid;%u2022 last calendar day of the month in which the employee%u2019s employment ends;%u2022 last calendar day of the month in which an individual is no longer eligible for coverage due to requirements unrelated to leavewithout-pay status; or%u2022 last calendar day of the sixth month following the month in which coverage for leave without pay began.Once the employee returns to active employment, and meets eligibility requirements, he or she can re-enroll for TRS-ActiveCare coverage within 31 days. If the employee returns to active employment within the same plan year and chooses to re-enroll in TRS-ActiveCare, the employee must select the same plan option in which he or she was previously enrolled. If the employee has exhausted their six months of coverage while on leave without pay, they may qualify for COBRA.www.bcbstx.com/trsactivecareba 25