Surviving Dependents
More Resources
Dependents who are covered by medical, dental and/or vision insurance at the time of the employee or retiree’s death may continue University insurance as surviving dependents if the following occurs:
- The employee/retiree had five years of service credit with the Teacher Retirement System or Optional Retirement Program prior to the time of death, AND
- Three of the five years must have been within The University of Texas System.
For dependents that aren’t eligible to continue insurance as surviving dependents, they may be eligible for COBRA insurance.
When the UT Dallas Employee Benefits team is notified of an employee or retiree’s death, we will contact and make an offer of coverage to the eligible surviving dependents. Surviving dependents are NOT eligible for University funding (premium sharing) toward the insurance coverage. Dependents are responsible for paying the full cost of the insurance coverage elected. Any outstanding insurance premiums must be satisfied before dependent coverage begins. Monthly premiums are provided below.
| Coverage Type | UT Select Medical (BCBS) | UT Connect (DFW Area Only) | UT Select Dental (Delta) | UT Select Dental Plus (Delta) | DeltaCare USA | Superior Vision | Superior Vision Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse Only | $599.63 | $572.59 | $25.62 | $55.20 | $7.93 | $5.90 | $9.00 |
| Child Only | $493.46 | $465.18 | $31.15 | $67.26 | $9.69 | $5.90 | $9.00 |
| Family | $1,074.35 | $1,021.10 | $56.32 | $121.90 | $17.60 | $9.52 | $15.08 |
Participants may continue University insurance until they no longer meet the definition of dependents, become eligible for similar benefits elsewhere, or fail to pay the full cost of premiums. Surviving dependents have the same billing process and payment options as retirees. Monthly statements are provided if there is a balance. Any outstanding insurance premiums must be satisfied before dependent coverage begins.
Dependents must submit a new Direct Debit Agreement to have insurance premium payments automatically debited.
Surviving dependents may participate in annual enrollment each year during July (July 15-31). Dependents can make changes to the medical, dental and vision benefits if those benefits were in effect at the time of the UT employee or retiree’s death. Changes made during annual enrollment are effective September 1 for the new plan year.