Dependents and Your Benefits

When you experience a change in your life — or in the life of your family — that has an impact on your dependent's need or eligibility for benefits, you may be able to modify your benefits outside the annual Open Enrollment period.

Birth and adoption

Change in a dependent's eligibility

If your dependent becomes ineligible for MIT coverage and will be without coverage, notify MIT Benefits in writing within 60 days to continue coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). The rules for COBRA are strict, so learn how it works and the steps you must take to enroll. Learn more about COBRA.

The Impact on Your Own Health Coverage

When your dependent is no longer eligible for MIT benefits, you may decide to change your health, dental, or vision coverage from a family plan to an individual plan, if the child was the only dependent on your plan(s). Learn more about your health plan options.

Change in Medicaid or SCHIP eligibility

Discover how a change in your eligibility for Medicaid or SCHIP affects your benefits. 

Child care & adult care

Arranging for the care of children and aging or disabled family members can be challenging. MIT offers a number of resources to help members of the community cope with the expense and logistics of caring for family.

MIT Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allow eligible employees to set aside funds — before taxes — for caretaking expenses.

Learn more about the Dependent Care FSA.

MIT Technology Childcare Centers

MIT offers four childcare centers in Cambridge and Lexington so that members of the MIT community can choose the center that is most convenient to home or work.

Learn more about the Technology Childcare Centers.

MIT Childcare Scholarship Programs

The Institute offers scholarship programs for eligible families with children enrolled in MIT's childcare centers in Cambridge and Lexington.

Learn more about the MIT childcare scholarship programs.

Work-Life Programs

Work-Life offers a comprehensive network of resources to assist MIT community members in finding or using child care services for children of all ages, as well as an internationally recognized program of services to support those in the community who are raising children, including biological and adoptive parents, step-parents, guardians, grandparents, extended family, foster parents, and others responsible for children's care.

Learn more about Work-Life.

Documenting dependents

The Institute requires all MIT faculty and staff to document dependents' eligibility for health care benefits. 

Learn more about this requirement.

Spouse or domestic partner job loss

When your spouse or domestic partner becomes unemployed, here are a few things to keep in mind, including benefits that might be affected.