Learn the basics of enrolling in your NYU benefits via the Benefits Resource Center.

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Enrollment Basics

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage is effective on your date of hire provided that enrollment is completed within 31 days of your date of hire. Other benefits such as long term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, and group legal are effective the first of the month following date of hire. Once you complete your enrollment, effective dates for all benefits plans you elect will display under the Current Benefits tile on the Benefits Resource Center landing page. Please allow two weeks from the date of your elections submission for processing.
  • Once you have made your benefits elections or are automatically enrolled, you must wait until the next Annual Enrollment to make any changes unless you experience a qualifying life event.
  • If you experience a qualifying life event (e.g. marriage, divorce, birth, or adoption of a child, loss or gain of spouse/domestic partner coverage), you may make certain changes to your benefits within 31 days of the event by signing in to the Benefits Resource Center and selecting “Declare an Event” on the Report a Qualifying Event tile and choosing from the list of life events.
  • Documentation may be required as a result of your elections, such as including or adding a new dependent(s) to your coverage. You are required to submit proof of relationship to NYU PeopleLink within 31 days of your date of hire or qualifying life event in order for your dependent(s) to have coverage.
  • If you are a new hire or are declaring a life event, there is a 31-day window during which time benefits can be selected or changed. You may have a retroactive payroll deduction for your benefits/benefits changes depending on the effective date of coverage. Retroactive deductions will be taken on the next payroll check that benefit deductions occur.

New hires who do not submit elections within 31 days of their date of hire will be automatically enrolled for individual coverage in the UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus Value Medical Plan, the NYU Dental Plan, Basic Life Insurance, and Basic Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance. Eligible dependent(s) will not be enrolled in the default plans and you will be unable to change plans or enroll dependent(s) without experiencing a qualifying life event before the next Annual Enrollment.

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Where to Enroll: NYU Benefits Resource Center

The Benefits Resource Center provides secure and efficient access to decision support tools and allows employees to make benefits elections, designate life insurance beneficiaries, and more.

To access the Benefits Resource Center, login to NYUHome with your NetID (printed on the back of your NYU identification card) and password credentials. Select the Work page, and click "Go" on the Benefits Resource Center card. Information and tools will help you:

  • Compare NYU health plans and identify the optimal plan for you and your dependent(s)
  • Estimate anticipated total health care costs
  • Estimate total out-of-pocket expenses for Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions
  • Contact health plan vendors

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Who Can I Enroll?

Eligible Dependent(s)

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage for Your Eligible Dependent(s)

When you enroll in an NYU medical, dental, or vision plan, you may also enroll your eligible dependent(s) for coverage.

Proof of Relationship

Proof of relationship documentation must be submitted to NYU PeopleLink by December 1 for Annual Enrollment or within 31 days of hire or qualifying life event in order for coverage to become effective for a newly-added dependent(s). Coverage will pend until the documentation is received. Birth certificates/adoption papers and marriage certificates can be sent to NYU PeopleLink by email at askpeoplelink@nyu.edu, by fax at 212-995-4333, or by mail at 105 East 17th Street, First Floor, New York, NY 10003.


Eligible Dependent(s) Include:

  • Your legal spouse
  • Your domestic partner whom you registered through NYU PeopleLink (see domestic partner section below)
  • Your child, through the end of the month in which age 26 is attained
  • Your unmarried, dependent child over age 26 if mentally or physically disabled


Dependent Child(ren) Include:

  • Your natural child
  • Your stepchild
  • Your registered domestic partner’s child
  • Your legally-adopted child, or child placed with you for legal adoption
  • A child for whom you have been appointed legal guardian by a court of competent jurisdiction
  • A child for whom you have been given temporary or permanent custody under an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction


When Child(ren) Become Eligible for Coverage

  • A newborn child is eligible for coverage at birth
  • In the case of adoption, placement for adoption, custody, or guardianship, a child becomes eligible for coverage when the child is placed in your home; the adoption is final; or the date the court awards guardianship, temporary, or permanent custody
  • When a child loses coverage elsewhere


In order to obtain coverage for your child, you must enroll the child within 31 days of the child’s birth; the date the child is placed in your home for adoption; the date the adoption is final; the date that you have been appointed legal guardian or the date you were awarded temporary or permanent custody; the date the child lost coverage elsewhere.

Note: In the case of temporary custody, you will be required to submit either another order that extends the period of temporary custody or an order of permanent custody for the child’s coverage to remain in effect.

When Your Dependent Child(ren) is No Longer Age Eligible for Coverage

When your child is no longer age eligible to continue coverage as a dependent on your NYU medical, dental, or vision plan, coverage will terminate at the end of the month in which the child becomes ineligible. Your child may continue coverage through COBRA (Google Doc: 19 KB) for up to 36 months by paying the full group rate, plus an additional two percent for administrative expenses. COBRA information will be sent by NYU’s third party COBRA administrator to the home address on file.

Coverage Under One Plan Only

If both you and your spouse or registered domestic partner work for the University and are both eligible for a medical plan through NYU, only one of you may cover your child as a dependent under one plan; both of you cannot cover your child concurrently.

Also, you may cover your spouse or partner as a dependent under your plan, or your spouse or partner may elect separate employee coverage; you and your spouse or partner cannot be covered as both employee and dependent under a medical, dental, or vision plan through NYU.

When Your Legal Spouse is No Longer Eligible for Coverage

A divorced or legally-separated spouse is no longer eligible for coverage under your NYU medical, dental, or vision plan as of the date the divorce or separation is finalized. You must elect to terminate coverage within 31 days of the date of finalization of your divorce by declaring a qualifying life event on the Benefits Resource Center. Your ex-spouse may continue coverage through COBRA (Google Doc: 19 KB) for up to 36 months by paying the full group rate, plus an additional two percent for administrative expenses. COBRA information will be sent by NYU’s third party COBRA administrator to the home address on file.

Domestic Partnership

A domestic partnership is defined as two individuals who live together in a long-term relationship of indefinite duration. Additionally, partners agree to be jointly responsible for each other’s common welfare and to share financial obligations. Partners may not be related by blood to a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which they legally reside. You must register your domestic partner with NYU PeopleLink before your partner is enrolled for coverage under an NYU medical, dental, or vision plan.

Medicare Rules for Domestic Partners Turning Age 65

If covered as a dependent on your NYU medical plan, your domestic partner must enroll in Medicare during the initial enrollment period when approaching age 65. The initial enrollment period is the first time an individual can sign up for Medicare. Individuals may begin the enrollment process either:

  • three months before 65th birthday,
  • month of 65th birthday, and
  • three months after 65th birthday.

Your domestic partner will need to:

  • obtain both Medicare Parts A and B and
  • have Medicare coverage as primary and UnitedHealthcare as secondary. 

Visit https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/ or call 800-771-1213 for more information on enrolling in Medicare.

Enrollment in Medicare Part D (prescription coverage) for your domestic partner is optional as they will still be covered under your Caremark prescription benefits if they continue with NYU coverage.

Once Medicare coverage has been confirmed, your domestic partner should inform their providers that Medicare is the primary insurer.   

If your domestic partner is able to obtain medical coverage through their own employer, they may wish to do so without enrolling in Medicare.   

Please note: If your domestic partner is eligible for Medicare due to a disability or end stage renal disease, they may be eligible to keep NYU coverage as primary. Please notify PeopleLink as soon as possible.

Imputed Income

The value, or premium equivalent, of health care coverage for non-dependent domestic partners and/or their children must be included in earned income for tax purposes. The amount of this imputed income depends upon the plan in which you are enrolled and the level of coverage elected and will be reflected on the Benefits Resource Center once you make your benefits elections. Imputed income is reported on your annual W-2 form. If your domestic partner and/or children of your domestic partner qualify as dependents under Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code, imputed income will not apply.

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How to Enroll

To enroll in your benefits as a new hire, during Annual Enrollment, or as the result of a qualifying life event, follow these steps:

  • Login to NYUHome using your NetID and NYUHome password. Then select the Work page and click "Go" on the Benefits Resource Center card.
  • Select “Enroll Now” in the New Hire tile at the top of the Benefits Resource Center landing page.
  • Once you've started your enrollment, you can:

    • Enter your dependent information
    • Enter beneficiary information
    • Elect your medical, dental, and vision benefits
    • Elect to contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Care FSA Plan, or a Health Savings Account (HSA) if you are enrolled in the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
    • Elect other NYU benefits
    • Complete and confirm your benefit elections
    • Save your elections in PDF format

Important Note If You are Adding a Dependent(s):

If you are adding a new dependent(s) to your coverage, you will be required to submit proof of relationship (e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate) to NYU PeopleLink.


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Benefits Resource Center

Login to access more detailed information about your personal NYU benefits.