Eligible Dependents
Eligible dependents are your:

• Legally married spouse.
• Unmarried children under age 19 who depend on you for support and who are:
  1. Your own children, natural or adopted;
  2. Your step children or foster children;
  3. Children for whom you are required to provide medical coverage pursuant to a Qualified Medical Child Support Order.
• Unmarried children who continue to depend on you for support can continue coverage after they reach age 19 in two situations:
  1. A child age 19 or older, but under age 26, may continue to be eligible for benefits while he or she is a full-time student in an educational institution;
  2. An incapacitated child age 19 or older may continue to be eligible for benefits if he or she is incapable of self support as a result of a physical or mental handicap. To be eligible, the child’s handicap must have occurred prior to the child reaching age 19.

     To continue an eligible child’s health coverage under either of these provisions, you must provide proof of the child’s full-time student status or evidence of the child’s physical or mental incapacity prior to or within thirty-one (31) days after the child’s coverage would otherwise terminate. The Trust may request additional proof necessary to establish continued eligibility under these provisions.

Self-Payment Requirements for Spouses
All dependent spouses must make the required monthly self-payments to maintain eligibility for the Retiree Plan. No self-payments are required for dependent children at this time. If you are covered by this Retiree Plan and add a new spouse you must notify your Area Administrative Office, in writing, within 60 days of your marriage.

Definitions Related to Dependent Eligibility
“Legally Married Spouse” - To be eligible, your marriage must be legally recognized by the state in which you reside. As a result, domestic partners are not covered and common-law spouses are not eligible unless the state in which you reside legally recognizes your common-law marriage.

“Adopted Children” - Adopted children mean legally adopted children including children placed in your home pending adoption. Placement for adoption means assumption by you of a legal obligation for total or partial support of a child in anticipation of adopting the child.

“Foster Children” - A foster child means a child who is related to you by blood or marriage, lives in your home, who is chiefly dependent on you for support, and whom you are raising as your own. A foster child does not include a child temporarily living in your home, a child placed in your home by a social service agency which retains control of the child, or a child whose natural parent is in a position to exercise or share in parental responsibility and control.

“Step Children” - A step child means a child of your spouse by a former marriage, who lives in your home, who is chiefly dependent on you for support, and whom you are raising as your own.

Dual Coverage Under the Trust
If any spouse is eligible as an employee or retiree under the Western Teamsters Welfare Trust, such person will be eligible both as an employee/retiree and as a dependent. When both the husband and wife are eligible, their children are eligible dependents of both. Please refer to pages 68 and 69 for information concerning coordination of benefits.