Have you verified the dependents on your health care plans yet? The deadline for the verification phase of the dependent eligibility project led by university human resources (UHR) is Friday, June 2. More than 80% of faculty and staff have completed the process.
Employees who do not provide the proper documentation to verify dependents will have ineligible dependents removed from their plans, but no ineligible dependents will lose coverage until next year's plan begins on Jan. 1, 2024. In September, the university will notify employees with ineligible dependents of their removal from benefits enrollment records before open enrollment begins in November. Eligible dependents can be added to plans during open enrollment and any changes to plans will go into effect on the first of the year.
By the numbers
Only 13% of employees -- around 510 people -- have yet to start the process. A majority of employees have submitted documentation and less than 1% of dependents have been identified as ineligible. UHR director of benefits Ed Holland said he feels good about where the project is at with a week left until the deadline.
Dependent eligibility verification update as of May 23
| Verification process | |
| Completed | 81.9% |
| In process | 5.1% |
| Not started | 12.9% |
| Status | |
| Verified eligible | 81.9% |
| Ineligible | 0.6% |
| Verification in process | 3.2% |
| No activity yet | 14.4% |
Few hiccups, overall success
For some (including this writer), the biggest challenge to verifying dependents was reading the directions and submitting the correct documents. Holland said WTW, the consulting firm assisting with the project, addressed incidents like this and other more complex issues such as advising employees about options for translating legal documents.
"I have been extremely pleased with how this has gone and the engagement of our employees in completing the process," he said.
Learn more
For more information about the dependent eligibility verification project, read the March Inside article and visit the UHR website. For assistance submitting documentation or other questions about the process, contact the WTW Dependent Verification Center at 1-855-722-9663 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST, Monday-Friday).
