Dependent Eligibility Verification
The University of Richmond is committed to offering affordable employee benefit plans to you and your eligible dependents. As part of our continuing effort to effectively manage the University’s benefit plans, a Dependent Eligibility Verification is being conducted to check the eligibility of all enrolled dependents. The University of Richmond has engaged a third-party vendor, Health Decisions, to manage the dependent eligibility verification. Documentation submitted to Health Decisions will remain protected and confidential throughout the process.
Over the next several weeks, we will be verifying the eligibility of your dependents covered by our medical, dental and/or vision plans. If you are a member of a University-sponsored medical plan, please make sure to check your mail and respond to our vendor, Health Decisions, to complete the verification process.
If you have any questions about the verification process, please contact Health Decisions at 1-888-869-0008.
Important: Dependent Eligibility Verification
Dear Plan Members,
As mentioned as part of the University’s employee benefits open enrollment process last November, the University of Richmond is about to embark upon a dependent eligibility verification process for which your cooperation is necessary.
Dependent eligibility verifications are a common practice that employers, including colleges and universities, periodically undertake, as dependent eligibility can change over time. The verification process provides a way to confirm that dependents meet the eligibility requirements, ensuring our health care plan dollars are spent appropriately. Our decision to move forward with a dependent eligibility verification process during 2020 was discussed with the University’s Benefits Committee.
The University has engaged with a third-party vendor, Health Decisions, to conduct the verification. Health Decisions has extensive experience leading these verifications and will be available throughout the process to answer your questions and provide you with assistance.
This is a new process for the UR community and will require your time to complete what, in most cases, should be a straightforward verification process.
Here’s what you can do to prepare:
- Check your mail. Later this month you will receive a packet from Health Decisions at your home asking you to provide documentation verifying eligibility for your dependent(s). Please reply to Health Decision with the required documentation, by the deadline stated in the packet. All documentation submitted to Health Decisions will remain protected and confidential.
- Review our Frequently Asked Questions [below on this page] to learn more about the process.
If Health Decisions does not receive your completed Dependent Eligibility Verification Form and required documents before the specified deadline, coverage for your dependent(s) will end.
Thank you very much for your prompt attention to this important process.
Sincerely,
Laura Dietrick
Director, Compensation & Benefits
Human Resources
University of Richmond
The University’s benefit costs have risen substantially over the last decade. Healthcare costs are one of the largest components of our benefit plans. We have a fiduciary duty to monitor health care costs and to ensure that plan funds are only used by those who are eligible.
When you receive your letter from Health Decisions it will list all your dependents. You can also check on BannerWeb.
Coverage will be terminated for any dependents that are not verified by the deadline stated.
For the full list, please refer to the verification packet mailed to your home address. Some examples of documentation include birth certificates, court paperwork, and federal income tax returns (Form 1040, first page only, with SSN blacked out).
Yes, this verification process applies to each dependent covered under any of University's medical, dental, vision, and tuition benefits.
If you are unable to locate documents needed for this audit, you may:
- Request a copy of a vital record from the VitalCheck.com – a fee may apply for retrieval of documents.
- Request a free transcript of a federal tax return by contacting the local IRS office. Local contact information is available at http://www.irs.gov.
Yes. You will be asked to provide documentation verifying your relationship to your dependents.
As health care costs increase, it is important that we do all we can to manage the cost to employees. Allowing ineligible dependents to remain on the plan affects the amount all of us pay for health coverage, which is why we need all employees enrolled in the plan to participate in this process.
Going forward, all new employees will be required to provide proof of dependent eligibility.
All information sent to Health Decisions will be kept confidential and documents will be securely maintained. Please note for security reasons, we will not ask you to disclose Social Security numbers or to send copies of Social Security cards. Upon completion of the audit, all of your documents will be destroyed.
If the loss of plan coverage is because the individual is truly an ineligible dependent, then the person is not eligible for COBRA.
You will need to send copies of these documents. DO NOT send originals to Health Decisions since they will not be returned to you.
Regardless of the decree, a former spouse is not an eligible dependent for the University’s benefits. Upon divorce decree date, a former spouse can continue COBRA coverage for up to 36 months.
The University is not administering the dependent eligibility verification. Therefore, all documents must be submitted to Health Decisions during the verification.
Please submit a translated copy if you have it. Otherwise, submit a copy of the document, and Health Decisions will work with you if any further steps are necessary.
If your response to the dependent verification process is missing or incomplete, you may receive a follow-up call from the Health Decisions service center.
