Dependent Eligibility Verification FAQs

• What is the Dependent Eligibility Verification?
  The Dependent Eligibility Verification (DEV) is the process of re-verifying the eligibility of your spouse, domestic partner, children, stepchildren, and domestic partner children (family members) enrolled in state health and dental benefits. Government Code Section 22843.1 mandates re-verifying the eligibility of your family members. Government Code Section 22959 authorizes extending this review to your family members enrolled in dental benefits.
• When will the re-verification occur?

  It's a three (3) year cycle that repeats based on employee's birth month. 

  2023	2024	2025
  March	January	February
  June	April	May
  September	July	August
  December	October	November

• How will I know to re-verify my family members?

  CalPERS will mail a letter to you at the address on file, ninety (90) calendar days before the birth month cycle.  The letter will include the Affidavit and will list all enrolled family members that require re-verification and the acceptable re-verification documents required.

  The Benefits Office will send an email communication to you identifying the family members that require re-verification and will confirm which documents are already held in file and which supporting documentation needs to be submitted to the Benefits Office as part of the verification process.  The Benefits Office will provide a CSU Affidavit, if you and family members are enrolled in dental, but not health.

  You should promptly provide re-verification documents to the Benefits Office.  Delay in providing the documentation may result in a family member losing health and/or dental coverage.

  The Benefits Office maintains the DEV records in file without a purge date.

• Will I be required to provide original documents?

  The Affidavit does not require a wet signature and supporting documents submitted should be copies.

• What re-verification documents are required

  SPOUSE OR DOMESTIC PARTNER
  A copy of the Government Issued Marriage Certificate or Domestic Partnership Registration filed with the California Secretary of State or a comparable agency in another jurisdiction listing the dependent as your spouse or domestic partner.
  AND EITHER

  • A copy of the first page of your most recent federal or state income tax return, such as IRS Form 1040 listing dependent as your spouse or domestic partner.
    
    OR

  • A combination of other documentation, including but not limited to, a household bill, account statement, or insurance policy listing the name and address of the subscriber and the spouse/domestic partner, or other documentation that substantiates the existence of a current marriage or domestic partnership. Household bills and account statements older than 60 calendar days are unacceptable.

  *The first document establishes the life event allowing the enrollment of the dependent (i.e., marriage or registering as domestic partners). The second document substantiates the relationship is current.

  NATURAL-BORN CHILD(REN)
  A copy of the Government Issued Birth Certificate naming the employee as the parent.

  ADOPTED CHILD(REN)
  A copy of the Government Issued Birth Certificate or Adoption Certificate naming the employee, spouse or domestic partner as the parent.

  STEP-CHILD(REN)
  A copy of the Government Issued Birth Certificate naming the employee's current spouse as the parent.

  DOMESTIC PARTNER CHILD(REN)
  A copy of the birth certificate naming the employee's current domestic partner as the parent.

• Where do I obtain the required Affidavit.

  CalPERS Affidavit - CalPERS mails the Affidavit to the employee using the mailing address they have on file.  If you did not receive your Affidavit, you can log into myCalPERS and print a copy under the "health" tab section.
  
  If CalPERS does not reflect the correct address on your profile, check your address on myCSUSM/My HR Resources/Personal Information.  Update your address  or notify the Benefits Office of the discrepancy between the two systems at hrbenefits@csusm.edu.

  CSU Affidavit (Dental Only) - The Benefits Office provides the Affidavit as an attachment on the DEV Email Notification.  If you need another copy, please contact hrbenefits@csusm.edu and request another one be sent.

• Why are two documents required for re-verifying a spouse or domestic partner?
  The first document establishes the life event allowing the enrollment of the dependent (i.e., marriage or domestic partnership registration), while the second required document substantiates the relationship is current.
• Why are my children not listed on the Affidavit?

  A Natural Born Child or Adopted Child, only requires to be re-verified once, as their relationship to the employee does not change.

  A Parent-Child Relationship dependent (PCR) requires verification annually.  CalPERS and the Benefits Office will communicate how to proceed with completing the PCR verification process.

• Will I be reimbursed for the cost of obtaining re-verification documents?
  No.  You are responsible for any charge related to obtaining a document needed as part of the re-verification process.
• Why am I required to provide the documents again, when I provided them at the initial enrollment of my dependents?

  The Benefits Office will only ask for you to provide supporting documents not previously held in file, with the exception of the additional supporting document required for a spouse or domestic partner.  The additional supporting document is required every time to substantiate the relationship is current.

  Refer to the Benefits Office email communication identifying your need to complete the DEV Re-verification process to know which documents are required to be submitted.

• How will I know my CalPERS Dependent Verification has been completed?

  CalPERS will mail a letter to you stating the family member(s) will continue coverage effective the first of the month following the employee's birth month.  This documents no lapse in coverage will take place, but continues without change.

  The Benefits Office will email you a confirmation that the re-verification process has been completed and provide an executed copy of the Affidavit to you for your record.

• What happens if I do not provide the required documents during the re-verification cycle?

  If you do not respond or provide the required documents to the Benefits Office by the 5th of the birth month, CalPERS will process a future cancellation date of the family member's health coverage to take place the 1st of the following month and adjust the monthly premium deduction appropriately (i.e., if birth month is January, CalPERS will process health coverage cancellation for February 1st). 

  If you provide the required documentation after the 5th of the birth month, the Benefits Office will complete the verification and rescind the CalPERS future cancellation date; However,  you may owe missing health premiums and need to monitor the family member's status on the health carrier site to ensure the coverage reflects active the following month.  The Benefits Office will notify you if an Accounts Receivable (A/R) is established for any missing health premiums owed.  You should reach out to the Benefits Office immediately if the family member's coverage reflects inactive on the health carrier site to be corrected.

  If you do not provide the required documentation by the end of the birth month, the family member's coverage will be canceled the first of the following month and a COBRA Notification will be issued.   In order for the family member to regain coverage, the dependent verification documents are required to be submitted to the Benefits Office, along with a completed Benefit Enrollment Worksheet requesting the dependent to be added back to the health and/or dental plan.  Benefit coverage will take effect the 1st of the month following the Benefits Office receipt of all required documents.

  The Benefits Office will remove the same family member from dental benefits, if enrolled and issue a COBRA notification.

• How will I know if my family members are removed from health and/or dental benefits?

  CalPERS will mail a Cancellation Notice to you 30 days prior to the first of your birth month if administratively removing a family member from health benefits.  CalPERS will include Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) continuation of coverage information with this letter.  The dis-enrollment of the family member is effective the first of the month following the employee's birth month.

  The Benefits Office will email you around the 5th of the birth month, explaining the future cancellation has been processed and will prepare the cancellation of dental coverage, if enrolled.  The Benefits Office will provide COBRA information at the end of the birth month related to the cancellation of dental benefits.

• What about family members enrolled in dental benefits only?

  The Benefits Office will track your family members that are enrolled in dental benefits only.  The Benefits Office will communicate to you and provide a CSU Dependent Verification Affidavit with instructions, following the 3 year re-verification cycle schedule.

  The Benefits Office will inform you when the verification has been completed and provide an executed copy of the CSU Dependent Verification Affidavit for your record.

  If you do not submit the required documents to the Benefits Office by the end of the your birth month, the Benefits Office will communicate to you when the family member's dental coverage will cancel and provide COBRA Continuation information.

• What happens if I provide documents after my family members are removed from benefits?

  If you provide re-verification documents for dis-enrolled, eligible dependents after the first day of your birth month but before the last day of your birth month, the Benefits Office may rescind the dependent deletion. YOU MAY INCUR AN ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE (A/R) FOR THE UNPAID PREMIUM FOR THE MONTH AFTER YOUR BIRTH MONTH. AS WELL, THE HEALTH CARRIER MAY REFLECT AN INACTIVE STATUS FOR THAT FAMILY MEMBER.  The Benefits Office will communicate to the employee if an A/R is set up and how to pay.  The employee will need to the Benefits Office immediately if the Health Carrier reflects the family member as inactive to get the coverage brought back to active status.

  If you provide re-verification documents for dis-enrolled, eligible dependents after the birth month, the Benefits Office will re-enrolls the family members prospectively (first of the month following receipt of documents) for health and/or dental benefits. THIS CAN RESULT IN A GAP IN THE DEPENDENT’S BENEFIT COVERAGE. COBRA continuation of coverage is an option for dependents during the lapse in coverage.

Enrollment Scenarios

• If my enrolled child turns age 26 during the re-verification period, how should I proceed?

  If your child's 26th birth date coincides with your re-verification cycle, CalPERS and/or Delta Dental will administratively remove your child at the end of the child's birth month.

  The Benefits Office will provide you with a COBRA Continuation notice around the 1st of the month of the child's birth month.

• What if I want a dependent removed from my Health and/or Dental Plan that requires re-verification?

  You should contact the Benefits Office immediately if you wish to remove a dependent.
  
  The should be removed due to a qualifying permissive event rather than  found during the re-verification process.  If the dependent needs to be added back to your benefits, and they were removed due to non-verification, the verification documents will be required to be submitted to the Benefits Office before the enrollment can be processed.  If you remove the dependent prior to the re-verification ineligibility deadline under a qualifying permissive event, they can be re-enrolled and will follow the next re-verification cycle.

• How should I respond if during my re-verification cycle, I receive a notice from CalPERS to re-certify a parent-child relationship (PCR) dependent or a disabled child age 26 or over?

  The Dependent Eligibility Verification (DEV) is separate from the process to re-certify a PCR dependent or a disabled child age 26 and over.  Follow the instructions on these notices to re-certify these dependents.

• I need to remove a dependent due to a qualifying event that occurred during the re-certification cycle. How should I proceed?

  Notify the Benefits Office immediately of any qualifying event that occurs during the re-verification period, such as a divorce or termination of domestic partnership.  In these situations, the dependent may be required to be removed from the coverage in advance of cancellation due to ineligibility found during the re-verification.

• Where can I find more information on the health and dental benefits?

  The CalPERS Plans and Rates webpage contains health benefit information and the CSU Delta Dental website provides dental benefit information.  You can also visit the Benefits Portal for health and dental plan information.