Newly Added Dependent Verification
DCPS requires that dependents be verified as eligible for benefits coverage when you enroll them (this also applies if you remove dependents from your coverage and then re-enroll them at a future date).
What Does this Mean for You?
If you are a DCPS employee and you are enrolling dependents, you’ll need to provide documentation verifying their eligibility under DCPS plan rules. It’s important to understand that if you can’t produce the required documentation at your enrollment session, the dependent will not be added to your coverage. This is only for adding dependents; it is not necessary to provide documentation for dependents who are currently enrolled.
How Does Dependent Verification Work?
There are several situations in which you may enroll an eligible dependent in your benefits coverage:
- During your new employee enrollment;
- During Open Enrollment;
- Following a qualifying life event change.
Note: It is your responsibility to respond to insurance companies and DCPS periodic inquiries about dependent eligibility. Failure to provide timely dependent verification information will result in loss of dependent coverage.
Dependent Verification Acceptable Documents
| DEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP | DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED |
|---|
Spouse
(Married Prior to Current Calendar Year) | - Copy or Original government issued marriage certificate; AND
- Copy or Original IRS 1040 Tax Return from the prior year reflecting married filing jointly or married filing separately; AND
- Social Security number
|
Spouse
(Married on or After January 1st of Current Calendar Year) | - Copy or Original government issued marriage certificate; AND
- Social Security number
|
Natural Child(ren):
Ages 0-26 years of age | - Copy or Original government issued birth certificate (Hospital Certificate of Birth is acceptable for Newborns) that shows proof of relationship; AND
- Social Security number
|
Stepchild(ren):
Ages 0-26 years of age | - Copy or Original government issued marriage certificate; AND
- Copy or Original government issued birth certificate(s) that shows proof of relationship; AND
Social Security number
- Note: If the last name of the child(ren) is different from the employee’s current last name, the employee must also provide proof of the name change (i.e. marriage certificate or legal name change documentation)
|
Child(ren) under Legal Guardianship, Adopted, Custody or Foster Care:
Ages 0-26 years of age | - Copy or Original government issued birth certificate (Hospital Certificate of Birth is acceptable for Newborns) that shows proof of relationship; AND
- Copy or Original legal guardianship/adopted/custody document from Courts naming employee as legal guardian/adoptive parent/custodian/; OR
- Copy or Original foster care documentation from Courts naming employee as foster parent; AND
- Social Security number
- If spouse (not employee) is legal guardian/adoptive parent/custodian/foster parent: Copy or Original government issued marriage certificate.
|
Grandchild(ren):
0-18 months | - Copy or Original government-issued birth certificate of child(ren) stating child(ren) was/were born to an insured dependent child(ren) of the District employee; AND
- Copy or Original government issued birth certificate of insured dependent birth parent who is also enrolled in the plan; AND
- Social Security number
|
Incapacitated or Disabled Dependents
(Over age 26) | - Copy or Original government issued birth certificate(s) that shows proof of relationship; AND
- Social Security number; AND
- Statement from the dependent‘s physician certifying that the dependent is incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental or physical disability, AND is chiefly dependent upon the employee or retiree for support AND maintenance; OR
- Copy or Original Social Security papers
|
Birth outside of USA (not Adoption):
Ages 0-26 years | - Naturalization papers presented to DCPS Employee Benefits Department
|
