The secret is out! For years, carriers have been ‘less than diligent’ in helping you maintain accurate records of your plan’s over-age dependents. This has potentially cost you big $! Independence Blue Cross (IBC) has acknowledged this and is announcing their new and improved processes for simplifying student verification.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU AS AN EMPLOYER:
This process improvement was made in an attempt to lessen your headaches once a year when it comes time to verify student status. These proactive measures have been put in place to keep both you and your carrier up-to-date regarding who on plan you should not continue to be financially responsible for. What you can expect to see with this series of program enhancements:
- IBC will verify student status every April and October
Overage dependents will be terminated effective April 30 and October 31. After October 31, 2007, you will have the option, upon renewal, to move ‘dependent verification’ to once a year. If you elect the yearly verification option, student status will be verified every October and dependents will be terminated effective December 31.
- Automated dependent verification
IBC will automatically certify dependents confirmed by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), a non-profit organization that manages a nationwide database containing more than 65 million student records from approximately 2,800 schools and universities, as full time students until the next certification period.
- Making the process easier for you
IBC will no longer require documentation from the school or university to verify student status at enrollment or during the life of the contract. If a dependent is not automatically certified by NSC during the verification periods in April and October, you will be notified and will be able to call a toll-free number to complete the verification.
- Providing an online Report Suite
To assist you in monitoring your group’s overage dependents, a suite of reports will be available for you through the IBC website (www.ibxpress.com). The reports will allow you to identify members reaching maximum age prior to the standard verification dates, and if necessary, to process a termination through www.ibxpress.com, an EDI file, or a paper transaction.
WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?
If you have any questions regarding the new IBC student verification process, or would like assistance in determining whether or not a once-a-year ‘dependent verification and termination’ selection is appropriate for your organization, please call Corporate Synergies at 1.866.CSG.1719, or click HERE to contact us. |
