Editor's note: The UC Office of the President announced today (March 19) that the family member verification mailing had been delayed. UCOP is now saying that the mailing will begin Wednesday (March 21).

By Dateline staff

UC’s family member verification project is under way — with the first packets going in the mail today (March 16).

They are going out systemwide to all faculty and staff members and retirees whose UC-sponsored insurance covers at least one other family member (for medical, dental and-or vision).

Watch your home mail for a white envelope, 6 inches by 9 inches, clearly marked as being from UC and having to do with “family member verification.” You need to respond by May 17, with the requested documentation, to ensure your continued enrollment in UC-sponsored insurance for you and your eligible family members.

As the project begins, officials are once again reminding employees of the reason for the verification project, the security of the process and the considerable assistance that is available to help you respond (including a call center, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week).

Most employers require proof of your relationships with the people whom you seek to add to your company-sponsored insurance. This has not been UC’s historical practice.

To help ensure that employee information is accurate and up to date, UC undertakes an annual, random audit of approximately 20 percent of the work force. This year, UC is auditing the entire work force.

The university recognizes that family circumstances change and that sometimes employees forget to update their personal information to reflect life changes. During this audit, employees have the opportunity to update their dependent coverage should they have forgotten to do so, and thereby help the university ensure that it is appropriately insuring eligible individuals. It is not an opportunity for new enrollments.

UC Davis’ Karen Hull, associate vice chancellor for Human Resources, emphasized: “The goal of this audit is to continue providing health benefits to all eligible employees and their dependents while also eliminating health care costs that are not part of our coverage plan.”

This project is part of a larger UC effort that includes verifying family member eligibility for all new employees, and for all existing employees and retireres when they seek to add someone to their coverage.

UC has contracted with Secova Inc. to administer the audit and the ongoing verification process. UC officials said price figured into the selection of Secova, but the university also liked the company’s security and privacy procedures, and commitment to customer service.

The packet coming to your home — if you have other family members enrolled in UC-sponsored insurance — includes a cover letter introducing the project and Secova, plus a description of eligibility definitions and answers to frequently asked questions.

The mailing also includes a list of the documents that are acceptable for proof of eligibility. They include marriage licenses, birth certificates and adoption papers, as well as tax returns, with the caveat that you should black out your financial information.

Driver licenses and passports may be acceptable in some cases.

In verifying family member eligibility, you can mail in copies of the appropriate documents, or you can scan them and send them electronically. Either way, you may want to start gathering your originals. Remember, the deadline is May 17.

The mailing also will tell you about Secova’s audit website and the call center — where staff members who speak multiple languages are prepared to help employees work through a multitude of different circumstances.

For example, say you don’t have your marriage license, what else might suffice as evidence of marriage? Or, you adopted a child and don’t have a birth certificate, what else can you provide as evidence?

Earlier coverage, on the At Your Service website.