DEPENDENT BENEFIT AUDIT INQUIRIES

We have received a number of inquiries regarding our requests for information substantiating dependent enrollments in the State of Michigan benefit plans.

Costs for employee benefits are continuously on the rise. This year's insurance costs total over $1 billion for active and retired employees. In an effort to lessen the state's costs, the Department of Civil Service and the Office of the State Employer agreed that an audit of all state employees who carry dependents was necessary to ensure that only eligible dependents are claimed on the state's benefit plans.

The audit process is now well underway. To date, approximately 35% of state employees who claim dependents have been contacted regarding the dependent benefit audit. The overall response from employees has been very positive, and the majority of employees have timely provided documentation to substantiate the eligibility of dependents they have enrolled. We sincerely thank those employees for their cooperation.

To make this requirement as easy as possible, employees are provided a list of claimed dependents, contacts from which employees can obtain necessary documentation, clarification regarding dependent eligibility requirements, and self-addressed envelopes to return copies of the documents to the Department of Civil Service (DCS).

If you are unsure about the eligibility of who you can claim as a dependent, you can visit the DCS website at http://www.michigan.gov/mdcs. The DCS Internal Audit staff is also available to answer any questions you might have regarding dependent eligibility and this audit. You can reach them by telephone at (517) 241-7860 or (517) 241-1861, e-mail MDCS-InternalAudit@michigan.gov or by fax at (517) 241-7655.

All employees with dependent benefit coverage must provide documentation (e.g., a copy of your marriage certificate, birth certificate(s), adoption or guardianship records, etc.) to validate the continued eligibility of enrolled dependents, even if you have previously provided this documentation. If you are unable to locate the required documentation, the State of Michigan Vital Records has records of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces that occurred in Michigan. Records may be ordered online at www.michigan.gov/mdch using a debit or credit card. You may print the on-line application and mail your request, or call the Vital Records Office directly at 517-335-8666. If the birth or other vital event occurred in another state, an online service for ordering documents is available at www.vitalchek.com.

We urge you to respond promptly when contacted to avoid potential termination of benefits for your dependents.