ERS works with Alight Solutions to verify that eligible employees’ dependents are eligible to participate in Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) plans, such as health insurance and dental coverage.

Adding a new dependent to coverage

If you add new dependents to medical coverage due to a qualified life event (QLE) or during Summer Enrollment, you will get a letter from Alight Solutions to verify your dependent’s eligibility for coverage. You are responsible for sending the appropriate proof-of-eligibility documents to Alight Solutions by the due date specified in the letter. If you do not respond, or if your dependent is found ineligible, ERS will cancel all of your dependent’s coverage (medical, dental, vision and/or dependent life).

Adding dependents who previously failed dependent eligibility verification

A dependent who previously failed dependent eligibility verification and was removed from GBP coverage will still show as a dependent in ERS OnLine, but the Enroll box is disabled, preventing them from enrolling in coverage. To add them after a QLE, you must submit required documents to ERS (not Alight) within 31 days of the QLE date to verify the dependents’ eligibility.

In addition to the required documentation, you must include a note with the following information:

• the employee’s name,
• EmplID,
• contact information,
• the name(s) of the dependent(s) being added,
• the coverage(s) they’re enrolling them in and
• for every dependent being added to medical coverage, the dependent’s tobacco-use status.

More information about dependent eligibility verification process.

You can find more information about the dependent eligibility process on the ERS website.

Source: ERS Update Express (February 2020)