When reporting dependents, you must provide basic, identifying information about the covered individual, the employee they were dependents of, and the dates of their coverage. You can find the latest Dependent Data Template within your ACA Track system, under the Data Management module.



Employee SSN (Social Security Number)

  • Enter the SSN for the employee whose plan this individual is a dependent under.
  • Formatting Requirements:  SSN can be entered with or without the dashes: 123-45-6789 OR 123456789. You must include all 9 digits, even if the SSN begins with 0.


Dependent SSN (Social Security Number)

  • Enter the dependent’s Social Security Number.
  • Formatting Requirements:  SSN can be entered with or without the dashes: 123-45-6789 OR 123456789. You must include all 9 digits, even if the SSN begins with 0.
  • Note: The IRS requires self-ensured employers to make a “reasonable effort” to obtain Social Security numbers for all individuals covered under their insurance plan. If, after making a reasonable effort, you are unable to obtain a dependent’s SSN, you can instead provide a date of birth for that covered individual. For your protection, we recommend that you document all attempts to obtain a dependents Social Security number, as the IRS may require proof of reasonable effort.

 

When entering Social Security numbers into your spreadsheet, we recommend using Excel’s Special formatting for Social Security numbers.


Excel%20Format%20-%20Special%20-%20SSN.PNG


 

Dependent First Name, Dependent Last Name
  • These fields should contain the dependent’s full legal name.
  • Formatting Requirements:  These fields should contain text only.


Dependent DOB

  • This field is only required if you are unable (after multiple attempts) to obtain the dependent’s SSN. If you have entered the dependent’s SSN, this field should be left blank.
  • Formatting Requirements:  mm/dd/yyyy


Dependent Start Date

  • Enter the date the dependent first had coverage under the plan. If the dependent’s coverage began in a previous year, you can enter their original coverage date or 1/1/20xx (in which xx is the reporting year).
  • Formatting Requirements:  mm/dd/yyyy


Dependent End Date

  • If the dependent is no longer covered by your self-insured health plan, this field is required.
  • If the dependent stopped coverage at some point in the year and then resumed coverage later in the year, this field should be filled in to document their leaving the plan, and a second line should be created showing their returning to the plan.
  • Formatting Requirements:  mm/dd/yyyy

 


Next Step: Handling Dependent Changes





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