Dependent Eligibility
Many of the benefits plans allow you to add eligible family members to the same plan in which you are enrolled. Depending on the plan, eligible family members may include:
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Your spouse
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Your common-law spouse if you live in a state that recognizes such marriages
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Your same sex or opposite sex domestic partner and eligible dependent children (enrollment is limited to medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life insurance and legal plan)
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Your children, step-children, adopted children or those for whom you have legal guardianship up to age 26
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Your children who are at least age 26 and are incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability and meets the IRS Definition of a tax qualified dependent.
Impact of Health Care Reform
The Health Care Reform Law does not change the definition of “dependent” that is used to determine the tax treatment of health coverage. But, the Law does clarify that an individual will not be taxed on the cost of employer-provided adult child health coverage in tax years up to and including the year in which the child reaches age 26, provided that the covered adult child is:
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a son, daughter, stepson or stepdaughter of the individual; or
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a legally adopted (or placed for adoption) child of the individual; or
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an eligible foster child of the individual (i.e., placed with the taxpayer by an authorized placement agency or by judgment, decree or court order).
In addition, the dependent cannot be eligible to enroll in another group health plan, other than provided by a parent.
Dependent Verification
There are two required verification of your dependents when enrolling.
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All dependents must either have a Social Security Number or you must verify that they do not have one.
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You must verify that your dependents meet the eligibility guidelines as listed above.
Dependent Social Security Number
To comply with the Medicare as Secondary Payer Act (MSP), Banner Health is required to submit Social Security numbers for members of the Banner Medical Plans. With the addition of your newborn to your plan, we are asking that you submit his/her Social Security number as soon as it is available.
You will have 90 days from the date of your child’s birth to provide this information. If we do not receive this information, your child’s enrollment will be terminated at the end of the month in which he/she reaches 90 days of age. You may provide the Social Security number online by accessing the enrollment system at https://wwwt.buckhrsolutions.com/banner/, or you may call the Service Center at Banner Plan Administration at (480) 684-7070 in the Phoenix metropolitan area or (800) 827-2464 in all other areas.
Dependents Who Are Required to Submit Paper Verification
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Domestic Partner
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Children of Domestic Partner
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Children for whom you have Legal Guardianship or adopted
Verification of Domestic Partners, their children and children for whom you have legal guardianship must be completed and submitted to the Service Center at Banner Plan Administration. Please view “How to Enroll” for further information.
NOTE: You must immediately notify the Service Center at Banner Plan Administration when your dependent(s) no longer meet the eligibility requirements.
