Dependent Social Security Numbers must be provided to comply with new federal law
CLEVELAND, September 10 — A new federal law that became effective January 1, 2009 requires that group health insurance plans, certain claims processing third-party administrators, and certain employer self-funded/self-administered plans report specific information about Medicare beneficiaries who have other group coverage. This law requires the reporting of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) for covered dependents of employees to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Also, if the covered dependent is eligible for Medicare, the Medicare Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) is also required. In order to comply with this new law, Railroad Enrollment Services, jointly with the Health and Welfare Plan and the NRC/UTU Plan, have taken the following steps:
• During June 2009, approximately 100,000 personalized forms were mailed to employees of the Health and Welfare Plan and NRC/UTU Plan requesting SSNs for covered dependents where Railroad Enrollment Services did not already have that information on file. Additionally, for any covered dependent who is Medicare eligible, the form also requested that the HICN be provided.
• Railroad Enrollment Services requested that the forms be completed, signed and returned by July 15, 2008. From this effort, approximately 33% of the forms were returned by the deadline. However, Railroad Enrollment Services continues to receive approximately 2,000 completed forms per day from this mailing.
• The enrollment form included in the 2009 Open Enrollment Period packet, expected to be mailed mid-September for the Health and Welfare Plan and the NRC/UTU Plan, will also include instructions to provide this information for any covered dependent where we do not already have this information.
When Railroad Enrollment Services transmits the SSN’s and/or HICNs, they will maintain all physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to guard all personal information.
Railroad Enrollment Services is the national account name that UHC has for the railroad unions’ account. In short it is the Enrollment and Account Administration Service Center for everything to do with the UHC National Railroad Account, which consist of the BLET as well as the other participants of the CRLO.
Railroad members with any questions regarding the collection of this dependent information, should call Railroad Enrollment Services at 1-800-753-2692. If a BLET member needs information on how to obtain an SSN for a newborn child or newly adopted child, they should visit www.ssa.gov/pubs.10120.html.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
bentley@ble.org
