A recent Wall Street Journal article explained that employers are taking new initiatives to decrease healthcare costs. One simple solution employers are turning to – dependent eligibility audits. Dependents costs employers around $2,100 per year and an average of 2 – 10% of all dependents are ineligible.
Typically employers do not require employees to submit documents to confirm the eligibility of dependents – many currently use the honor system, entrusting that employees aren’t out the cheat their employers. However, times are tough and employers are viewing these dependent eligibility audits as an easy way to cut cost without laying off employers or decreasing health benefits.
So how do the audits typically work? Medical Business Associates, Inc. conducts electronic audits using a secure sever and email communication. Typically, there is an amnesty period for employees to drop dependents without penalty. Then employers receive information about required documents for each dependent. Employees then upload, mail or fax the required information to keep their dependents on the plan.
According to a CNN article, removing ineligible dependents could save companies between 4% to 6% of their annual healthcare costs. With Medical Business Associates, Inc. electronic solution, all required documents are stored, so if a company decides to conduct a follow up audit, employees will not be required to submit duplicate birth or marriage certificates if dependents status hasn’t changed.
For more information on MBA’s audit solution visit here.
