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DEPENDENT VERIFICATION

Make sure your dependents are covered.

Important!

Nestlé is committed to offering quality, affordable health care plans to you and your eligible dependents. As part of this commitment, we are conducting a dependent verification and Alternative Coverage Fee audit in January 2025. The dependent verification process will verify the eligibility of all dependents enrolled in Nestlé’s medical, dental and/or vision plans. At the end of the process, all ineligible dependents will be removed from the health plan. There will be no negative consequences for ineligible dependents who have been historically covered. They are not eligible for COBRA, however, and will need to find alternative coverage. More information will be coming shortly. In the meantime, collect the appropriate documents to validate your dependents so you have everything ready in January 2025.

Overview

You’ll need to follow a few steps to ensure your dependents have the coverage they need.

YOUR ELIGIBLE DEPENDENTS

  • Your Spouse who is your legal wife or husband as evidenced by an officially recognized certificate of marriage (a common law wife or husband is not an eligible Dependent but may be an eligible Domestic Partner as described below).
  • Your unmarried or married Children under age 26
  • Your unmarried Children of any age:
    • who are mainly dependent on you for care and support; and
    • who are not capable of self-support because of:
      • mental handicap (“mental handicap” means a disability that is cognitive and organic, not psychological, and must be permanent, not temporary); or
        • physical handicap; and
        • who became incapable of self-support:
          • before age 26; and
          • while covered as a Dependent under the applicable Component Plan or any other employer group plan providing coverage similar to the applicable Component Plan.

Note: When requested, you must give the Claims Administrator proof that the Child continues to meet the above conditions. The Claims Administrator will not ask for proof more than once a year.

  • Your natural child;
  • Your stepchild;
  • Your legally adopted child (a child is considered legally adopted on the earlier of the date of placement for adoption or the date legal adoption proceedings have been started); and
  • Any other child who is your or your spouse’s tax dependent for whom you or your Spouse has legal custody by court order.

The term “Child” does not include a foster child but does include a child who is required to be enrolled according to a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (“QMCSO”). If you become divorced or separated, a QMCSO may require that your Child(ren) be enrolled under a Component Plan. Nestlé will comply, to the extent the Component Plan provides coverage, with a QMCSO presented to Nestlé that meets the legal requirements for these orders. You may obtain without charge a copy of the QMCSO procedures from the Plan Administrator.

  • Domestic Partner Affidavit
  • Your Domestic Partner of the same or opposite gender who lives in your household with you, provided that you certify and declare you meet the requirements set forth on the enrollment website by going online to MyBenefits (nestle.ehr.com) or by calling the Nestlé Benefits Service Center at 1-877-637-2255. You must request Domestic Partner coverage within 31 days of obtaining your Domestic Partner by enrolling online at MyBenefits (nestle.ehr.com) or by calling the Nestlé Benefits Service Center at 1-877-637-2255.
  • Your Domestic Partner’s unmarried or married Children under age 26
  • Your Domestic Partner’s unmarried Children of any age:
    • who are mainly dependent on you or your Domestic Partner for care and support; and
    • who are not capable of self-support because of:
      • mental handicap (“mental handicap” means a disability that is cognitive and organic, not psychological, and must be permanent not temporary); or
        • physical handicap; and
        • who became incapable of self-support:
          • before age 26; and
          • while covered under the applicable Component Plan or any other employer group plan providing coverage similar to the applicable Component Plan.
  • Your Domestic Partner’s natural Child;
  • Your Domestic Partner’s legally adopted Child (a Child is considered legally adopted on the earlier of the date of placement for adoption or the date legal adoption proceedings have been started); and
  • Any other Child who is your or your Domestic Partner’s tax dependent for whom your Domestic Partner has legal custody by court order.

Note: A Child of a Domestic Partner is not eligible for coverage unless the Domestic Partner is enrolled for the same coverage (with the exception of the Dependent Life Insurance Plan). The coverage for your Domestic Partner’s Child will terminate when coverage for the Domestic Partner terminates (with the exception of the Dependent Life Insurance Plan). When requested, you must give the Claims Administrator proof that the Child continues to meet the above conditions. The Claims Administrator will not ask for proof more than once a year.

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GET THE DETAILS

If you are enrolling any dependents (spouse, domestic partner or children up to age 26), you must provide dependent verification documents for them to be covered. While you have 60 days from the effective date to submit this documentation, you should provide it immediately when enrolling so there are no delays in coverage. Please note that during enrollment, any added dependents will appear as pending and the rates shown will not reflect coverage of the dependents until verification has occurred.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions, call the Nestlé Benefits Service Center at 1-877-637-2255 and follow the prompts.