Currently viewing in Benefit Basics

DEPENDENT VERIFICATION

Make sure your dependents are covered.

TAKE ACTION

January 6 – February 28, 2025

Nestlé is committed to offering quality, affordable health care plans to you and your eligible dependents. As part of this commitment, we’re launching a dependent audit to verify the eligibility of all dependents enrolled in Nestlé’s medical, dental and/or vision plans. This is also part of our duty to comply with the plans’ eligibility requirements and federal laws that govern health plans, such as ERISA and the tax code. Nestlé is partnering with a third-party vendor, Willis Towers Watson (WTW) — a longtime benefits partner with extensive experience in these areas — to manage the audit.

As an employee who covers one or more dependents on a health plan, you will be asked to provide one to two documents that confirm each dependent’s eligibility. Examples of the type of documentation you may be asked to submit include birth certificates, marriage certificates, proof of residence in the same household, etc. You will be able to submit documentation online or by mail.

Overview

A dependent verification is the process by which Nestlé will verify the relationship between you and your dependents to ensure they should in fact be eligible for coverage. Please review the eligibility section.

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.

Alternative Coverage Fee (ACF)

If you cover a spouse/domestic partner who has access to medical coverage with their employer, add $125 per month to your medical contributions for the Alternative Coverage Fee (ACF). Visit nestle.ehr.com (MyBenefits) to find out whether the ACF applies to your situation. The ACF does not apply if both you and your spouse/ domestic partner work at Nestlé.

Yes, if you encounter a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) in which your spouse or domestic partner either gains or loses access to medical coverage during the year, please ensure that you report this event to the HR Service Center (HRSC) by selecting option #2 within 60 days.

HOW TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS

You can confirm the eligibility status of your covered dependent(s) in one of three ways.

  • Log on to https://nestle.ehr.com or visit the myNestlé tab of Our Nest and click on the My Health & Wellbeing tab. Then, under I Want to, click View My Current Benefits.
  • Scroll down and click the “Dependent Verification Audit – Take Action” tile under Things to Know.
    You’ll be directed to the Dependent Review site where you will follow the instructions on each page to complete the process.
  • Click Verify Dependents on the My Covered Dependents page to mark your dependent as Eligible or Ineligible.
  • If your dependents are eligible for coverage, follow the instructions to submit the required documents, or submit proof you have requested such documents by February 28, 2025. You can visit the website at any time to confirm we’ve received your documents and track your dependents’ verification status.
  • Log on to https://review.ehr.com/drs_nestle.
  • You will need to create an account with a username and password the first time you log in.
  • Click Verify Dependents on the My Covered Dependents page to mark your dependent as Eligible or Ineligible.
  • If your dependents are eligible for coverage, follow the instructions to submit the required documents, or submit proof you have requested such documents by February 28, 2025. You can visit the website at any time to confirm we’ve received your documents and track your dependents’ verification status.
  • Make copies of required documents. DO NOT submit original documents.
  • Complete the Certification of Dependent Eligibility Form by checking the appropriate boxes, signing and dating.
  • Return your completed Certification of Dependent Eligibility Form with copies of documents to:
    Nestlé Dependent Verification WTW Service Center, DEPT: NESTLEDRS, P.O. BOX 981916, EL PASO, TX 79998.
    Postmark your mailing by February 28, 2025.
  • You can visit the website to track your dependents’ verification status. Information is generally posted within 5 to 7 business days of receipt.

Complete your verification by February 28, 2025.

If you have questions, call the Nestlé Dependent Verification WTW Service Center at 1-855-737-9663, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

information

info

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.

Get answers to frequently asked questions.

CONTACT INFORMATION

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