DEVA Letter

PC or Mobile Upload: www.VerifyOS.com

FAX: 877-223-8478

Dear NYC Employee/Retiree,

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Action Required to Maintain Health Insurance Coverage for Your Dependents

The New York City Health Benefits Program has partnered with an independent firm, Health Management Systems, Inc. (HMS) to verify that all dependents enrolled in the NYC Health Benefits Program meet the City’s eligibility guidelines for City health insurance benefit coverage. This Dependent Verification Program will take place in multiple groupings, with letters being mailed by HMS at staggered intervals over the next twelve months.

To ensure your dependent(s) continue to receive health benefits under the NYC Health Benefits Program, action is required by you to submit proof of their eligibility, and failure to submit proof will result in termination of their City health insurance coverage. You must complete and return the HMS Verification Form (included with the letter sent to you by HMS) with the Required Documents by the deadline on the letter sent to you by HMS.

As a reminder, eligible dependents are defined in the City’s Health Benefits Summary Program Description (SPD) as:

Your legally married spouse,
Your registered Domestic Partner,
Your child* up to age 26, and
Coverage may be continued for an unmarried child of any age who is incapable of self-support due to a mental or physical disability.

*A child is defined as your natural biological child, stepchild, legally adopted child or child placed with you for adoption, a child for whom you or your spouse has been appointed the legal guardian, or a child for whom you are required to provide health insurance by a Qualified Medical Child Support Order.

Thank you for your cooperation in protecting the integrity of the health benefits program for all participants.

If you have questions or are having any difficulty understanding this material, call the phone number on the letter sent to you by HMS, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, or visit HMS online at www.VerifyOS.com. HMS can provide assistance in any language by using its language line service.

You can also view this information in your preferred language by visiting the Health Benefits page on the Office of Labor Relation’s website at nyc.gov/hbp and selecting Translate in the top right corner of the page.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

All required documents MUST contain the date (including year), employee’s/retiree’s name, and dependent's name. Personal information such as Social Security Numbers, account numbers, and financial information may be marked out for confidential purposes. Please DO NOT mail original documents as they will not be returned.

Please include a copy of the Verification Form signed and dated along with all required documentation submitted.

FOR SPOUSE:

A copy of your government-issued marriage certificate AND
One of the following:

- A copy of the front page of your 2025 federal tax return confirming the dependent is your spouse

- A document dated within the last 90 days showing current relationship status such as a recurring monthly household bill or statement of account (i.e. utility bill, mortgage/bank statement, etc.). The document must list your spouse's name, your mailing address and the statement/issue date. Note: Healthcare bills will not be accepted as proof of eligibility as healthcare coverage is being verified.

FOR DOMESTIC PARTNER:

A copy of your government-issued certificate of domestic partnership AND
A document dated within the last 90 days showing current relationship status such as a recurring monthly household bill or statement of account (i.e. utility bill, mortgage/bank statement, etc.). The document must list your partner's name, your mailing address and the statement/issue date. Note: Healthcare bills will not be accepted as proof of eligibility as healthcare coverage is being verified.

FOR CHILDREN UP TO AGE 26 AND DISABLED CHILDREN:

A copy of the child’s government-issued birth certificate or adoption certificate naming you or your spouse/partner as the child's parent. Please note the document must list the first and last names of the child and parent(s), OR
A copy of the Court order naming you or your spouse/partner as the child’s legal guardian.

Note for a stepchild: If you are covering a stepchild or child of your domestic partner, you must also provide documentation of your current relationship to your spouse or domestic partner as requested above.

Did you know VerifyOS** is available on your phone or tablet? Enter www.VerifyOS.com into your mobile browser to quickly check status or easily upload photos of your documents.

** VerifyOS is a secure online platform that allows you to check the status of your covered family members and securely upload required proof of eligibility (see the Document Requirements above for details). To use the portal, you will need the unique reference number provided in this letter.

To complete the verification process for eligible dependents, simply follow these steps:

Collect copies of all required documents (listed on the page above) for each enrolled dependent.
Sign and date the signature box on your Verification Form (included with the letter sent by HMS).
Submit the Verification Form and copies of all required documents to HMS by the deadline on the letter sent to you by HMS. Please ensure a copy of the Verification Form is included with all documents submitted.
For faster processing, please submit required documents by uploading them via the secure web portal using your computer or mobile device at www.VerifyOS.com, or by faxing them to 877-223-8478.
If the web and fax are unavailable to you, documents may be mailed to HMS, P.O. Box 165308, Irving, TX 75016-9923. Please DO NOT mail original documents as they will not be returned.

Once you receive your letter from HMS, this checklist will help you complete the verification process:

☐ Keep your reference number throughout the review in order to check your status online at www.VerifyOS.com.

☐ Include a COPY of the Verification Form with ALL documents submitted.

☐ Ensure each document is a LEGIBLE BLACK and WHITE COPY of the document. Please note: documents submitted to HMS will not be returned.

☐ When mailing paper documents DO NOT STAPLE or HIGHLIGHT.

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