Greetings,

The state of Tennessee has hired a private company, Secova, to “audit” dependent insurance coverage for all state employees, including higher education staff and faculty. 

In order to perform this audit, Secova is requiring state employees who pay for spouse or family coverage to provide proof of relationships and eligibility, including but not limited to income tax forms, marriage certificates, proof of home ownership, birth certificates, etc. If employees do not return the survey by the deadline of September 4, 2009, or if the documentation doesn’t meet the audit’s standards, dependents will be dropped from coverage.  The surveys were mailed out on July 6.  The arrival of these surveys come at a time when faculty with 9-month appointments are often away may be away from home during the summer doing research or pursuing their own continuing education.  For staff late summer prior to the start of the fall term is one of the few times many campus employees are able to schedule vacations.  Additionally, many employees report that the surveys appear to be junk mail upon arriving at their home addresses.

Dependents that are dropped can be reinstated, but there’s a catch – a big one.  Requests for reinstatement will be treated as “late applicants,” will be assessed a $75 non-refundable application fee, and will be required to fill out a health questionnaire.  Based on the answers to that questionnaire, these so-called “late applicants” may or may not be accepted for coverage.

United Campus Workers calls on the state of Tennessee and its elected officials to do everything they can to extend the September 4th deadline by several months.  Additionally, TBR and UT system officials and campus human resources staff must do more to ensure the delivery of education and assistance to all affected higher education employees. This additional time is absolutely necessary to ensure that all higher education employees have access to proper assistance and educational materials about the audit. It is not feasible to think that these efforts will be successful prior to the start of fall term at college and university campuses across Tennessee.

Subject: Please fix problems with employee's dependent health care audit

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

The recent news of Secova's state-sponsored audit of dependent insurance coverage has come at one of the worst possible times for many higher education employees. Many 9-month faculty may be away from their home addresses pursuing research projects. Additionally, the late summer is one of the few times when many campus employees are able to schedule vacations given the hectic academic calendar.

For these reasons it is essential that you extend the September 4 deadline for verification further into the fall. Additionally, UT and TBR system and campus administrations must do more to educate campus staff and faculty of this audit, inform us of its legitimacy, and provide greater assistance with the proper completion of all verification forms. Human resources staff on all college and university campuses in particular must make support for this audit their top priority, including on-the-clock general campus information sessions, on-the-clock workshop sessions to assist all individuals seeking help with completing the forms, phone-banking of all affected campus employees, etc.

The stakes for improperly handling this audit are too high to risk continuing in this haphazard, uncoordinated manner. As a leader in this state, please do all you can to mitigate the negative effects of this audit on the people who deliver vital services to the citizens of Tennessee.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]