This summer, UVM will start a project to confirm that all dependents (such as a spouse, child, or domestic partner) enrolled in our medical, dental, or vision plans are eligible. This check is required to keep dependents covered.

UVM is working with WTW, a trusted partner with experience in this kind of work. The process run from July 7 – September 5. If you have dependents on your plan, you will need to send documents to prove they are eligible. You can do this by mail, fax, or online.

Process - Updated September 2, 2025

WTW will contact employees with dependents by email and mail. They will provide full instructions, a timeline, and a list of documents you can use to verify your dependents.

July 14 - September 5

You can log in to WTW’s secure website to verify your dependents. This is the most efficient and secure method of verifying your dependents.

Data Protection

The dependent audit has passed a thorough review with UVM’s Information Security Office, Purchasing and Accessibility—and is a trusted vendor. Since June, we’ve been in conversations with WTW to build more assurance around the security of our data, including where it is stored. Once this verification project is complete, all digital data will be returned to UVM and deleted from WTW’s systems. This includes what was shared with WTW before the audit (SSNs and other identifying data) as well as any documents or information shared by employees.

WTW's FAQ provides general information regarding WTW's data usage and privacy. For more detailed information you can also read WTW's Data Protection Notice.

Access the verification portal and submit your documents

September 8 - September 19

Human Resources will offer a limited internal review period from September 8–19. The intended purpose of this time is to allow our team to work with and process the documentation of people who have complex and vulnerable situations. If this applies to you, you may bring documentation to HR in Waterman 228 from September 8-19 during normal business hours to be scanned and uploaded into our internal system.

If you do not have a complex or vulnerable situation, please consider submitting documentation by the September 5 deadline through WTW’s review portal. This is the most secure, time-effective, and responsible course of action to verify your dependents. Please note: Human Resources will not process any documentation internally until access to the WTW portal has expired.

Documents shared with Human Resources will not be sent to WTW, but UVM reserves the right to have WTW's team of experts review unfamiliar documents during a virtual meeting through a screen share. We will follow the same protocol (i.e., redact sensitive information like social security number, gender, and any financial information from the document) before scanning and then uploading it into our internal systems.

At the end of the process, any dependents who are not eligible will be removed from your plan. Eligible dependents will not be affected.

Resources

Here are some helpful documents from WTW. They will also be included in the packets mailed and emailed to employees who need to verify dependents.

Need direct support? Call WTW's helpline at (877) 468-9479 between 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What can be redacted from documents?

    1. Employees are encouraged to redact any information from documents that is unnecessary to validate a dependent relationship. The process and redactable information are the same whether someone goes through WTW or UVM HR. Redacting can be done with black-out markers, white out, or electronically.

      1. Example 1: If an employee is submitting paperwork for a spouse, they can submit 1) a copy of their marriage certificate, plus 2) a copy of their auto insurance currently in effect. The auto insurance document would only need to show the two spouses’ names together on the policy/bill. Any other information, including the car’s year, make, and model, and billing amount could be redacted. Similarly, if submitting a utility bill with the same address, information such as account number and billing amount could be redacted. 

      2. Example 2: If an employee is submitting paperwork for a dependent child, they can submit a government-issued birth certificate with name and gender redacted, if they choose. A date of birth would be necessary to validate the person as matching the dependent currently on UVM coverage.

  2. What if I don't complete the verification?

    1. UVM will be using the time starting on 9/8/2025 to receive documents from employees AND reach out to people who have not initiated the process. The goal will be to make contact with people who have not initiated the process to ensure they understand the need to participate in the dependent audit in order to retain coverage for dependents. If an employee does not respond to our outreach and makes no attempts to verify their dependents, their dependents will be removed from coverage. 

  3. Will there be an appeals process for people whose dependents are deemed ineligible?

    1. Employees will be given the opportunity to remedy documentation prior to their dependents being removed from coverage. If after being asked to remedy any documentation issues, a determination is made that the employee has insufficient evidence supporting the dependent relationship, the employee will be notified via written communication and provided with the opportunity to appeal. Employees will have two weeks from notification of ineligibility to appeal the decision.

  4. What are examples in which the University would consult with WTW for document review?

    1. WTW may be engaged to review documents when additional expertise is needed to determine if the document meets the requirement. In the event a consultation is needed, the document will be reviewed in a meeting via screen share and not electronically transferred to WTW. 

  5. Will an electronic version of the submission process be made available, especially for off-campus and remote employees?  

    1. Employees who live and work more than 40 miles from campus will be provided the option to submit documents via Secure File Transfer, if they choose. Employees who live and work closer than 40 miles from campus will be expected to bring documents to Waterman 228. WTW remains an option for submitting documents electronically through 9/5/2025 for people who do not want to deliver documents in person. 

This page was last updated on September 2, 2025. Read a summary of the original announcement in:

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