Handling deceased dependents in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Interface

Posted March 24, 2003
Handling deceased dependents in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Interface

Please review and distribute the following three issues as needed:

The data for a dependent who is dropped from health coverage is no longer included in the BCBS Interface file as of the effective date of the row in Health Benefits. Dependents who are dropped from coverage due to death must therefore first be included with the BCBS Interface file with their date of death before they are actually be dropped from coverage or the date of death will never be updated in QCare. To do this, users must do the following:

1. Update the Date of Death field in Go > Compensate Employees > Administer Base Benefits > Use > Dependent/Beneficiary > Personal Profile.
2. Run the interface.
3. Send the interface.
4. Insert an effective dated row in Go > Compensate Employees > Administer Base Benefits > Use > Health Benefits removing the dependent from coverage.
5. Wait 24 hours, then rerun and resend the interface.

The first time you send the interface, it will update the Date of Death field in QCare. The second time you send the interface, the dependent will no longer be on the file, triggering QCare to automatically cancel the dependent as of the first day of the following month. There is no functionality that allows users to cancel a dependent's coverage as of the date of death via the BCBS Interface.

This does not affect employees as the main policy holders. When an employee is deceased and their health coverage terminates, using an effective dated termination row in Health Benefits sends a cancellation date to QCare along with the date of death from Personal Data for the employee.

If you have any questions, please contact OIIT Customer Services at 1-888-875-3697 or HelpDesk@USG.EDU.