Required Dependent Verification for Health and Dental Insurance 

The University of Northern Iowa’s Office of Internal Audit conducted an audit in 2023 which resulted in the university requiring all employees who are enrolled in a family health or dental plan to prove dependent eligibility. The result of the audit now requires the HRS Benefit Team to view legal documentation to verify dependents are eligible for coverage under our self-insured health and dental plans. To view if your dependents need verifying, or if you want to upload verification documents, please view the following Job Aid. 

Examples of acceptable documentation: 

• Spouse: marriage certificate, common law spouse affidavit
• Domestic Partner: notarized domestic partner affidavit
• Child: birth certificate which includes parents names, court order, or guardianship paperwork 

Since this impacts all life events, we are notifying employees now so documentation can be easily provided when required. At the time of your life event, you can securely upload to UNI Works or you may also bring documentation into the Human Resource Services office at Gilchrist 025. All documentation needs to be viewed by HRS staff, but no documentation will be retained after it’s reviewed (i.e., if provided electronically, it will be purged). Do not send any personal documents through email as this is not secure. 

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as the university works to comply with the audit’s directive.
 

IRS Form 1095-C for 2024 Tax Year 

As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers are required to provide the IRS 1095- C form to employees who were offered and/or are enrolled in employer health insurance in 2024. The university will provide the 2024 1095-C form electronically in UNI Works prior to the March 3, 2025 deadline. 

The 1095-C form contains sensitive and confidential information about employees who were eligible for UNI health insurance in 2024, and if applicable, their dependent(s) who were enrolled in UNI health insurance during this time. Therefore to prevent mailing errors, please access UNI Works and elect the 'Receive electronic copy of 1095-C' option. Please view the 1095-C Form Job Aid for instructions. 

You will not see your 2024 1095-C form on your UNI Works Benefits and Pay App until they are populated. Human Resource Services will send an email to all of campus when it is available. 

While you DO NOT need the IRS 1095-C form to file your 2024 tax return, you do need to keep it with your important tax documents. To show proof of health insurance coverage in 2024, UNI provides this information to the IRS on your behalf. For more information about the IRS 1095-C form, please visit the HRS supporting webpage.

Preventive Eye Exams Give Insight to Overall Health 

Delta Dental, our dental and vision discount provider, shared an article about the correlation between the changes in eyesight and diabetes. The article provides symptoms and signs to look for that may indicate diabetes. Each year our self-insured health insurance plans provide one covered vision exam to those enrolled on the health plans. These preventive eye exams could give early detection of overall health problems such as diabetes.
 

Is Your Personal Information Up-to-Date? 

Accurate and up-to-date information is critical for every employee. To keep this information current, all UNI employees are urged to review their personal information each year or when a change occurs. Correct contact information is crucial when you’re receiving mailings or notifications like your IRS Form 1095-C. You’re also encouraged to review your emergency contact information each year. This information is critical if a situation would ever occur. See the Edit Personal Data Job Aid for instructions on how to add and/or update your personal information in UNI Works.
 

Deals & Discounts Through Blue365®

Are you starting out the year with new goals or wanting to restart some new ones? If you're enrolled in a health insurance plan through UNI, be sure to check out Blue365®. Blue365® has discounts for fitness, nutrition, and apparel and footwear. There might be a discount on something you already have your eye on.
 

WW Challenges

Have you enrolled in WW yet? The new year is a great time for a fresh take on your health journey. WW has so many great perks besides tracking your food. WW has a section dedicated to challenges. Challenges start on Mondays on the WW app and are easy to enroll. There are a variety of challenges related to both food and activity. Let's start the new year off with a challenge. You are encouraged to enroll in the Get Moving challenge for next week.

1. Login to the WW App
2. Go to the Account Icon (top left corner of your app)
3. Select Challenges (under Community section)
4. Click on Get Moving
5. Choose Start Next Week 

Not enrolled in WW? Visit our webpage for more information and how to sign up for your free membership. The WW app is available through the app store on any smart device (iPhone or Android).
 

Financial Check-Up 

When is the last time you’ve done a financial check-up? It’s important to be aware of your financial standings and to check-in a couple times a year. Regions Bank offers a free financial check-up online. Regions Bank also has a wide variety of free online resources ranging from articles, podcasts and webinars. Start off 2025 strong by taking charge of your financial health.