Understanding Automatic Dependent Selection
The Automatically Set Up Dependent Min/Max program (R085505) builds tables that the system uses to automatically determine the minimum number of dependents that are appropriate for each benefit plan or plan option. This program also adds a value for allowed relationships in the Allowed Dependent Relations Per Plan table (F085500). A * is added to each benefit plan or benefit plan option record that does not already contain a specified value. Self-service benefits programs use these tables to select benefit plans based on covered dependents. The system uses these factors in determining the plans that are displayed as choices from which employees can choose:
Minimum number of dependents
Maximum number of dependents
Valid relationships per plan or plan option
Before running this program, ensure that benefit plans options are defined for each benefit plan or that benefit plans are set up with plan grouping. Also review your benefit plan setup to ensure that a maximum number of dependents has been defined for all benefit plans and benefit plan options.
When you run the program, you define plans or plan options to include. You normally run this program after adding a new set of benefit plans to the software and before building the benefit workfiles that use the new plans.
Include all benefit plan options within a benefit plan when you run the Automatically Set Up Dependent Min/Max program. Do not include only one benefit plan option. If you are using benefit plan grouping, then include all benefit plans within a benefit plan group when you run the program.
The system determination of the minimum number of dependents for each benefit plan option is an estimate that is based on the maximum number of dependents listed in the prior plan option and the number of dependents that are defined for a certain plan. For example, the minimum number of dependents for the EE + 1 benefit plan in the list below is 2. The estimate of 2 is based on the maximum number of dependents defined for the previous EE Only benefit plan and the plan maximum of 2 dependents that are defined for the EE +1 benefit plan.
The system calculates the minimum number of dependents as follows:
Medical Plan Options |
Number of Dependents Before Running the Program |
Maximum |
Number of Dependents After Running the Program |
Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Medical Plan Options |
Minimum |
Maximum |
Minimum |
Maximum |
EE + 1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
EE + 3 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
EE + Family |
1 |
99 |
5 |
99 |
Review the results to ensure that the dependent numbers reflect the needs of the organization.