Dependent Datasheet Guide

Dependent Datasheet Guide


Guide to Data Reporting

Creating Your Dependent Datasheet

Self-Insured or Level Funded Health Plans Only


Entering Your Dependent Data

If your company has a Self-Insured or Level Funded Health Plan, you are required to provide the IRS with coverage information for all dependents that were covered under your health insurance plan during the reporting year.

This guide will walk you through the process of documenting that information for ACA Track, so it can be included in your 1095C's.

If your company has a fully insured health plan, you DO NOT need to complete the dependent datasheet as part of your annual filing. Your health insurance provider will report dependent data to the IRS.

Documenting Dependent Information

When reporting dependents, you must provide basic, identifying information about the covered individual, the employee they were dependents of, and the dates of their coverage. 

Click here to access the ACA Track Template and reference the Dependent Template tab


Employee SSN (Social Security Number)

  1. Enter the SSN for the employee associated with this dependent.
  1. Formatting Requirements:  SSN can be entered with or without the dashes: 123-45-6789 OR 123456789. You must include all 9 digits, even if the SSN begins with 0.

Dependent SSN (Social Security Number)

  1. Enter the dependent’s Social Security Number. 
  1. Formatting Requirements:  SSN can be entered with or without the dashes: 123-45-6789 OR 123456789. You must include all 9 digits, even if the SSN begins with 0. 
*Note: The IRS requires self-insured employers to make a “reasonable effort” to obtain Social Security numbers for all individuals covered under their insurance plan. If, after making a reasonable effort, you are unable to obtain a dependent’s SSN, you can instead provide a date of birth for that covered individual. For your protection, we recommend that you document all attempts to obtain a dependents Social Security number, as the IRS may require proof of reasonable effort.

Excel Format - Special - SSN







When entering Social Security numbers into your spreadsheet, we recommend using Excel’s Special formatting for Social Security numbers. (This will help prevent upload errors from beginning 0's disappearing)

Dependent First Name, Dependent Last Name

  1. These fields should contain the dependent’s full legal name.
  1. Formatting Requirements:  These fields should contain text only.

Dependent DOB

  1. This field is only required if you are unable (after multiple attempts) to obtain the dependent’s SSN. If you have entered the dependent’s SSN, this field should be left blank.
  1. Formatting Requirements:  mm/dd/yyyy

Dependent Start Date

  1. Enter the date the dependent first had coverage under the plan. If the dependent’s coverage began in a previous year, you can enter their original coverage date or 1/1/20xx (in which xx is the reporting year).
  1. Formatting Requirements:  mm/dd/yyyy

Dependent End Date

  1. If the dependent is no longer covered by your self-insured health plan, this field is required. 
  1. If the dependent stopped coverage at some point in the year and then resumed coverage later in the year, this field should be filled in to document their leaving the plan, and a second line should be created showing their returning to the plan.
  1. Formatting Requirements:  mm/dd/yyyy

Handling Dependent Changes

Most dependents will only require a single line of data, since most of these fields should not change throughout the year. 

If a dependent is taken off your insurance plan and then added back on at any point in the year, you will need to provide a separate line of data for each period of coverage.

Make sure to capture both the original Dependent End Date and the new Dependent Start Date:


Note: The new Start Date must be after the original End Date.

Loading Your Dependent Data

When you’re ready to load your Dependent Data into the ACA Track system:

  1. Your Employee Data file must be error-free, and status must be "Data Upload Complete" BEFORE loading your Dependent Data. The ACA Track system checks your dependent file to ensure each Employee SSN matches an Employee SSN you have previously loaded into our databases. If your employee data hasn’t already been successfully uploaded, your dependent data batch will be rejected.
  1. When selecting your Data Source, make sure to specify that this is Dependent Data.

Refer to the Loading Data Guide for specific instructions on loading your Dependent Data.

Field Requirements Grid

Data Field Name

Required (Yes/No)

Description/Purpose

Validation Rules

What happens if changes are reported?

Does this data need to be mapped to ACA TRACK Codes?

Employee SSN

Yes

Social Security Number.  Unique employee identifier.

Can be in either of the following formats:123456789 or 123-45-6789.  It is required on every row of data

Each unique SSN is treated as a new employee.

No

Dependent SSN

Yes*

*see DOB

Social Security Number.  Unique dependent identifier.

Can be in either of the following formats:123456789 or 123-45-6789.  It is required on every row of data

Each unique SSN is treated as a new dependent.

No

Dependent First Name

Yes

First Name of Dependent (Full legal name)

Text field, required on every row

Only most recent is stored.

No

Dependent Last Name

Yes

Last name of Dependent (Full Legal Name)

Text field, required on every row

Only most recent is stored.

No

Dependent DOB

No

This field is only required if you are unable (after multiple attempts) to obtain the dependent’s SSN. If you have entered the dependent’s SSN, this field should be left blank.


mm/dd/yyyy

Only most recent is stored.

No

Dependent Start Date

Yes

Date indicating the start of the coverage period being described in this record.

mm/dd/yyyy

History is kept to determine coverage status on a month-to-month basis.

No

Dependent End Date

Yes – if coverage or waiver ended

No – if still covered

Date indicating the end of the coverage period being described in this record.

mm/dd/yyyy

History is kept to determine coverage status on a month-to-month basis.

No




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