Program Components:
This page contains answers to Common Questions about the Annual Plan Application. Review this page to learn about how to complete the Application Submission Process, how to change application information, and more. For additional information refer to the Annual Plan Application section of the RDS User Guide.
- What is an Application?
- What is an Application ID?
- How many applications can a Plan Sponsor have?
- How do I start a new application?
- What is a Valid Initial Online Application?
- What is a Valid Initial Retiree List?
- How do I complete the Application Submission Process?
- What is the Plan Sponsor Agreement?
- What is the Application Deadline?
- Where can I find my Application Deadline?
- What is an Application Deadline Extension?
- How do I request an Application Deadline Extension?
- What is actuarial equivalence?
- How do I attest actuarial equivalence?
- How do I view the attestation?
- Why would an Actuary have to re-attest an application?
- What is the Attestation Agreement?
- What information can be changed on an application after submission?
- What information cannot be changed on an application after submission?
- How do I reassign a bank contact?
- How do I change Banking information?
- How do I delete an application?
- How do I withdraw an application?
- Is there anything a Plan Sponsor can do to prepare for and reduce the impact of Medicare Part D's Open Enrollment Period (OEP) when setting up a new RDS application?
- What types of bank accounts can I use to receive RDS subsidy payments?
What is an application?
ANSWER: To participate in the RDS Program, Plan Sponsors must submit a timely application using the RDS Secure Website for each plan year for which the Plan Sponsor would like to request subsidy. A complete RDS application includes a Valid Initial Online Application and a Valid Initial Retiree List. For more information, refer to Annual Plan Application.
Answer ID: 600-1
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is an Application ID?
ANSWER: An Application ID is a unique number that is systematically assigned and used to identify an application. An Application ID will never change.
Answer ID: 600-2
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How many applications can a Plan Sponsor have?
ANSWER: A Plan Sponsor must submit one application per RDS plan year for each group health plan for which it seeks subsidy.
Answer ID: 600-3
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I start a new application?
ANSWER: Refer to Application Submission: Create Application for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 600-4
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is a Valid Initial Online Application?
ANSWER: A Valid Initial Online Application is the process by which a Plan Sponsor defines the details of their Annual Plan Year Application: Create Application, Benefit Options, Actuary, Banking Information, and Review & Submit. To submit the Online Application, the Authorized Representative (AR) will sign the Plan Sponsor Agreement and submit the Valid Initial Online Application to CMS' RDS Center during the Review & Submit step. For more information about submitting the Valid Initial Online Application, refer to Annual Plan Application.
Answer ID: 600-5
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is a Valid Initial Retiree List?
ANSWER: The Valid Initial Retiree List is a collection of data about the beneficiaries for whom the Plan Sponsor is seeking subsidy. It is the first transfer of retiree information from the Plan Sponsor to CMS' RDS Center. The Valid Initial Retiree List is submitted by the Plan Sponsor via the RDS Secure Website, or by a Vendor assigned to the application by the Plan Sponsor using Connect:Direct.
A Valid Initial Retiree List can be submitted to CMS' RDS Center after the application has been started, an Application ID is assigned, and Benefit Options have been defined. For more information about submitting the Valid Initial Retiree List, refer to Application Submission: Valid Initial Retiree List.
Answer ID: 600-6
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How do I complete the Application Submission Process?
ANSWER: Refer to Complete the Application Submission Process for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 600-7
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
What is the Plan Sponsor Agreement?
ANSWER: The Plan Sponsor Agreement is an agreement made between CMS' RDS Center and the qualified Authorized Representative for the Plan Sponsor. The Plan Sponsor Agreement defines the terms and conditions of the RDS Program. The Plan Sponsor Agreement must be completed in the RDS Secure Website by the Authorized Representative using the Review and Submit page of the Application Submission Process. Refer to the Agreements page to review the text of the agreement.
Answer ID: 600-8
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is the Application Deadline?
ANSWER: The Application Deadline is the date by which a Plan Sponsor must submit a timely application using the RDS Secure Website for each plan year for which the Plan Sponsor would like to request subsidy. The Application Deadline is approximately 90 days before the Plan Sponsor's selected Plan Year Start Date (adjusted for Federal holidays and weekends).
Answer ID: 600-9
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
Where can I find my Application Deadline?
ANSWER: The Application Deadline for a specific application is available on the Application Overview and Review and Submit pages in the RDS Secure Website. You may also refer to Important Application Deadline Information for common Application Deadlines.
Answer ID: 600-10
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is an Application Deadline Extension?
ANSWER: If a Plan Sponsor does not think it can meet the original Application Deadline, one 30-day extension may be requested in the RDS Secure Website prior to the expiration of the Application Deadline. For more information, refer to Request an Application Deadline Extension.
Answer ID: 600-11
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I request an Application Deadline Extension?
ANSWER: An Application Deadline Extension may only be requested once by the Account Manager, Authorized Representative, or a Designee with the Request Extension privilege. The RDS Secure Website (SWS) action to request an Application Deadline Extension is only available before the Application Deadline has passed.
Select the Request an Application Deadline Extension hyperlink on the Application Overview page of the RDS Secure Website. If an Application Deadline Extension is granted, the new Application Deadline is displayed on the Application Overview page.
For more information, refer to Request an Application Deadline Extension. For more information about the Application Deadline, including what is required to be submitted by the Application Deadline, refer to Important Application Deadline Information.
Answer ID: 600-12
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is actuarial equivalence?
ANSWER: CMS' RDS Center requires a qualified Actuary to complete a two-part Actuarial Equivalence Test before an application can be submitted. For more information and step-by-step instructions to attest actuarial equivalence, refer to Application Submission: Attest Actuarial Equivalence.
Answer ID: 600-13
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How do I attest actuarial equivalence?
ANSWER: CMS' RDS Center requires a qualified Actuary to complete a two-part Actuarial Equivalence Test before an application can be submitted. For more information and step-by-step instructions to attest actuarial equivalence, refer to Application Submission: Attest Actuarial Equivalence.
Answer ID: 600-14
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How do I view the attestation?
ANSWER: After an application is attested, details of the completed attestation can be viewed on the RDS Secure Website. An Actuary can view the completed attestation on the Attest Actuarial Equivalence page. Refer to Application Submission: Attest Actuarial Equivalence for step-by-step instructions. An Account Manager, Authorized Representative, or Designee can view the details of the completed attestation on the Actuary page. Refer to Application Submission: Actuary for step-by-step instructions.
Answer ID: 600-15
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
Why would an Actuary have to re-attest an application?
ANSWER: An application may have to be re-attested for a number of reasons. For more information, refer to Re-attesting an Application.
Answer ID: 600-16
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What is the Attestation Agreement?
ANSWER: The Attestation Agreement displays attestation information for and must be signed by the Actuary when attesting the Plan Sponsor's Benefit Options during the Application Submission Process. The Attestation Agreement must be completed in the RDS Secure Website. Refer to the Agreements page to review the text of the agreement.
Answer ID: 600-17
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
What information can be changed on an application after submission?
ANSWER: To learn about what information can be changed on an application after submission, refer to Information That Must Be Maintained.
Answer ID: 600-18
Date Posted: 4/15/2022
What information cannot be changed on an application after submission?
ANSWER: To learn about what information cannot be changed on an application after submission, refer to Information That Cannot Be Changed.
Answer ID: 600-19
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I reassign a bank contact?
ANSWER: Bank Contact information can be changed by accessing the Application Overview page and selecting Banking Information in the left navigation section. For more information and step-by-step instructions, refer to Manage Banking Information.
Answer ID: 600-20
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How do I change Banking information?
ANSWER: For information about changing Banking Information, refer to Manage Banking Information.
Answer ID: 600-21
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
How do I delete an application?
ANSWER: At this time, the feature to delete an application is not available. CMS' RDS Center eventually deletes abandoned applications from the RDS Secure Website; however, until that time, CMS' RDS Center recommends that Plan Sponsors refer to Delete an Application to determine which scenario applies to their application and follow the provided suggestion.
Answer ID: 600-22
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
How do I withdraw an application?
ANSWER: At this time, an application cannot be withdrawn using the RDS Secure Website. For more information about withdrawing an application, review Scenario 4 in Delete an Application.
Answer ID: 600-23
Date Posted: 10/17/2014
Is there anything a Plan Sponsor can do to prepare for and reduce the impact of Medicare Part D's Open Enrollment Period (OEP) when setting up a new RDS application?
ANSWER: Yes. It is important for Plan Sponsors to understand the impact of Medicare Part D's Open Enrollment Period (OEP), not only when submitting a new application in the RDS Program, but also the impact throughout the plan year. Plan Sponsors are required to educate their retirees and provide them a Notice of Creditable Coverage. Throughout the year, a Plan Sponsor needs to establish their Qualifying Covered Retirees, as well as monitor and manage their Covered Retiree List (CRL).
For more information on the OEP's impact on a Plan Sponsor's application, refer to the Technical Article on the RDS Program Website entitled Preparing for Medicare Part D Open Enrollment Period.
Answer ID: 600-24
Date Updated: 4/15/2022
What types of bank accounts can I use to receive RDS subsidy payments?
Plan Sponsors can select either the Checking or Savings account type when entering Banking Information for an annual plan application. Subsidy payment is sent to the Plan Sponsor's bank via Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit. The RDS Secure Website supports the following ACH payment transactions: “Deposit destined for a Checking Account” and “Deposit destined for a Savings Account.” ACH payment transactions sent to other account types will fail.
The banking information supplied by the Plan Sponsor on the application is sent to the bank as a pre-note verification to confirm that the banking information is valid. The RDS Secure Website supports the following ACH pre-note transactions: “Prenotification for a Checking Account credit” and “Prenotification for a Savings Account credit.” ACH pre-note transactions sent to other account types will fail.
For more information, refer to Application Submission: Banking Information and Manage Banking Information in the RDS User Guide.
Answer ID: 600-25
Date Updated: 12/18/2024