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2009 Open Season Guidelines
Full-Time, .8 and .5 Employees
Benefit plan years for health and dental plans coincide with the calendar year, from January 1 until December 31. All Open Season elections are effective January 1, 2009. All open enrollment materials must be returned to the Department of Human Resources.
After Open Season you may not be able to change health or dental coverage mid-year, unless you experience a qualified change in family status. You have thirty (30) days to notify and provide documentation to the Department of Human Resources of qualified changes in your family status. Any change made must be consistent with the change in status. Your next opportunity to make changes to coverage, if you do not have a change in family status, will be at the 2010 Open Season Enrollment, effective January 1, 2010.
A Qualified Change in Family status is:
It is your responsibility to notify the Department of Human Resources when you experience one of the above changes.
Your Open Enrollment Folder should include:
GROUP HEALTH PLANS
Participation is available in one of four (4) Health Plans described in “2008 Summary of Health Plan Benefits” handout:
Detailed information is available upon request about specific plans. Health plan representatives will be available at Open Enrollment Meetings to answer your specific questions.
The City contributes towards the cost of each health plan reducing each employee’s total cost. The City will contribute a portion of the premium cost, so long as you are actively at work or in a paid leave status. Participation is optional.
If you wish to keep the same health plan and the same coverage, you do not need to complete any health forms. To join, cancel or change coverage, please complete the carrier’s form(s). You must complete enrollment forms for new plans and any change or cancellation forms for any old plans.
DENTAL PLAN
Employees may join DentaQuest and through it receive dental benefits in addition to any such benefits provided by the group health plans. The City offers three options under the DentaQuest plan.
This year we are replacing the DHMO with the Access ePPO. The Access ePPO plan offers a wider network of 2,200 participating dentists. The new Access ePPO plan does not cover dental services provided by non-participating dentists. If you are presently enrolled in the DHMO, you will be automatically enrolled in the Access ePPO plan.
The Access PPO Plan offers discounts and a network of over 2,200 dentist office locations and affords you the choice of going out of the plan network.
The Choice PPO Plan provides an extensive network of over 3,200 dentist office locations and over 40,000 dentist office locations nationally. The Choice PPO also offers the option of going out of plan network.
The City contributes toward the cost of dental coverage. If Dental Plan coverage is waived, the City’s contribution is reallocated to a dental credit reducing the cost of your health plan. DentaQuest enrollment is made on a calendar year basis.
To join, drop or change coverage, please complete the DentaQuest form. If you are presently enrolled in the DentaQuest DHMO you will be automatically enrolled in the Access ePPO.
PREMIUM CONVERSION (SECTION 125)
Pre-tax payroll deductions may be made for the City’s health or dental plan insurance programs. Pre-tax deductions enable employees to avoid paying taxes on the amounts of their benefit contributions. This benefit is permitted through Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code.
If you previously completed a Section 125 enrollment form it is not necessary to complete another one to continue with your same election. The City will continue to honor your previous Premium Conversion Election until you decide to change it. You can verify on your pay stub that you ARE participating in Premium Conversion and NOT paying taxes on your deductions if your pay stub states “HEALTH 125” or “DENTAL 125”.
If you previously elected to decline Premium Conversion, and would like to participate please see Human Resources for an enrollment form. You can verify on your pay stub that you are NOT participating in Premium Conversion and ARE paying taxes on your deductions if your pay stub states “HLTH” or “DENT” only. If you wish to save taxes on your premiums in 2009 you will need to fill out an enrollment form. Enrollment forms are located in Human Resources.
Supplemental life insurance is not deducted on a pre-tax basis.
HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT
The Health Care Flexible Spending Account allows employees to set aside up to $3,000 on a pre-tax basis for health care expenses, which are not reimbursable. The Annual Minimum Deferral is $300.00. Prior to the beginning of each calendar year, employees estimate the amount of these expenses and agree to have that amount deducted from their annual salary on a bi-weekly basis. Employees avoid paying federal, state, and Social Security taxes on the total of their deferral. When the expenses are incurred, the employee submits a receipt and is reimbursed from their account. Health care expenses must be incurred within the calendar year or funds will be forfeited. A detailed description of the plan is available on request.
To participate in 2009, you must:
a) log onto www.mypayflex.com and enroll on line. Enrollment instructions are included in the packet. You may enroll on-line beginning October 16, 2008 and ending November 6, 2008.
DEPENDENT CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT
The Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account allows employees to set aside up to $5,000 ($2,500 for married filing separately) on a pre-tax basis for eligible dependent care expenses. The Annual Minimum Deferral is $500.00. Prior to the beginning of each calendar year, employees estimate the amount of eligible expenses they may incur and agree to have this amount deducted from their annual salary on a bi-weekly basis. Employees avoid paying federal, state and Social Security taxes on the total amount of their deferral. When the expenses are incurred, the employee submits a receipt and is reimbursed from their account. Dependent care expenses must be incurred within the calendar year or funds will be forfeited. A detailed description of the plan is available on request.
To participate in 2009, you must:
a) log onto www.mypayflex.com and enroll on line. Enrollment instructions are included in the packet. You may enroll on-line beginning October 16 through November 6, 2008.