STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT COMMISSION |
 |
55 ELM STREET
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
06106-1775
TELEPHONE: (860) 702-3480
TELEFAX:(860) 702-3489 |
MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD
for DISABILITY RETIREMENT |
HEALTH CARE COST
CONTAINMENT COMMITTEE |
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STATE OF CONNECTICUT
RETIREMENT AND BENEFIT SERVICES DIVISION
OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER |
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RETIREMENT & BENEFIT SERVICES DIVISION MEMORANDUM
JULY 15, 2004
TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES
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ATTENTION: |
Personnel and Payroll Officers |
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SUBJECT: |
Supplemental Employee Benefits Program Update |
Comptroller's Memorandum No. 2001-03 introduced enhanced and
improved features of the Supplemental Employee Benefits Program (Program) and,
within that communication, presented its components, and outlined issues
pertaining to both implementation and administration.
The Program is designed to provide employees with access
through the central payroll system to offerings that complement those basic
benefits the state funds either in whole or in part; all benefits available
under the program are paid for in their entirety by voluntary employee payroll
deductions. As currently constituted, the Program offers seven supplemental
benefits: (1) short term disability insurance; (2) long term disability
insurance; (3) auto and homeowners insurance; (4) cancer insurance; (5)
universal life insurance; (6) term life insurance; and (7) long term care
insurance.
A brief description of the benefits offered as well as the
authorized vendors and their telephone numbers follows. This description should
help familiarize agency personnel and payroll officers who have responsibility
for benefits administration with supplemental products currently available. In
addition, this description attempts to clarify issues that have been raised
since the Program's commencement, including the availability of supplemental
benefits to domestic partners*.
- Short Term Disability Insurance** Two vendors offer this
product
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- Colonial Supplemental Insurance Company - (860) 645-8833
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- Available to full-time, active employees working 20 or
more hours per week, this product protects against the short-term loss of
income due to an on the job or off the job covered accident or illness.
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- Medical Life Insurance Company - (866) 858-1171
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Available to full-time, active employees working 20 or more
hours per week, this product protects against the short-term loss of income
due to an off the job covered accident or illness.
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- Long Term Disability Insurance** One vendor offers this
product
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- Hartford Life & Accident Insurance Company - (888)
723-8583
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- Available to full-time, active employees, working at
least 30 hours a week, this product protects against the long-term loss of
income due to accident or illness. This offering should be of particular
interest to members of Tier II and Tier IIA of the State Employee
Retirement System as they are not covered by non-service connected
disability provisions prior to completing ten years of vesting service.
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- Auto & Homeowners Insurance Two vendors offer this
product
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- Metropolitan Casualty & Property Insurance Company
& Affiliates - (800) 438-6381
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- Liberty Mutual Insurance Company- (800) 225-8281
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- Available to full-time, active employees, retirees,
spouses and domestic partners*, this product protects against liability
and damage to, or loss of, auto, home and other personal property.
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- Cancer Insurance One vendor offers this product
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- AFLAC - (877) 295-9939
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- Available to full-time, active employees, retirees,
spouses and domestic partners*, this product pays benefits for certain
cancer treatments and screenings. It is designed to supplement existing
health insurance coverage.
-
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- Universal Life Insurance** One vendor offers this
product
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- ING Employee Benefits- (800) 842-8444
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- Available to full-time, active employees, retirees,
spouses, domestic partners*, children and grandchildren*** interested in
supplementing their life insurance coverage offered on a qualified issue
basis.
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- Term Life Insurance** One vendor offers this product
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- Medical Life Insurance Company - (866) 858-1171
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- Available to full-time active employees, retirees,
spouses, domestic partners*, and children interested in supplementing
their life insurance coverage (employee/retiree must participate in the
State's basic Group Life Insurance Program).
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Long Term Care Insurance A Long Term Care Request For
Proposal for New Vendor selection will be issued in the near future. This
vendor is not accepting new applications. OSC will communicate updated
information once available.
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Available to full-time, active employees, retirees,
spouses, domestic partners*, and children this product protects against the
cost of long term health care, whether at home or in a convalescent hospital.
This group policy is approved by the Connecticut Partnership and, as such,
protects a subscriber's assets from depletion due to the cost of long-term
care.
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Formerly serviced by UNUM, current participants are now
serviced by MedAmerica at 1-877-202-6043.
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* Domestic Partners are defined as: At least 18 years of
age, of the same sex, have lived together at least 12 months, are not married
to someone else and are jointly responsible for maintaining a common
household.
** Open enrollment periods are conducted for these
benefits. Eligible employees will be allowed to enroll during their
agency's open enrollment period without the need for medical underwriting
or a physical examination, subject to certain coverage limitations. This
privilege will be extended to new employees hired after the open
enrollment period concludes.
***Grandchildren who are residents of New York and under
the age of 14 ½ are not eligible.
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Subject to operating needs, agencies are encouraged to
accommodate the Program's authorized vendors so that they can speak to, meet
with, and enroll employees. With the exception of vendors authorized to
participate in the Deferred Compensation (457) and Supplemental Annuities (403b)
Program, agencies are specifically directed to deny access to any other firms
seeking to market products or services to state employees, as they have not
received the Comptroller's authorization.
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Coverage and policy content questions should be directed to
vendor representatives.
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The general responsibility to administer the Program has been
assigned to the Comptroller's Retirement & Benefit Services Division (RBSD);
accordingly, administrative and related concerns should be directed to the RBSD
at (860) 702-3543.
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The specific responsibility to administer payroll deductions
for employees who elect to participate in the Program has been assigned to the
Comptroller's Payroll Services Division (PSD), which will coordinate directly
with each vendor for payroll deduction processing. Payroll Services Division
will also no longer accept deduction override transactions for the following
supplemental benefit program deduction codes:
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Supplemental Benefits Program Vendors Deduction Codes: AFLAC,
COLLIF, COLSTD, HAILIB, HAIMET, LIFING, LIFMDS, LIFTRM, LTCARE, LTDISB.
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Employees should contact the vendor directly for assistance.
In the event an employee has a deduction for a benefit for which they have not
enrolled, contact Payroll Services Division at 860-702-3464 for assistance.
Very truly yours,
NANCY WYMAN, STATE COMPTROLLER
BY:
Thomas C. Woodruff, Ph.D., Director
Retirement & Benefit Services Division
NW/TW/nm
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