|
|
| ATTENTION: | Personnel and Payroll Officers, Chief Administrative and Fiscal Officers, Business Managers |
|---|---|
| SUBJECT: | 2015 Health Insurance Open Enrollment |
I. INTRODUCTION
The state employee annual open enrollment period for health insurance will be held from May 11, 2015 through June 5, 2015 for coverage effective July 1, 2015. This memorandum discusses enrollment procedures and how employees can access information about available health plan choices and premiums.
During open enrollment, employees may change medical and/or dental plans, add or drop coverage for eligible family members, or enroll in coverage if they previously waived it. This is the only time employees may enroll in or change a health plan, unless the employee experiences a qualifying event, such as marriage, divorce, civil union, birth, adoption, legal guardianship or loss of other health insurance coverage by an eligible dependent. The employee is responsible for contacting their agency personnel/payroll representative to file the appropriate forms within 31 days of the event that necessitates a change in enrollment or plan.
II. DISCUSSION
A. Plan Offerings
1. Medical Plans and Benefits - There are no medical plan changes this year. Full details of plan choices and premium shares are available in the 2015-16 Active Employee Health Care Options Planner posted on the Comptroller's website.
2. Dental Plans and Benefits - There are no dental plan changes this year. Full details of plan choices and premium shares for dental are available in the 2015-16 Active Employee Health Care Options Planner posted on the Comptroller's website.
3. Pharmacy Plans and Benefits - Employees are required to use the State of Connecticut Maintenance Drug Network to fill prescriptions for maintenance medications. The first prescription for any medication (30-day supply) may be filled at the employee's local participating retail pharmacy. After that, refills for maintenance medications must be filled through a participating State of Connecticut Maintenance Drug Network pharmacy. These directories are maintained on the Comptroller's website at osc.ct.gov by individual state.
B. Open Enrollment Fairs - Open Enrollment fairs will be held at various locations across the State from May 11, 2015 through June 5, 2015. The State of Connecticut's health, dental and pharmacy vendors will be available to answer questions and provide information about the benefit plans. Care Management Solutions, our Health Enhancement Program (HEP) administrator, will be attending each fair to answer HEP questions, provide information on 2015 HEP requirements, and to assist members with chronic disease education and counseling requirements.
As announced in Healthcare Policy & Benefit Services Division Memo 2015-04, effective July 1, 2015 Prudential will be the new third party administrator for the State's three defined contribution plans: the Alternate Retirement Program, the 403(b) Plan, and the 457 (Deferred Compensation) Plan. Prudential will be at each open enrollment fair to answer any questions regarding the transition.
C. Health Care Options Planner
The 2015-16 Active Employee Health Care Options Planner is available on the Comptroller's website:
http://osc.ct.gov/benefits/openenroll.htm
The Employee Health Care Options Planner contains important benefit information including benefit summaries, applicable employee premium shares, and offers certain general guidelines to assist employees in making their health benefit choices. In addition, there is contact information for each insurance carrier, including the State's HEP administrator, Care Management Solutions (CMS).
D. Enrollment Statements
Enrollment statements will not be included with the Planner or in any marketing material sent to employees, nor will carriers have enrollment statements available at the open enrollment fairs. Enrollment Statements must be system generated by Core-CT. Employees electing or changing coverage may do so only through their personnel or payroll office.
E. Health Enhancement Program and New Enrollment
Participation in the Health Enhancement Program (HEP) provides incentives (i.e. reduced premiums and co-pays, waived deductibles, etc.) for employees and their dependents that have completed age-based health screenings and exams. HEP guidelines are described in detail in the 2011 SEBAC Agreement.
Care Management Solutions, the state's Health Enhancement Program (HEP) administrator, is available to you, your spouse, and your dependents regardless of which carrier you have selected for your medical and/or dental insurance. The goal is to make it easier for you to successfully complete your annual requirements, and to review your personal HEP compliance status in a meaningful way.
A key feature of HEP is an online portal at www.CTHEP.com. This portal will allow you to more easily and securely access information throughout the year. You will have access to your personal HEP compliance status and, if applicable, the compliance status of your spouse and dependents. The portal contains an outline of 2015 HEP requirements. In addition, employees may communicate with HEP nurses and representatives through the message center in the online portal. Members accessing the HEP portal for the first time will need to complete a short registration process.
Employees who are not currently enrolled in HEP may elect to do so during open enrollment by completing a Health Enhancement Program Enrollment Form (CO-1314). The form is available on the Comptroller's website osc.ct.gov. Employees can submit completed forms to their agency Payroll/Human Resources office. Forms must then be forwarded to the Healthcare Analysis Unit of the Office of the State Comptroller. All new HEP enrollments must be completed by June 5, 2015.
III. CONCLUSION
The 2015-2016 Health Care Options Planner provides full details of plan choices and premium shares, and is available online at osc.ct.gov. Monthly rates for COBRA continuation coverage will be transmitted to agencies through subsequent communications. Personnel or payroll staff members who have questions concerning the Open Enrollment process should contact the Comptroller's Healthcare Policy & Benefit Services Division at (860) 702-3535.
Very truly yours,
Thomas Woodruff, Ph.D.
Director
Attachments:
2015-16 Employee Health Care Options Planner
2015-16 Active Employee Open Enrollment Fair Schedule
Return to Index of 2015 Healthcare Policy
& Benefit Services Division Memoranda
Return to Index of Comptroller's Memoranda
Return to Comptroller's Home Page