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| ATTENTION: | Personnel and Payroll Officers, Chief Administrative and Fiscal Officers, Business Managers |
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| SUBJECT: | 2016 Medical Insurance Special Enrollment for Non-union Employees |
I. INTRODUCTION
Section 115 of Public Act 16-3 requires that non-union employees pay up to 18 percent of the total premium share for their medical coverage. The new employee premium shares for non-union employees' medical benefits will become effective October 1, 2016.
Due to this increase in premiums, we will hold a special enrollment period for medical insurance for non-union employees from August 29, 2016 through September 16, 2016 for coverage effective October 1, 2016. This memorandum discusses enrollment procedures and how employees can access information about available health plan choices and premiums.
Premium shares for dental benefits for non-union employees will remain the same. Therefore, dental plan changes are not permitted during the special enrollment period unless the employee or their family experiences a qualifying event.
II. DISCUSSION
The purpose of the special enrollment is to allow non-union employees to change medical plans to a lower cost option or drop coverage. Since the legislation does not impact dental premium, changes to dental coverage are not permitted during the special enrollment period. A non-union employee may not add or remove any dependents from coverage during the special enrollment period unless there is a separate qualifying event.
The option to make qualifying status changes for events, such as, marriage, divorce, legal separation, birth, adoption, legal guardianship or loss of other health insurance coverage by an eligible dependent will follow existing policy. Employees are 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.
If a non-union employee drops coverage in order to be covered as the spouse/dependent of a state employee in a bargaining unit, that will be treated as a qualifying status change, which will permit the bargaining unit employee to modify his or her own coverage to add a non-union spouse (and any children enrolled under the non-union spouse's coverage) as dependents. Any employee contemplating dropping state coverage in order to switch to an outside plan should confirm that his or her mid-year enrollment will be permitted before dropping their state coverage.
Employees that take no action will retain their current medical plan at the new non-union employee rates, effective October 1.
Non-union employees not currently enrolled under the medical plan are not permitted to enroll during the special enrollment period.
A. Plan Offerings
There are no medical, dental or pharmacy plan changes as a result of Public Act 16-3; the only change is the increase in cost share for non-bargaining unit employees.
B. Special Enrollment Fairs
Special enrollment fairs will not be held. Employee questions should be directed to agency human resources or payroll staff members.
C. Informational Flyer and the Health Care Options Planner
The Office of the State Comptroller will mail an informational flyer to each non-union employee's home. The flyer will announce the special enrollment and the new premium shares.
A description of the benefits is contained in the 2016-17 Active Employee Health
Care Options Planner, available on the Comptroller's website:
http://osc.ct.gov/benefits/openenroll.htm
The Employee Health Care Options Planner contains important information including benefit summaries and offers general guidelines to assist employees in making their health benefit choices. However, the premiums contained in the Planner are no longer applicable to non-union active employees. In addition, there is contact information for each insurance carrier, including the State's Health Enhancement Program (HEP) administrator, Care Management Solutions, Inc. (CMSi).
D. Enrollment Statements
Enrollment statements will not be included with the informational flyer; nor will carriers have enrollment statements available. Enrollment Statements must be system generated by Core-CT. Employees electing to change coverage may do so by requesting a Core-CT generated enrollment form from their agency Payroll/Human Resources office.
E. Payroll Deductions
The new premium share deductions will become effective with the paycheck payable on October 14, 2016, for those with biweekly paychecks, and on September 30, 2016, for semi-monthly paychecks.
III. CONCLUSION
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:
Special Enrollment Informational Flyer
Return to Index of 2016 Healthcare Policy
& Benefit Services Division Memoranda
Return to Index of Comptroller's Memoranda
Return to Comptroller's Home Page