STATE OF CONNECTICUT
NANCY WYMAN COMPTROLLER	OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER 55 ELM STREET HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106-1775	MARK OJAKIAN DEPUTY COMPTROLLER

COMPTROLLER'S MEMORANDUM NO. 2000-14

March 17, 2000

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

I. INTRODUCTION

The 2000 health insurance open enrollment for state employees will be conducted from May 1 through June 2, 2000; coverage selected during the open enrollment period will be effective July 1, 2000.

The annual open enrollment period is the only time employees may change health plans, or add or delete dependents. Said changes are not allowed at other times; exceptions are allowed only for changes caused by or related to a change in family or work status which affects the health plan. The employee is responsible for filing the appropriate change forms within 30 days of the event that necessitates a change in enrollment or plan.

In that connection, the purpose of this memorandum is to provide an overview of the open enrollment process. Payroll-related matters will be addressed in subsequent communications from the Comptroller's Office.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Plan Choices and Carriers

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Physicians Health Services (PHS) will each continue to offer three types of plans:

1. Point of Service
2. Point of Enrollment - No Gatekeeper
3. Point of Enrollment - Gatekeeper

MedSpan will offer two types of plans:

1. Point of Service
2. Point of Enrollment- No Gatekeeper

ConnectiCare remains closed to new membership; it is unavailable, except to employees enrolled therein at the present time. Current ConnectiCare members seeking to remain with this carrier should be instructed to take no action during the open enrollment period unless they need to add or delete dependents.

B. Open Enrollment Fairs

Open enrollment fairs have been scheduled through the Health Care Analysis Unit of the Comptroller's Retirement & Benefit Services Division. The fair schedule has been arranged to reach as many employees as possible. The statewide schedule of enrollment fairs is attached for posting and communication to employees. Employees may attend a fair held at any agency or location, subject to the employing agency's operating needs.

No appearances by insurer representatives are to be unilaterally arranged by agencies. This policy must be followed in order to guarantee the systematic, efficient, and unimpeded planning of the state-sponsored enrollment fairs.

C. Health Care Planner

The Health Care Planner, which provides a comparison of the benefits among the plans, will be mailed to all employees prior to the open enrollment fairs. The planner will contain information regarding applicable employee premium shares, and offer certain general guidelines to assist employees in making their choices. No marketing literature will be included with the Planner, but each insurer will be allowed to do general mailings of marketing material to all employees. Phone numbers will be listed for each insurer for those employees seeking further information on a particular plan. Also, the insurers will distribute copies of additional plan information and subscriber agreements to each agency for examination by individual employees.

D. Open Enrollment Applications

Continue to use the "Health Insurance Application (CO-1048A)" and "Choice of Health Insurance After Retirement" (CO-744) revision date 4/99.

Disregard the following:

Box 11. Medspan - Point of Enrollment - Gatekeeper

Box 12. Kaiser Point of Enrollment - Gatekeeper

If either of these boxes are checked the application will be rejected.

These forms are available by contacting your agency business office who in turn can order them through the state's forms management program vendor, Vanguard Direct. Enrollment applications will not be included with the Planner or with any marketing material sent to employees, nor will insurers have applications available at the enrollment fairs. Employees electing or changing coverage may do so only through their personnel or payroll office, which will be the repository of all enrollment applications. This procedure is intended to insure that vendor marketing efforts and enrollment processing are maintained as entirely distinct functions.

E. Premiums

Additional memoranda pertaining to employee and retiree health insurance premiums and copayments, and monthly rates for COBRA continuation coverage, will be sent to agencies when the rate charts are completed.

III. CONCLUSION

The Comptroller's Retirement & Benefit Services Division, Health Care Analysis Unit, is available to respond to agency inquiries pertaining to the content of this Memorandum at (860) 702-3535.

NW/SW/NM

ACTIVE OPEN ENROLLMENT FAIRS BY DATE - MAY 1 - JUNE 2, 2000

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