02-12-2014 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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SECTION 12 - INSURANCE BENEFITS FIealth Insurance Availability Health insurance coverage for regular full -time employees is provided and paid for by the City. The City offers dependent coverage to employees to a maximum contribution as established by the City Council. The employee's share of dependent coverage is paid through payroll deduction. Regular full -time employees hired on or after April 1, 2008 will be provided with a high - deductible health insurance plan subject to the same payment provisions described above. Once enrolled in a high - deductible health insurance plan, employees will not be allowed to convert to a co -pay plan, even if one is still offered by the City for eligible employees who have not yet converted. This applies to all regular full -time employees, regardless of hire date. I-ICF A regulations will allow the City's insurance carrier to enroll members that sign an application up to the requested plan effective date. For example, an application signed June 10, 1994 would be able to be enrolled July 1, 1994. We would not be able to backdate the coverage for a June 1, 1994 effective date since the signature was after June 1, 1994. Retroactive terminations are not allowed. A termination request received by the end of the month will be accepted for the first of the next month. For example, a termination request received on or before June 30, 1994 will be processed for a June 30, 1994 termination date. Opt -Out Program Employees who are eligible for participation in the City's Health Insurance Program for family coverage are eligible for the Opt -Out choice. The City offers Opt -Out in order to recognize the needs of our diverse workforce by providing maximum flexibility in health care choices available to employees and their families. Employees are responsible for evaluating the feasibility of this option in terms of their family's health insurance needs. To be eligible for Opt -Out payment •, an employee would opt -out for themselves andler• their eligible dependents. This option applies to medical coverage only and is not available to employee's with single - coverage. Feren* eevefage -hen, is no other choice. Medical benefits through the City of Little Canada will be available to Opt -Out participants should they lose their coverage provided by another source subject to the City's insurance carrier's regulations. Open enrollment in the City's Insurance Program is available only as designated by the City's insurance carrier. This alternative allows employees who are covered under another medical plan to "opt -out" of coverage and receive a cash payment in Lieu of medical benefits. Employees choosing Opt -Out will receive approximately the equivalent of the average cost of single employee health insurance provided by metro cities per month for each full month; payment will be made on a bi- weekly basis and will be subject to ordinary income taxes. Participants in the Opt -Out Program must sign a release and show proof of medical benefits 15 17