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Identity theft is a grave concern for us all. In addition to the resources the State is providing, you can use the Working Solutions plan for additional information, and also completely confidential counseling regarding your stress or finances. For members enrolled in the Hyatt legal plan, check out their information identity theft prevention and recovery.
The EyeMed directory/listing of providers is available.
The legal
service plan is a voluntary legal plan, administered by
Hyatt Legal Plans, for members and their families.
MetLife offers real-time claims information as well as an online provider directory on their secure website. The first time you use it, you will need to register with Met. They will verify your Social Security number and birthdate, and then ask you to create a user name and password. If you don't want to register, click "no" on the first screen, and you can still access the provider directory.
The newest newsletter is available.
Updated plan booklets for dental, vision
basic and supplemental life insurance and Working Solutions will be posted soon, along with shorter enrollment guides (to help members get benefits at hire or their one-year anniversaries of State service).
Working Solutions
The plan enhanced their financial service information July 2007, but given tight economic times and heightened awareness of issues, more members are using this free resource. Link to their website for the most up-to-date information.
Article Order Form —
Full of free articles from Working Solutions. Also includes articles en espanol.
Materials
offered to members concerned about layoffs from State service:
Stress-Busting, Smart Money Management, Surviving a Layoff, and
Managing between Jobs
Feature Article Archives
This section will also contain news about the Trust's plans for benefits, communications and customer service. Below, by plan, we list the highlights for the Plan Year 7/1/08 to 6/30/09. The Trust provides you with dental, vision and basic life insurance at no cost to you.
Supplemental Life
The dependent child coverage amount and montly cost will change July 1, 2008. No changes to member or spouse coverage for the upcoming plan year. The portability option (the ability to take it with you) for member's supplemental
life insurance continues to generate a lot of questions and interest.
Below are the current supplemental life insurance rates for members, spouses and children.
Supplemental
Life Insurance Rates
| Monthly Rates |
| The
monthly cost shown below is for a unit of coverage
($10,000). |
| |
|
|
| Age
|
Non-Smoker
Cost/Mo. |
Smoker
Cost/Mo. |
|
Under
30
|
$ .59
|
$ .78
|
|
30-34
|
$ .72
|
$ .78
|
|
35-39
|
$ .82
|
$ 1.14
|
|
40-44
|
$ 1.30
|
$ 1.76
|
|
45-49
|
$ 2.01
|
$ 2.92
|
|
50-54
|
$ 3.13
|
$ 4.50
|
|
55-59
|
$ 5.02
|
$ 6.69
|
|
60-64
|
$ 7.61
|
$10.26
|
|
65-69
|
$12.36
|
$18.41
|
|
70
and over
|
$20.94
|
$32.95
|
| |
|
Rate
for children - $.72 (regardless of the number
of children) for $5,000 coverage per child. Changing to $.99 (flat fee) /$7,000 coverage per child July 1, 2008.
A
non-smoker is someone who has not used any form
of tobacco in the past 12 months.
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During Trust-sponsored open enrollment, members may enroll in twice their basic annual earnings, or increase existing coverage by twice their basic annual earnings or $150,000, whichever is less, without supplying evidence of insurability. Prudential will request evidence of insurability if you have ever been denied coverage by them. New hires may enroll for up to three times their basic annual earnings (or $150,000, whichever is less), without supplying evidence of insurability. For spousal coverage, a benefit up to $40,000 is available when Prudential accepts the evidence of insurability. Other terms and rules of coverage still apply, such as the overall maximum on coverage available to members. Read up on your supplemental life insurance benefit for more information.
Make sure you are using the correct supplemental life form; changes were made to allow you to specify a percentage for each beneficiary.
Dental
No changes to coverage for the plan year ending June 30, 2009.
The Preferred Choice network continues to be expanded by MetLife, with emphasis on specialists. You are responsible, as always, for verifying your dentist's ongoing network participation. Sometimes, you may find that in-network dental providers perform many services, though they are only classified as generalists. Talk with your dentist about your options, and what he/she recommends as the best course of treatment for your particular situation.
Check
the directory to see if your provider of choice has
joined the MetLife network.
Vision
No changes to coverage for the plan year ending June 30, 2009.
Vision networks always change and grow, so remember to check directories for information as to current participants.
Legal
No changes to coverage for the plan year ending June 30, 2009.
You may only enroll in or drop the legal service
plan during open enrollment. Read all about it in the plan booklet or check out the FAQ
about the legal service plan.
Basic Life
No changes to basic life coverage, but effective July 1, 2008, occupational-only accidental death will add dismemberment coverage.
Make sure you have the proper address for death claims: PO Box 13676, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19176. Please make a note of it.
Make sure you are using the most current beneficiary form available; this version allows you to specify a percentage for each beneficiary.
Working Solutions
Last year, effective July 1, 2007, we expanded this service to include three new components:
- Financial Counseling,
- Convenience Services and
- College PayWay.
These services are offered to all members at hire through Working Solutions service by the Benefits Trust, which pays the cost on behalf of members and their families.
Need information on schools, colleges, or community resources? Need assistance with finding household services or home improvements? How about financial counseling for debt management, or how to live within a budget? Especially now, when money is so tight, who couldn’t use help from a financial planner?
Check out their website for articles and features, including their database searches for providers and valuable health risk assessments.
Updated April 2008
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