Download FHA

Santa Cruz County
Employees
2010
Flexible Health Allowance
Program
What is Flexible Health
Allowance?
• Flexible Health Allowance (FHA) is a portion of the
County’s contribution to employee health insurance that
allows employees to have health plan purchase options.
• Effective January 1, 2009, participating employees will
receive two separate County contributions for employee
health insurance - Medical and FHA.
• Employees must be enrolled in a County medical plan to
participate.
Who is eligible for FHA?
• To date, the 2010 FHA Program will be available to
the following employee groups:
+ General Representation
+ Middle Management
+ Executive Management
+ DA/Child Support Attorneys
+ Corrections Officer
+ Law Enforcement, Law Enforcement Middle
Management, Sheriff’s Supervisors
+ Physicians
Do I have to participate in
FHA?
• Yes - If FHA was approved for your
employee group, County
contributions to employee health
insurance will be split into two
separate allocations - Medical and
FHA.
• However, employees may choose to
have both contributions applied to
medical premium costs only. In fact,
this will occur automatically if you do
not enroll in the other FHA options.
County
Contributions
Medical
FHA
What are the FHA Program
options?
For 2010, FHA may be applied to the following health
insurance premiums:
1) County Medical
2) Vision Service Plan (VSP) Dependent Vision
3) Delta Preferred Option (DPO) Plus Dental
FHA Program Options...
COUNTY MEDICAL
•
FHA may be applied to medical premium
costs under the County’s Medical Program.
Please see your 2010 rate sheet for health
plan options and premium information.
•
FHA will automatically cover medical
premium costs only, unless you enroll in the
other FHA options.
FHA Program Options...
VSP DEPENDENT VISION
• FHA may be applied to VSP Dependent
Vision. This optional program is currently
available to employees as a payroll deduction.
• The 2010 estimated cost for VSP Dependent
Vision is $18.02 per month. Enrollment
requires one full year of participation.
FHA Program Options...
DPO PLUS DENTAL
• FHA may be applied to this dental buy-up option. If
you are enrolled in the County’s DPO Basic plan, this
option will increase your annual dental allowance
from $1,200 to $2,000 per participant.
• The 2010 cost for DPO Plus Dental is $48 per month.
This optional program may also be purchased via
payroll deduction. Enrollment requires one full year of
participation.
• DeltaCare (formerly PMI) participants are not eligible
for DPO Plus Dental.
Does FHA impact my other
County paid insurances?
• No - In accordance with your bargaining
agreement, other County paid insurances,
such as Employee Dental (DPO Basic or
DeltaCare), Vision, Life, and LTD, will
continue to be County paid.
What if my medical plan is less
expensive than both of the
County contributions?
• You may want to carefully examine your FHA options.
• With the exception of medical premium costs,
undesignated FHA will be forfeited.
What if my FHA elections cost
more than both of the County’s
contributions?
• If selected, VSP Dependent Vision and DPO
Plus Dental are always applied to FHA first –
the FHA balance is then applied to medical
premium costs. Remaining medical premium
is the employee’s responsibility and will be
charged via payroll deduction.
• Employees with medical premium share of
cost may want to enroll in H-Care, the
County’s medical premium pre-tax program.
May I apply FHA to CalPERS
Admin Fee?
• No – CalPERS Admin Fee is not a health
insurance premium. Employees will
continue to pay this Fee via payroll
deduction.
How can I learn more about
FHA?
• Plan to attend one of the 2010 Open
Enrollment Meetings scheduled at a
work site near you…
2010 Open Enrollment Meetings
All meetings are scheduled in 2009.
Changes will be effective January 1, 2010.
Date
Time
Thurs, Sept 17 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Location
701 Ocean Street, #510
RDA Conference Room
Mon, Sept 28
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
1080 Emeline Street, Bldg. D
HSA - Large Auditorium
Fri, Oct 2
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
18 W. Beach Street, Room 2
Watsonville
2010 Open Enrollment
Meetings, Cont.
All meetings are scheduled in 2009.
Changes will be effective January 1, 2010.
Date
Thurs, Oct 8
Time
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Location
701 Ocean Street, #510
RDA Conference Room
Fri, Oct 9
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
701 Ocean Street, #510
RDA Conference Room
What if I cannot attend a
Meeting?
• Visit the Benefits Office during Drop-In Hours:
Tuesdays & Fridays
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Benefits Office
701 Ocean Street, Room 510 - 5th Floor
Santa Cruz
Contact the Benefits Hotline by email at:
[email protected] or call (831) 454-2241
(select option 9 to leave a message)