2016 health programs: important dates to remember Now is the time for New York state Executive Branch and Unified Court System employees to think about health insurance options for 2016. Watch your mailbox for important information, including the 2016 health insurance premium rates, option transfer information and deadlines. The following are other important benefits and dates to remember. Deadlines for some of the following information may have passed by the time you receive this edition. The dates are determined and released by New York state, and do not always correspond with The Work Force deadlines. The material is provided for informational purposes. Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP): Open Enrollment Nov. 1 – Nov. 30, 2015 Your share of your health insurance premium is deducted from wages before taxes are withheld, which may lower your taxes. Under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, if you are enrolled in PTCP, you may change your health insurance deduction during the tax year ONLY after a qualifying PTCP event. If you wish to change your pre-tax selection for 2016, see your agency health benefits administrator and complete a health insurance transaction form (PS-404) by Nov. 30, 2015. Productivity Enhancement Program: Open Enrollment Ends Nov. 27, 2015 Exchange previously accrued annual and/or personal leave in return for a credit to be applied toward the employee share of your New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) premium. The credit will be included in biweekly paychecks and divided evenly during the plan year. To elect PEP for 2016, you must apply between Oct. 26, 2015 and Nov. 27, 2015. See your agency’s health benefits administrator for more information and an application. If you are currently enrolled in PEP, you must re-enroll to continue your benefits in 2016. Retiring soon? Join a CSEA Retiree local! Considering retirement? CSEA locals may pay the first year of CSEA Retiree dues, which are only $24. Our efforts through the years have protected public pensions and Social Security against assaults by shortsighted politicians who want to dismantle the system that protects your standard of living. These days, you can’t take anything for granted. You need your union to protect what you have and likewise, we need you to maintain strength in numbers. Dues are only $2 per month and can be deducted directly from your pension check. Here is what you get: • Representation at the federal, state and local government levels to protect your interests; • Membership in a CSEA Retiree Local, as well as AFSCME Retiree Local 1000; • Local retiree meetings to socialize and get updates on retirement benefits; • Subscriptions to publications, including the CSEA Retiree News; and • Member-only benefits that can save you money on many consumer needs. To learn more, visit cseany.org and select “Retiree Members” from the “For Members” menu. NYSHIP enrollees: dependent eligibility audit information coming soon As required by the 2015-16 state budget, the state Department of Civil Service will be conducting an eligibility audit of dependents covered under the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP). This dependent eligibility verification project will be similar to the audit conducted in 2009. Health Management Systems, Inc. (HMS) has been selected to administer all aspects of this dependent eligibility verification project. If eligibility was verified for a will be mailed to enrollees after the plan-wide special amnesty period ends. The Verification Packet will include a list of the enrollee’s dependents, an eligibility worksheet to help determine whether dependents meet NYSHIP’s eligibility requirements, a list of eligible proofs and instructions/deadlines to submit required documentation. Look for more information in future editions of The Work Force. An article on the Health Care Spending Account (HCS Account) open enrollment period in the November Work Force contained incorrect information for the total pre-tax amount of salary that can be set aside. The amount is $2,550. natural child, a stepchild or a child of a domestic partner in the 2009 audit, you will not be asked to verify their status during the current audit. Other dependents, such as spouses and domestic partners, will be required to submit documents even if they were verified in the previous audit. Beginning in December 2015, a special amnesty period will be offered to enrollees to allow for the removal of ineligible dependents before the verification project begins. Enrollees who voluntarily remove ineligible dependents from coverage during this period will be held harmless and will not be liable for repayment of claims paid on behalf of these reported dependents. Watch your mail for additional information regarding the special amnesty period. Please review all information closely and report any ineligible dependents directly to HMS no later than Jan. 29, 2016. This is the ONLY opportunity to remove ineligible dependents without possible penalty. No action is necessary during the amnesty period if all listed dependents are eligible for coverage. At no point should enrollees send original documentation to HMS, as this information will NOT be returned. What happens next? The state will hold three separate dependent eligibility verification phases. Eligibility Verification Packets December 2015 The Work Force 17
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