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706.653.4059 Fax: 706.653.4066 smathis@columbusga.org |
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ELIGIBILITY STATUS The CCG offers a variety of insurance opportunities to it's employee and their dependents. All regular full-time employees become eligible for coverage after they have been employed for 30 days. Open enrollment is conducted on an annual basis and allows employees to make changes to their insurance plans at that time. Insurance premiums for various coverage are deducted from our employee's bi-weekly pay, i.e., health insurance premiums are deducted 26 times per year. NOTE:S You must add newly born children, adopted children, children of a new marriage or children awarded by the courts within 30 days of the actual birth date, adoption date, or court date. You must add new spouses within 30 days of the date of marriage. Documentation must accompany the forms, i.e., birth certificate, adoption papers, court documents, marriage or divorce certificates, etc. Failure to comply within the 30-day time period will require the employee to wait until open-enrollment in November and December. |
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| MEDICAL INSURANCE | ||
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Health Care Plans (HMO-POS)
The health care benefitplan offered to employees is a comprehensive major medical program utilizing Health maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (POS) Point of Service with Blue Cross Blue Shield of GA. Both plans are designed to minimize out-of-pocket expenses for employees and their covered dependents. Participation in the health care plans is voluntary. Premiums vary depending on the type of plan you select and are payroll deducted on a bi-weekly basis. Both plans give you a network of providers to use at a lower cost than would otherwise be available to you. Because BC/BS of GA's HMO plan requires all participants to select a Primary Care Physician (PCP) to coordinate all of their health care a list of current HMO PCPs and POS providers may be viewed on the web at: Georgia -- Home Page / Main Menu www.bcbsgeorgia.com please see Provider Directory for either plan. NOTE: You must add newly born children, adopted children, children of a new marriage or children awarded by the courts within 30 days of the actual birth date, adoption date, marriage date, or court date. You must add new spouses within 30 days of the date of marriage. Documentation must accompany the forms, i.e., birth certificate, adoption papers, court documents, marriage or divorce certificates, etc. Failure to comply within the 30-day time period will require the employee to wait until open enrollment in October and November. |
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| Prescription Drugs | ||
| Under both of your medical options, HMO and POS, generic drugs cost less - $20 for a 30-day supply at a participating pharmacy. If a brand-name drug is listed on the plan formulary, your co-payment will be only $30 (compared to $50 for a non-formulary brand). For any medicines you take on a regular basis (such as blood pressure pills), Mail-Order Pharmacy is available. It is convenient and economical. |
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| Dental | ||
Employees may choose from two dental plans offered by Assurant Dental. The plans are (1) Freedom Preferred (choose any dentist) and (2) The Plus Plan (choose from a small list of dentists).
If you currently have dental coverage, and change to the BlueCross/BlueShield Low plan, you will be immediately eligible for all dental services. If you are a new participant in a City-sponsored plan, or a new hire, you will be immediately eligible for Preventive and Basis Restorative Services only. You become eligible for oral surgery coverage after six months in the plan, and for all other Major Services after one year. BC/BS “High” Plan The High plan offers much broader benefits---including orthodontia. Coverage is at the following levels, based on negotiated rates with participating providers, and based on the 90th percentile of charges for non-participating providers.
If you currently have dental coverage, and change to the BlueCross/BlueShield High plan, you will be immediately eligible for all dental services. If you are a new participant in a City-sponsored plan, or a new hire, you will be immediately eligible for Preventive and Basic Restorative Services only. You become eligible for oral surgery coverage after six months in the plan, all other Major Services after one year, and Orthodontic Services after 18 months. |
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| VISION INSURANCE | ||||||||||
| The City sponsors the Blue View Vision Plan (by BC/BS) and gives you coverage you need at affordable group rates. You have access to a broad network of optometrists, ophthalmologists, and optical providers, including such well-known entities as LensCrafters, Sears, Target, JCPenney, and Pearle Vision. (There is also a lower level of coverage for out-of-network care). | ||||||||||
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| FLEXIBLE BENEFITS | ||||||||||
| The Federal Government's division of the IRS has established Flexible Benefit programs that the CCG adopted several years ago. There are three separate areas that are associated with our Flex Plans: 1) Premium Re-Direction Program allows employees who are having deductions taken from their payroll for insurance placed into a pre-tax status. Simply this means that you are not required to pay taxes on health, dental and certain supplemental policies; 2) Medical Spending Account (MSA) assists employees in paying for their annual out-of-pocket expenses. If an employee participates in this program they can enroll and request a certain amount be deducted on a bi-weekly basis, pre-tax, and simply reclaim the money as expenses incur; 3) Dependent Day Care Reimbursement Account (DDC) allows employees the same opportunity. For those who have children and/or elderly parents in a day care situation you may project your annual costs, request the pre-taxed money be deducted on a bi-weekly basis, and reclaim it as expenses incur or as the year progresses. A maximum of $5,000 annually; $2,500 for married filing separate tax returns is all that is allowed. It is always important that you understand that any flexible benefit money redirected from your pay for reimbursement accounts must be spent between January 1 of the current benefit year and March 15 of the following year. Any amount not spent will be forfeited. |
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| LIFE INSURANCE PLANS | ||||||||||
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The City automatically provides you with life insurance of 1-1/2 times your annual base pay (rounded up to the nearest $1,000; $250,000 maximum benefit), plus an equal amount of accidental death and dismemberment protection. In addition to the basic levels of life and AD&D insurance, the City also sponsors supplemental coverage for you and your family members. This voluntary benefit is underwritten by Hartford. For You
Disability |
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| EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM | ||||||||||
Everyone has different areas of difficulties in their life. With licensed and certified counselors, the employee assistance program gives you easy access to professional help with issues that impact your personal, family and work life. Take advantage of your benefit for any number of issues, including but not limited to:
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The Pastoral Institute, 2022 Fifteenth Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901, 706-649-6500, provides the employee assistance program to employees. It is available to all Columbus Consolidated Government regular full and part-time employees. This is a confidential benefit, and you do not need to inform your supervisor or Human Resources to take advantage of it. To make an appointment or to talk to someone, simply call (706) 649-6500, and let the Pastoral Institute representative know that you are an employee of the Columbus Consolidated Government. |
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An Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 E-Verify ID#46433 - July 19, 2007 |
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