HEALTHCARE POLICY & BENEFIT SERVICES DIVISION MEMORANDUM Supplemental Benefits Program Update
STATE EMPLOYEES
RETIREMENT COMMISSION		 COMPTROLLER'S SEAL STATE OF CONNECTICUT 55 ELM STREET
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
06106-1775
TELEPHONE: (860) 702-3480
TELEFAX:(860) 702-3489
MEDICAL EXAMINING BOARD
for DISABILITY RETIREMENT
HEALTH CARE COST
CONTAINMENT COMMITTEE
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
RETIREMENT & BENEFIT SERVICES DIVISION
OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER

HEALTHCARE POLICY & BENEFIT SERVICES DIVISION MEMORANDUM

AUGUST 4, 2009

TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES

ATTENTION: Personnel and Payroll Officers
SUBJECT: Supplemental Benefits Program Update

Retirement & Benefit Services Division Memorandum dated July 15, 2004, provided information regarding the Supplemental Benefits Program (Program). Responsibility for administering these programs has been transferred to the Healthcare Policy & Benefit Services Division (HPBSD). This memorandum describes the programs currently available and the authorized vendors.

The Program provides several offerings that complement basic employee benefits the State funds either in whole or in part. Under the Program all benefits available are entirely funded by voluntary employee deductions through the central payroll system. Currently, the Program offers seven supplemental benefits: (1) short term disability insurance; (2) long term disability insurance; (3) auto and homeowners insurance; (4) cancer insurance; (5) universal life insurance; (6) term life insurance; and (7) long term care insurance.

This following description will familiarize agency personnel and payroll officers who have responsibility for benefits administration with the supplemental products currently available. A brief description of the benefits offered and contact information for the authorized vendors is included. In addition, this memorandum addresses issues that have been raised since the Program's commencement, including the definition of a "spouse" as it pertains to the Program.

Short Term Disability Insurance1 Two vendors offer this product

Colonial Supplemental Insurance Company - (800) 884-0689 or (860) 645-8833
 
Available to full-time, active employees working 17.5 or more hours per week, this product protects against the short-term loss of income due to an on the job or off the job covered accident or illness.
 
Fort Dearborn Life Insurance Company - (866) 858-1171

Available to full-time, active employees working 20 or more hours per week, this product protects against the short-term loss of income due to an off the job covered accident or illness.

Long Term Disability Insurance1 One vendor offers this product

Hartford Life & Accident Insurance Company - (888) 723-8583
 
Available to full-time, active employees, working at least 30 hours a week, this product protects against the long-term loss of income due to accident or illness. This offering should be of particular interest to members of Tier II and Tier IIA of the State Employee Retirement System, as they are not covered by non-service connected disability provisions before completing ten years of vesting service.

Auto & Homeowners Insurance Two vendors offer this product

Metropolitan Property & Casualty Insurance Company & Affiliates - (800) 438-6381
 
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company- (888) 257-4889
 
Available to full-time, active employees working 17.5 or more hours per week, retirees, spouses2, civil union partners and domestic partners2, this product protects against liability and damage to, or loss of, auto, home and other personal property.

Cancer Insurance One vendor offers this product

AFLAC - (877) 235-2221

Available to full-time, active employees working 17.5 or more hours per week, retirees, spouses2, civil union partners and domestic partners2, this product pays benefits for certain cancer treatments and screenings. It is designed to supplement existing health insurance coverage.

Universal Life Insurance1 One vendor offers this product

ING Employee Benefits- (888) 909-4274
 
Available to full-time, active employees working 17.5 or more hours per week, spouses2, civil union partners, domestic partners2, children and grandchildren3 (grandchildren who are residents of New York and under the age of 14 ? are not eligible) interested in supplementing their life insurance coverage offered on a qualified issue basis.

Term Life Insurance1 One vendor offers this product

Fort Dearborn Life Insurance Company - (866) 858-1171

Available to full-time active employees, retirees, spouses2, civil union partners, domestic partners2 and children interested in supplementing their life insurance coverage (employee/retiree must participate in the State's Basic Group Life Insurance Program).

Long Term Care Insurance One vendor offers this product

MetLife - (800) 582-2889

Available to full-time, active employees working 17.5 or more hours per week and retirees, spouses2, civil union partners, domestic partners2, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents and adult children age 18 or older, this product protects against the cost of long term health care, whether at home or in a nursing home. This multi-life discounted policy is approved by the Connecticut Partnership and, as such, protects a subscriber's assets from depletion due to the cost of long-term care.
 
MetLife will extend simplified underwriting to new employees applying for coverage within 90 days of hire date. After the 90-day eligibility period all applicants are required to answer additional medical questions. MetLife may also require attending physician statements and a phone health interview. For applicants that are age 71 and older, a face-to-face interview will be required in lieu of a phone interview. Further information regarding underwriting requirements will be discussed during one-on-one or agency visits.
 
Current UNUM participants will continue to be serviced by MedAmerica. Questions regarding current long term care participation with UNUM may be addressed to MedAmerica at (877) 202-6043.

Coverage and policy content questions should be directed to vendor representatives.

Subject to operating needs, agencies are encouraged to accommodate the Program's authorized vendors so that they can speak to, meet with, and enroll employees. With the exception of representatives of the third party administrator for the 457 and 403(b) Defined Contribution Plans, agencies are specifically directed to deny access to any other firms seeking to market products or services to State employees, as they have not received the Comptroller's authorization.

1 Open enrollment periods are conducted for these benefits. Eligible employees will be allowed to enroll during their agency's open enrollment period without the need for medical underwriting or a physical examination, subject to certain coverage limitations. This privilege will be extended to new employees hired within 31 days after the open enrollment period concludes.

2 A "spouse" means (1) a person legally married to or joined in a civil union with a state employee or (2) until November 12, 2009 only, a domestic partner identified in a Domestic Partnership Affidavit accepted by and filed with the Office of the State Comptroller on or before November 12, 2008. On or after November 13, 2009, a domestic partner will no longer be treated as a "spouse" for purposes of any supplemental benefit program unless the partners married or entered into a civil union prior to that date.

3 Grandchildren who are residents of New York and under the age of 14 ? are not eligible.

Please address administrative and related concerns to the HPBSD at (860) 702-3543. Specific responsibility for administering payroll deductions for employees who elect to participate in the Program has been assigned to the Comptroller's Payroll Services Division (PSD), which will coordinate directly with each vendor for payroll deduction processing. PSD does not accept deduction override transactions for the following supplemental benefit program deduction codes. Employees should contact the vendor directly for assistance.

Supplemental Benefits Program Vendors Deduction Codes: AFLAC, COLLIF, COLSTD, HAILIB, HAIMET, LIFING, LIFMDS, LIFTRM, LTCARE, LTCMET, LTDISB.

In the event an employee has a deduction for a benefit for which they have not enrolled, contact HPBSD at the number listed above for assistance.

Very truly yours,

NANCY WYMAN, STATE COMPTROLLER

BY:

Thomas C. Woodruff, Ph.D., Director
Healthcare Policy & Benefit Services Division

NW/TW/MH/AA

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