Benefits forGates County Government

Benefits Plan Overview

Pre-Tax Benefits

Health Insurance: NCLM/MedCost

Dental Insurance: AlwaysCare

Vision Insurance: Superior

Flexible Spending Accounts: Ameriflex

– Medical Reimbursement FSA Maximum: $1,500/year | Minimum $200/year

– Dependent Care Reimbursement FSA Maximum: $5,000/year

You will need to re-sign for the Flexible Spending Accounts if you want them to continue next year.

IF YOU DO NOT RE-SIGN, YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL STOP EFFECTIVE JUNE 30, 2021.

Cancer Benefits: Colonial Life

Accident Benefits: Colonial Life

Medical Bridge Benefits: Colonial Life

Post-Tax Benefits

Disability Benefits: Colonial Life

Critical Illness Benefits: Colonial Life

Group Term Life Insurance: MetLife

Life Insurance: Colonial Life

– Term Life Insurance

– Whole Life Insurance

 

Please note your insurance products will remain in effect unless you see a representative to change them.

 

Enrollment Period: May 11, 2021 – May 13, 2021

Effective Dates: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

– Employees who work 30 or more hours per week are eligible for Health benefits.

– Employees who work 37 or more hours per week are eligible for all other benefits.

– New employees are eligible for coverage the first day of employment, with exception of Flexible Spending Accounts – employees must work 6 months and will be eligible to enroll during the next open enrollment.

IMPORTANT FACTS:

– The plan year for NCLM/MedCost Health, AlwaysCare Dental, MetLife Group Term Life, Superior Vision, Colonial Insurance products and Spending Accounts lasts from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

– Deductions for NCLM/MedCost Health, AlwaysCare Dental, MetLife Group Term Life and Superior Vision will begin June 2021. Deductions for Colonial Insurance products and Spending Accounts will begin July 2022.

– Please visit www.piercegroupbenefits.com/gatescountygovernment to review plan summaries and other required health plan notices.

– If signing up for any coverage on your spouse and/or children, please have their dates of birth and social security numbers available when meeting with the Benefits Representative.

– If you will be receiving a new debit card, whether you are a new participant or to replace your expired card, please be aware that it may take up to  days following your plan effective date for your card to arrive. Your card will be delivered by mail in a plain white envelope. During this time you may use manual claim forms for eligible expenses. Please note that your debit card is good through the expiration date printed on the card.

– Elections made during this enrollment period CANNOT BE CHANGED AFTER THE ENROLLMENT PERIOD unless there is a family status change as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Examples of a family status change are: marriage, divorce, death of a spouse or child, birth or adoption of a child, termination or commencement of a spouse’s employment, or the transition of spouse’s employment from full-time to part-time, or vice-versa.

– Once a family status change has occurred, an employee has 30 days to notify the North Carolina Service Center at 1-888-662-7500 to request a change in elections.

– Flexible Spending Account expenses must be incurred during the Plan Year in order to be eligible for reimbursement.

– An employee has 90 days after the plan year ends to submit claims for spending account expenses that were incurred during the plan year. Please note that if employment terminates during the plan year, that employee’s plan year ends the day employment ends. The employee has 90 days after the termination date to submit claims.

– With Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, the maximum reimbursement you can request is equal to the current account balance in your Dependent Care account. You cannot be reimbursed more than has actually been deducted from your pay.

– As a married couple, one spouse cannot be enrolled in an FSA at the same time the other is contributing to an HSA.

– The Colonial Cancer plan and the Health Screening Rider on the Colonial Accident and Colonial Medical Bridge plan have a 30-day waiting period for new enrollees. Coverage, therefore, will not begin until July 31, 2021.

– Additionally, some policies may include a pre-existing condition clause. Please read your policy carefully for full details.

– Please be aware there are certain coverages that may be subject to federal and state tax when premium is paid by pretax deduction or employee contribution.

– An employee taking a leave of absence, other than under the Family & Medical Leave Act, may not be eligible to re-enter the Flexible Benefits Program until the next plan year. Please contact your Benefit Administrator for more information.