Law change opens way for covering unmarried children up to age 29
Do you have an unmarried adult son or daughter under the age of 30 who has started working in a job without health insurance?

If you do, starting January 1, they may be able to enroll for coverage through the NYS Health Insurance Program’s new Young Adult Option.

Under this new option, they are not required to live with you, be financially dependent on you or be a student to be eligible for coverage.

They must be covered under the same plan as the parent. And they must be ineligible for insurance through their own employer. They must live or work in New York state or the health insurance company’s service area, and not be covered by Medicare.

The Young Adult Option does not apply to vision or dental plans.

Young adult coverage will require a separate individual enrollment in the plan, beyond what a parent pays for family enrollment.

So far, the state Department of Civil Service has not decided the rate for the Young Adult Option or any other NYSHIP options for 2010. Rate information will be posted online at www.pef.org as soon as it becomes available.

The Young Adult Option is the result of a recent change in state law that also affects many other private health insurance plans, but not self-insured plans.

To learn more, visit the state Insurance Department Web site at www.ins.state.ny.us/faqs/faqs_S6030_
Age29_young.htm
 
— Deborah Stayman
’09 deadlines for ’10 benefits choices
• November 16 – Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount) and the Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAAccount). These benefits could reduce your 2010 income taxes (payable in 2011) by allowing you to set aside pre-tax salary earned in 2010 to pay for health care expenses that are not reimbursed by health insurance or, in the case of the DCAAccount, your dependent care expenses.

Also, the state will add to any earnings you set aside for the DCAAccount. For more information or to enroll in either or both programs go online to www.flexspend.state.ny.us, or call (800) 358-7202.

• November 27 – Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP). Eligible full- and part-time employees may exchange previously accrued vacation credits and/or personal leave in exchange for a credit of up to $500 to be applied toward the employee’s share of their health insurance premium. (For details, see article this page.)

• November 30 – Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP). The PTCP could reduce your 2010 income taxes (payable in 2011) by allowing you to pay for your state health insurance premiums deducted from your pay before taxes are withheld. If you participate in the PTCP, you can make the following changes only in November: Change from family to individual coverage while one or more dependents are still eligible when there’s no qualifying event; Voluntarily cancel your coverage while you’re still eligible when there’s no qualifying event; or Opt out of the PTCP.

• Deadline date to be announced – NYSHIP option. The premium rates for 2010 have not been set yet for the various state health plans. PS&T employees are entitled to 30 days from the date the rates are delivered to the state agencies to change their health plan option. The rates, which will be mailed to you, are usually set in November. No action is required if you do not wish to change health plans.
Trade days off for lower health ins. premium

If you are willing to trade up to three days of your vacation or personal leave, you can reduce your 2010 health insurance premiums by up to $500. But you must do it by November 27.

Under a negotiated agreement, the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) allows state PS&T employees in salary grades 17 or lower to exchange up to three days of accrued vacation and/or personal leave for a credit of up to $500 toward their share of their NYS Health Insurance Program premiums.

The credit is divided by 26 paychecks and applied against your premium deductions on a biweekly basis.

The enrollment period for 2010 opened October 26 and closes November 27, 2009. If you are already participating in the 2009 PEP, it will not automatically carry forward into 2010. You would need to re-enroll.

To enroll, PS&T-unit employees must meet all of the following criteria:
• Be in a job title at or below grade 17;
• Have a combined total of at least eight days of vacation and personal leave left after trading time in for the insurance credit; and
• Be a NYSHIP contract holder in either the Empire Plan or an HMO at the time of enrollment.
Part-time employees may participate on a prorated basis.
Teachers on the state’s institution payroll may exchange up to three days of personal leave for credit of $166.66 per day and are not subject to the minimum-leave requirement.
For more information or to request an enrollment form, contact your agency’s personnel office. — Lorraine Simpkins