Team Georgia Connection

2010 Annual Enrollment Period At A Glance October 9 – November 10, 2009

Flexible Benefits Program Plan Enhancements and Changes

New tier structure. All dental and vision plans will be converting to a
new Tier Structure:

• Employee Only
• Employee + Spouse
• Employee + Child(ren)
• Employee + Family

New plan options. The vision and legal plans will provide two plan options with different plan designs to choose:

Vision Insurance - Basic Plan and Premium Plan. The Basic Plan will offer the same co-pays, in-network and out-of-network benefits as the current plan. The Premium Plan will offer a higher maximum benefit for contact lenses and will cover cosmetic options such as tints, UV coatings, basic progressive, and polycarbonate lenses.

Legal Insurance – a Basic Plan and Premium Plan. The Basic Plan offers 4 hours of attorney office work, and covers basic legal matters such as document preparation, wills and trusts, real estate matters, and traffic charges. The Premium Plan will include the same services offered under the Basic Plan. Additionally, it offers 8 hours of attorney office work and additional services such as adoptions, child custody/support, debt collection defense, guardianship, IRS audits, matrimonial matters, and more.

Lower rates and other enhancements.

Specified Illness. Continental American Insurance Company (CAIC) is replacing the prior carrier, American General, in administering the Specified Illness plan and will be offering lower rates by 5% for new and current employees effective January 1, 2010. The rates will be based on the original issue age. Also, CAIC is offering increased guaranteed issues amounts, which will allow coverage up to $20,000 for employees and $10,000 for spouses without Medical Underwriting.

Specified Illness will have additional covered critical illnesses - coma, paralysis, severe burns, loss of sight, loss of hearing, and loss of speech - at no added cost effective January 1, 2010.

The child(ren) benefit will increase from 10% to 25% of the employee’s coverage amounts. In addition, the health screening benefit is increasing from $50 to $100 per year.

Long Term Disability. The Standard, carrier for the disability plan, is reducing the rates for the Long Term Disability plan by 9% effective January 1, 2010 for new and/or current employees.

Annual Enrollment Web Sites

Flexible Benefit Program. Employees will be selecting their Flexible Benefits through the Team Georgia Connection Web site at http://team.georgia.gov/portal/site/FLEX . The Flexible Benefits tab is accessible to employees by clicking at the top of the page. Employees should remember their passwords and security questions/answers used to initially log in. This will help the Web Navigation Help Desk be more efficient in answering employees’ technical web navigation questions.

Benefit information is available on the website, including access to forms, summary plan descriptions, and other materials.

State Health Benefit Plan. Employees may select their health insurance options by accessing www.oe2010.ga.gov . For convenience, the Team Georgia Flexible Benefits page will have a link to the health insurance enrollment web site.

Access to the 2010 Annual Enrollment websites will be at the following dates and times:

Flexible Benefit Program       State Health Benefit Plan
October 9 - November 9,      2009 October 9 @ 12:01 a.m. –
4:00 a.m. – midnight            November 10 @ 4:30 p.m.

November 10, 2009
4:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Benefit Fairs

Benefit Fairs will begin September 24th and will last until November 6th. Please be sure to stop by the Benefit Fair nearest you to speak to vendor representatives who can assist you and answer questions about the benefit plans.

Health Benefit Plan: A Peek at Upcoming Changes

Georgia’s unprecedented fiscal challenges require some benefit changes and premium increases in 2010.  These changes are necessary because of the shortfalls in state revenue normally used to fund the benefits program and keep pace with health care growth.  SHBP’s long-term strategy remains focused on consumerism and improved health outcomes, and we have been able to preserve the features of the benefit program that highlight the importance of wellness and taking care of your health.

All plans will see changes.  These changes vary with deductibles, out-of-pocket amounts, co-insurance amounts, co-pays and premium increases.  There will also be an increase in the Tobacco and Spousal Surcharges.  Employees should carefully read the Active Decision Guide for details outlining all of these changes before making their 2010 health election.

The Open Enrollment dates this year are October 9 – November 10, 2009 and again State Health Benefit Plan members will make their health insurance election at www.oe2010.ga.gov.