Time to Make Important Decisions about Your Benefits

The annual Option Transfer Period, which begins on November 1, is the time for you to make important decisions about your health benefits. During the Option Transfer Period, you may change your health insurance option for the next calendar year, as well as change your Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP) enrollment.

The deadline for changing your health plan option is 30 days from the date your agency receives the premium rates from Civil Service. You will be sent a flyer indicating the premium contribution for each of the health plans, and the deadline for changing your health plan option. The rates will also be posted on the Civil Service Web site at www.cs.state.ny.us.

Change your health plan

If you are considering changing your health plan during the option transfer period, you should do the following:

1. Do your research now. Don't wait until the rates are sent to you to begin gathering the information you will need to make your decision. Check out Which Health Plan is Best? for a list of important questions to ask.

2.  If you would like some tips on how to choose a health plan, get the Choosing Your Health Plan flyer from your agency health benefits administrator (HBA). The HBA is usually located in the Personnel Office. Choosing Your Health Plan explains the different health plans available to state employees, compares the Empire Plan with the HMO options, and offers suggestions for considering cost and quality when choosing a health plan.

3. If you want to compare the benefits provided by the different health plan options, get the Health Insurance Choices for 2004 guide from your HBA. The Choices guide explains the options that are available to you and contains descriptions of all the health plans.

4. If you would like a "report card" rating HMOs in New York, check out these Web sites:

•         The NYS Insurance Department at www.ins.state.ny.us. Click on "Consumers" and then scroll down and click on “Health”. The report card is titled, "2002 New York Consumer Guide to HMOs".

•         The New York State Health Accountability Foundation at www.nyshaf.org. Click on "annual NYS HMO Report Card".

Change your participation in the PTCP

The Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP) allows you to have your health insurance premiums deducted from your pay before taxes are taken out.  Participation in the PTCP may lower your taxes.

You were automatically enrolled in this program when you became eligible for health insurance, unless you declined to participate. Your paycheck stub shows whether you enrolled in PTCP. “Regular Before Tax Health” will appear in the Before Tax Deductions column if your health insurance premium is deducted from your wages before taxes are withheld. “Regular After Tax Health” will appear in the After Tax Deductions column if your health insurance premium is deducted from your wages after taxes are withheld.

Choose your pre-tax status carefully.  Under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, there can be no change in your premium deduction once the amount is set for the tax year unless the change stems from a qualifying event. This means that you cannot make the following two changes outside the annual option transfer period:

•         Change from Family to Individual coverage while your dependents are still eligible for coverage; or

•         Voluntarily cancel your coverage while you are still eligible for coverage.

If you want to change your pre-tax selection for 2004, you must see your HBA and complete a health insurance transaction form (PS404) no later than November 30. No action is required if you wish to keep your current status.