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FAQ’s About Your Benefits
1. How long do I have to enroll in medical, prescription, dental, vision, and FSA’s? You must enroll within 30 days of your date of hire or during Annual Open Enrollment.
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2. If I do not enroll in benefits within the 30-day enrollment period, what can I do? You will need to wait until Annual Open Enrollment or until you have a qualifying event/family status change during the plan year.
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3. Can I change my coverage(s) during the plan year? If you have a qualifying event, which is a change in family status between the close of Open Enrollment and the beginning of the new plan year, you can make changes to your benefits within 30 days of the qualifying event. Otherwise, you must wait until the next Open Enrollment.
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4. What is a “qualifying event” or “family status change”? A "qualifying event" or "family status change" allows you to make changes to your benefits during the plan year within 30 days. Following are examples of “qualifying events” or “family status changes”: Birth of a child, adoption or change in custody of child • Marriage, divorce or legal separation • Death of a spouse or child • Spouse’s involuntary loss of coverage • A dependent’s loss of eligibility (for example, your child gets married or is over the age of 19 and no longer a full-time student)
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5. Can I change my beneficiary at any time? Yes, you can. You do not have to wait until Open Enrollment or a qualifying event.
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6. If my life insurance is fully paid by PGCPS, why do I have to pay taxes for insurance in excess of $50,000? The value of Company-paid life insurance coverage in excess of $50,000 is considered by the IRS as taxable income to you.
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7.When is Open Enrollment for health insurance? Annual Open Enrollment is held from mid August through mid September with a plan year of October 1 through September 30.
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8. When is Open Enrollment for Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA’s)? Annual Open Enrollment is held from mid November through mid December with a plan year of January 1 through December 31. Current FSA participants who wish to continue to participate in the FSA plan must re-enroll by completing a FSA election form.
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9. How do I change my Credit Union payroll deduction amount? You can change your Credit Union payroll deduction amount at any time by completing a Credit Union change form (that must be completed at the Credit Union), indicating the new dollar amount you would like to be deducted from your paycheck.
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10. How do I change my Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) payroll deduction amount? Changes to your payroll deduction amount for TSA can be made at any time by contacting your TSA representative and completing a new Salary Reduction Agreement, indicating the new dollar amount you would like to be deducted from your paycheck.
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11. What is the face value of my life insurance that PGCPS provides? In most instances, the face value is two times the annual salary rounded down to the nearest thousand.
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12. Who does my family notify to collect life insurance benefits upon my death? Your family will contact the Benefits Administration Office. They will need a certified copy of the death certificate in order to submit a claim form for life insurance benefits.
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13. My child is a dependent full-time student between the ages of 19 and 25. How long does his/her eligibility last at the end of the spring semester? The student maintains eligibility throughout the summer until the beginning of the fall semester, when full-time student status must be provided to maintain eligibility for coverage as a dependent. Full-time students are covered until the first of the month following graduation or the first of the month following their 25th birthday, whichever occurs first.
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14. If I separate from PGCPS, when does my active coverage end? Your coverage will end on the last day of the month in which you separate from PGCPS or when you are no longer eligible for coverage under the plan. You will be offered the opportunity to continue your benefits through COBRA coverage.
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15. What is HIPAA? The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) protects you from being denied group health insurance coverage based solely on your health status. It also provides workers who change or lose jobs better access to health insurance; limits exclusions for pre-existing conditions; and guarantees renewability and availability of health coverage to small employers and individual members.
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16. Are my deductibles calendar year or fiscal year? The deductibles that you pay are based on the calendar year.
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17. What is the difference between the free-standing Optical Care Plan, and the Discount Vision Program which is included with my medical coverage? The free-standing Optical Care Plan pays a set dollar amount for covered optical care services from any provider. The “included” Discount Vision Program offers you a 25% discount on routine optical care services, if you use a network provider. The two programs may be coordinated.
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2. If I do not enroll in benefits within the 30-day enrollment period, what can I do? You will need to wait until Annual Open Enrollment or until you have a qualifying event/family status change during the plan year.
back to top
3. Can I change my coverage(s) during the plan year? If you have a qualifying event, which is a change in family status between the close of Open Enrollment and the beginning of the new plan year, you can make changes to your benefits within 30 days of the qualifying event. Otherwise, you must wait until the next Open Enrollment.
back to top
4. What is a “qualifying event” or “family status change”? A "qualifying event" or "family status change" allows you to make changes to your benefits during the plan year within 30 days. Following are examples of “qualifying events” or “family status changes”: Birth of a child, adoption or change in custody of child • Marriage, divorce or legal separation • Death of a spouse or child • Spouse’s involuntary loss of coverage • A dependent’s loss of eligibility (for example, your child gets married or is over the age of 19 and no longer a full-time student)
back to top
5. Can I change my beneficiary at any time? Yes, you can. You do not have to wait until Open Enrollment or a qualifying event.
back to top
6. If my life insurance is fully paid by PGCPS, why do I have to pay taxes for insurance in excess of $50,000? The value of Company-paid life insurance coverage in excess of $50,000 is considered by the IRS as taxable income to you.
back to top
7.When is Open Enrollment for health insurance? Annual Open Enrollment is held from mid August through mid September with a plan year of October 1 through September 30.
back to top
8. When is Open Enrollment for Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA’s)? Annual Open Enrollment is held from mid November through mid December with a plan year of January 1 through December 31. Current FSA participants who wish to continue to participate in the FSA plan must re-enroll by completing a FSA election form.
back to top
9. How do I change my Credit Union payroll deduction amount? You can change your Credit Union payroll deduction amount at any time by completing a Credit Union change form (that must be completed at the Credit Union), indicating the new dollar amount you would like to be deducted from your paycheck.
back to top
10. How do I change my Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) payroll deduction amount? Changes to your payroll deduction amount for TSA can be made at any time by contacting your TSA representative and completing a new Salary Reduction Agreement, indicating the new dollar amount you would like to be deducted from your paycheck.
back to top
11. What is the face value of my life insurance that PGCPS provides? In most instances, the face value is two times the annual salary rounded down to the nearest thousand.
back to top
12. Who does my family notify to collect life insurance benefits upon my death? Your family will contact the Benefits Administration Office. They will need a certified copy of the death certificate in order to submit a claim form for life insurance benefits.
back to top
13. My child is a dependent full-time student between the ages of 19 and 25. How long does his/her eligibility last at the end of the spring semester? The student maintains eligibility throughout the summer until the beginning of the fall semester, when full-time student status must be provided to maintain eligibility for coverage as a dependent. Full-time students are covered until the first of the month following graduation or the first of the month following their 25th birthday, whichever occurs first.
back to top
14. If I separate from PGCPS, when does my active coverage end? Your coverage will end on the last day of the month in which you separate from PGCPS or when you are no longer eligible for coverage under the plan. You will be offered the opportunity to continue your benefits through COBRA coverage.
back to top
15. What is HIPAA? The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) protects you from being denied group health insurance coverage based solely on your health status. It also provides workers who change or lose jobs better access to health insurance; limits exclusions for pre-existing conditions; and guarantees renewability and availability of health coverage to small employers and individual members.
back to top
16. Are my deductibles calendar year or fiscal year? The deductibles that you pay are based on the calendar year.
back to top
17. What is the difference between the free-standing Optical Care Plan, and the Discount Vision Program which is included with my medical coverage? The free-standing Optical Care Plan pays a set dollar amount for covered optical care services from any provider. The “included” Discount Vision Program offers you a 25% discount on routine optical care services, if you use a network provider. The two programs may be coordinated.
back to top