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Open Enrollment - Health, Dental, Prescription Benefit Plans
The Open Enrollment period for employees eligible to participate in the State health, dental, and prescription benefit plans will be October 1, 2007 through October 31, 2007. During this period, full-time employees may either enroll for the first time, or change their health/dental plan. Employees may also choose to waive their health insurance coverage during this time, provided they have other health insurance coverage. All changes to coverage made during this open enrollment will be effective January 1, 2008.
How to Enroll or Make Changes to Existing Coverage
In order to enroll or change health/dental coverage, employees must complete a New Jersey State Health Benefits Application. To waive the health insurance, employees must complete a State Waiver form and the State Health Benefits Application. These forms are available in the Office of Human Resources, Administrative Services Building, room 101, and must be submitted by October 31, 2007.
Please note that there will be an additional Open Enrollment early in 2008. At that time, the new PPO plans and HMO plans will be defined. You may choose to wait until this special Open Enrollment period to change your health plan.
Special Note to Employees Covered under the FOP and PBA Labor Agreements
Current copayment and premium sharing arrangements will remain in effect for employees covered under the labor agreements listed above unless and until new contract negotiations establish different criteria for the sharing of health benefit costs. For most covered employees, the premium sharing arrangement of paying 5 percent of HMO premiums or 25 percent of the Traditional Plan premium remains in effect. Please note the following 2008 biweekly deductions for employees in the FOP and the PBA:
Health Plan Name Single Member/Spouse Family Parent/Child
Traditional Plan* $87.27 $186.78 $222.30 $128.90
NJ Plus $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Aetna Health $9.89 $21.84 $25.40 $14.60
AmeriHealth $10.29 $22.89 $26.66 $15.19
Cigna HealthCare $11.29 $24.63 $29.38 $16.95
Oxford Health Plan $9.47 $20.82 $24.61 $14.20
Health Net $9.91 $21.59 $26.21 $15.21
*Please be advised that all employees hired after July 1, 2003 are prohibited from enrolling in the Traditional Health Insurance Plan.
Dental Plan Changes – Four Dental Plans Will be Eliminated
As of January 1, 2008, the SHBP will terminate the participation of four Dental Plan Organizations (DPOs): Assurant Employee Benefits, Flagship Health Systems, Inc., Group Dental Health Administrators, Inc., and Dental Group of New Jersey, Inc. The plans that remain are as follows: Aetna Dental Expense, Aetna DMO, Atlantic Southern Dental, Cigna Dental, Community Dental, Horizon Dental, and Healthplex. DPO members who are affected by this termination must choose a new plan and return a SHBP Dental Plan Application to the Office of Human Resources by October 31, 2007. The new dental plan will become effective January 1, 2008. If you do not transfer to another plan you will be without dental coverage as of January 1, 2008.
Additional Information
Additional information on the health, prescription and dental insurances can be obtained from the Benefits section of the Human Resources’ website or by visiting the State Health Benefits’ home page at www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/shbp.htm. You can also call the Office of Human Resources at extension 3306 or 2283.
