City of McAllen, TX » Employee Benefits » Open Enrollment 2009

Overview

Open Enrollment for the City of McAllen benefits plans will run from August 31 to September 30, 2009. There will be a number of significant improvements in City's insurance benefits program as a result of the City's work this year to ensure that employees continue to have access to quality health benefits at competitive prices in 2009.

During Open Enrollment 2009, you' ll be able to review the upcoming plan enrollments; discuss the plan benefits and changes for 2009; see the medical plan the new dental and vision plan and rates for 2009. In fact, there will be no increase in our medical dependent's premium and a slight decrease in premiums in the dental and vision premiums - a noteworthy accomplishment in this era of spiraling health care cost that continue to increase when many employers are cutting benefits.

For 2009, the Benefits Department will continue to offer enhanced health fair wellness programs to our employees. The City of McAllen remains committed to offering high quality health care as an important part of our total benefits compensation package.

Key Changes for 2009

A new no-cost, voluntary, health fair wellness program - featuring a well ness health preventive program - is available to all employees who are enrolled in the City 's health medical plan.

An improved 125 Cafeteria Plan which is an employee benefit program. The Plan is designed to take advantage of the Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Tax Code Cafeteria Plan allowing employees to pay certain qualified expenses such as health, dental, vision, insurance premiums on a pre-tax basis, thereby reducing their total taxable income and increasing their spendable take-home income. On an average, employees save from $0.25 to $0.49 for EVERY dollar they contribute to the FSA Flexible Spending Accounts. The FSA plans can be used toward Medical and Child Care, Dental and Vision out of pocket care expenses.

Actions You Can Take During Open Enrollment

• Enroll eligible family dependents in your health plan, or if haven't enrolled, you must enroll to participate in 2009.
• Add dental plan or if already enrolled, you must re-enroll to participate in 2009.
• Add vision plan or if already enrolled, you must re-enroll to participate in 2009.
• Enroll or re-enroll in the Flexible Spending Account and/or Flexible Dependent Care Account. Even if you are currently enrolled in these plans, you must re-enroll to participate in 2009.
• Enroll in the Disability Plan, or if already enrolled, you must re-enroll to participate in 2009.
• Enroll in the Supplemental Life Plan, or if already enrolled, you must re-enroll to participate in 2009
• Enroll in the Supplemental Ancillary Plan, or if already enrolled, you must re-enroll to participate in 2009.
• Opt out of your medical, dental, vision, disability, flexible spending accounts, supplemental life, supplemental ancillary plans, or enroll in a new plan if you previously opted out.
• Change participation in the Cafeteria Plan Program Tax Savings on Tax Insurance Premiums (TIP) program. You must re-enroll to participate each year unless you previously opt out. You will be required to select the benefit description and premiums in 2009.

Please see attached flyer for more details:
Open Enrollment 2009 Memo & Schedule