WAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Flexible Benefits Program

What is a Flexible Benefits Plan?

A flexible benefits plan often consists of two components: a premium conversion plan and flexible spending accounts. Both plans are a result of Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, created in 1978 to make benefits more affordable.

Results: You pay for your benefits with pretax dollars, increasing your spendable income and making your benefits more affordable.

What are your Qualified Benefits?

Spending Accounts:

Medical Reimbursement - Allows you to pre-tax out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance plans.
Medical Reimbursement Maximum - $4,000/year

Dependent Care Reimbursement - Allows you to pre-tax expenses for dependent care.
Dependent Care Reimbursement Maximum - $5,000/year

You will need to re-sign for the Spending Accounts if you want them to continue next year.
IF YOU DO NOT RE-SIGN, YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL STOP EFFECTIVE
December 31, 2008

  • Colonial Insurance Programs
    • Pre-Tax:
      • Cancer 1000
      • Intensive Care
    • Post-Tax:
      • Disability - Educator Income Plan
      • Medical Bridge 3000
      • Term Life 1000
      • Universal Life 1000
      • Accident Care
      • Critical Illness
  • Vision Insurance - Superior (pre-tax)
  • Identity Theft Shield & Life Events Legal Plan - Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. (post-tax)

All insurance products will remain in effect unless you see a representative to change them.

Enrollment Period:
September 8, 2008 through November 21, 2008

Effective Dates:
January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

Qualifications:
You must be a full-time permanent employee (30 hours or more per week) or a classroom teacher in a job-sharing position, enrolled in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System of North Carolina, and be employed in that status on or prior to September 1, 2007 to be eligible to participate

Important Facts:

  • The plan year for Colonial Insurance products and Spending Accounts lasts from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. The plan year for Superior Vision and Pre-Paid Legal Identity Theft Shield and Life Events Legal Plan lasts from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

  • Deductions for Colonial Insurance products and Spending Accounts will begin January 2009. Deductions for Superior Vision and Pre-Paid Legal Identity Theft Shield and Life Events Legal Plan will begin January 2009

  • If signing up for any coverage on your spouse and/or children, please have their dates of birth and social security numbers available when meeting with the Flexible Benefits Plan Representative.

  • Elections made during this enrollment period CANNOT BE CHANGED AFTER THE ENROLLMENT PERIOD unless there is a family status change as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Examples of a family status change are: marriage, divorce, death of a spouse or child, birth or adoption of a child, termination or commencement of a spouse's employment, or the transition of spouse's employment from full-time to part-time or vice-versa.

  • Once a family status change has occurred, an employee has 30 days to notify the North Carolina Service Center at 1-888-662-7500 to request a change in elections.

  • Medical Reimbursement and Dependent Care Reimbursement expenses must be incurred during the Plan Year in order to be eligible for reimbursement.

  • An employee has 90 days after the plan year ends to submit claims for medical reimbursement and/or dependent care expenses that were incurred during the plan year. Please note that if employment terminates during the plan year, that employee's plan year ends the day employment ends. The employee has 90 days after the termination date to submit claims.

  • The Cancer, Critical Illness and Health Screening Rider on the Accident Care policies have a 30-day waiting period for new enrollees. Coverage, therefore, will not begin until February 1, 2009

  • An employee taking a leave of absence, other than under the Family & Medical Leave Act, may not be eligible to re-enter the Flexible Benefits Program until the next plan year. Please contact your Wake County Schools Benefit Administrator for more information.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING YOUR FLEX CONVENIENCE CARD

If you will be receiving a new debit card, whether you are a new participant or to replace your expired card, please be aware that it may take up to 30 days following your plan effective date for your card to arrive. Your card will be delivered by mail in a plain white envelope. During this time you may use manual claim forms for eligible expenses, available from your Flexible Benefits Plan Representative during the open enrollment period. Please note that your debit card is good through the expiration date printed on the card.

Important Information Concerning your Dental Insurance

If your dental premium is being pre-taxed under the Flexible Benefits Plan and you would like to make a change during the plan year, you will need to move the policy to post-tax status. Please see the following pages for more information on how to do this.

To enroll or make changes to your Flexible Benefits Plan, please see the representative while he/she is at your school or location

Copyright © 2007 Pierce Group Benefits, LLC. All Right Reserved.
This website highlights the voluntary benefits offered through your employer for the current plan year. This is neither an insurance contract nor a Summary Plan Description and only the actual policy provisions will prevail. All information in this booklet including premiums quoted is subject to change. All policy descriptions are for information purposes only. Your actual policies may be different than those in this booklet. Please meet with your Colonial Representative during the Open Enrollment Period to verify the information contained within this booklet as well as your own policy information.