Employee Death

Employee Death Benefit Choices & Considerations for Your Life Event If You’re an NCFlex Participant: Your family should contact your Health Benefits Representative (HBR) and payroll office within 30 days of your death. • Your family may be required to provide a copy of the certified death certificate to your HBR. • Any benefit expenses incurred prior to your date of death should be submitted to the vendors for payment or reimbursement. Life Events YOUR FAMILY’S BENEFIT DECISIONS FOR: STATE HEALTH PLAN In the event of your death, it may comfort you to know that your covered family members may elect to continue coverage under many of your bene t plans. The following chart lists considerations by bene t and action steps your family should take. CONSIDER THESE OPTIONS: • Surviving spouses and dependents are eligible to continue coverage under the Plan on a fully contributory basis. • Surviving spouses may enroll and cover their dependent children provided the spouse and children were enrolled at the time of the employee’s death and elect to continue coverage within 90 days of the employee’s death. • Coverage will terminate automatically as of the last day of the month of your death, provided there are adequate payroll deductions to cover the premium costs. • Covered family members may continue dental coverage under COBRA. TAKE THESE ACTIONS: Your HBR will complete and submit a Change Form on behalf of your surviving spouse and/or dependents. NCFLEX DENTAL Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. Continuation of Coverage: • COBRA enrollment materials will be sent to your home address. The cost is 102% of the monthly premium. Instructions on where to send payments will be included in the COBRA materials. Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. NCFLEX VISION CARE • Coverage will terminate automatically as of the last day of the month following your death, provided there are adequate payroll deductions to cover the premium costs. • Covered family members can continue vision care coverage under COBRA. Important Note: Continuation of Coverage: If you cancel your coverage, you will have to wait an additional two years before you re-enroll in the plan. • COBRA enrollment materials will be sent to your home address. The cost is 102% of the monthly premium. Instructions on where to send payments will be included in the COBRA materials. www.ncflex.org Employee Death A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER: FOR: NCFLEX CANCER Life Events Benefit Choices & Considerations for Your Life Event CONSIDER THESE OPTIONS: • Coverage will terminate automatically as of the last day of the month following your death, provided there are adequate payroll deductions to cover the premium costs. • Covered family members can continue cancer coverage under COBRA or convert the coverage. TAKE THESE ACTIONS: Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. • Review your life insurance needs periodically to assure that your family is adequately provided for in the event of your death. Think about their financial needs including burial expenses, estate taxes, mortgage payments, family living expenses, children’s education, outstanding debt, etc. You should plan to have enough life insurance coverage to provide for these expenses. Don’t count on AD&D insurance to meet part of that need, because your death may not result from an accident. Ensure your listed beneficiaries are correct. • Make sure your will and any power of attorney documents are up-todate. If you die without a will, federal and state government estate taxes can take a significant portion of the estate in taxes. • If you’re married and have dependent children, your will should address guardianship issues for your children and the assets you leave them, in the event both you and your spouse die. • Keep all of your important papers, including your will, guardianship documents, real estate deeds, power of attorney, and insurance policies in a safe, secure place and readily available. • Your family should contact the Social Security Administration or visit www.ssa.gov for information on benefits available to them. Continuation of Coverage: • COBRA enrollment materials will be sent to your home address. The cost is 102% of the monthly premium. Instructions on where to send payments will be included in the COBRA materials. • The benefit may be converted to an individual policy provided the application and premium are received within 31 days of your death. NCFLEX ACCIDENTAL DEATHAND DISMEMBERMENT AD&D NCFLEX GROUP TERM LIFE • Coverage will terminate automatically as of the date of your death. Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. Continuation of Coverage: • Coverage will terminate automatically as of the date of your death. • AD&D cannot be continued beyond the date of your death. • Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. • Death claim forms can be found at www.ncflex.org. Continuation of Coverage: NCFLEX HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT HCFSA • Contributions will stop upon notification of your date of death. • Group term life cannot be continued beyond the date of your death. Important Notes: • Your estate can submit allowable expenses incurred within the plan year and prior to your date of death against your remaining plan year election under the HCFSA. • A claim form with the supporting documentation is required along with a note on the claim form mentioning the date of death. • The NCFlex spending account administrator will process the claim and issue a reimbursement check payable to you. The executor of your estate should be able to endorse and deposit the check into your estate’s checking account. Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. Continuation of Coverage: • Your spouse and dependents can continue the HCFSA until the end of the plan year under COBRA. Enrollment materials will be sent to your home address. The cost is 102% of your monthly premium. 2 • Your family may be able to continue health coverage under COBRA for 36 months (until the end of the plan year for the HCFSA.) • If your family members do not continue coverage under the State Health Plan and instead elect medical coverage under your spouse’s employer plan, they should receive a HIPAA portability certificate from the State Health Plan. The HIPAA certificate will allow them to show they did not have a break in coverage of 63 days or more of consecutive coverage. FOR: NCFLEX DEPENDENT DAY CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT DDCFSA CONSIDER THESE OPTIONS: • Contributions will stop upon notification of your date of death. TAKE THESE ACTIONS: Your HBR is responsible for notifying the appropriate vendors by completing the Family/Employment Status Change Form or making this change online. Your family member’s signature is not required. Important Notes: • Your estate can submit allowable expenses incurred within the plan year and prior to your date of death against the remaining balance in your DDCFSA. • A claim form with the supporting documentation is required along with a note on the claim form mentioning the date of death. • The NCFlex spending account administrator will process the claim and issue a reimbursement check payable to you. The executor of your estate should be able to endorse and deposit the check into your estate’s checking account. Continuation of Coverage: • The DDCFSA cannot be continued beyond the date of your death. STATE RETIREMENT Important Note: Your dependents should remember to file for the Retirement System death benefit which may be in a lump sum amount of, up to $50,000. Benefits will be paid to the designated beneficiary(ies). 1. A family member or representative of the estate should contact the Retirement System at 1-877-627-3287 (toll free) or in Raleigh at 1-919-807-3050 to report the death and provide the Retirement System with a death certificate. 2. The State Retirement System will complete and submit to the State Health Plan an HM Form on behalf of the surviving spouse and dependents. www.ncflex.org 3 Employee Death Benefit Choices & Considerations for Your Life Event Life Events State Health Plan North Carolina Teachers’ and State Employees’ Comprehensive Major Medical Plan www.ncflex.org 4