Collin
County Community College District (Collin College)
Frequently Asked
Questions
About Insurance, Retirement, and Leave Benefits
INSURANCE
I am not eligible for the employee health insurance
plan. What can I do to get insurance?
To search for coverage online, you may try one of the following free services. (Collin College does not endorse these search services nor does Collin College endorse any individual health plan obtained using one of these services.)
v Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool: http://www.txhealthpool.com/
v BlueCross BlueShield individual policy: http://bcbstx.com
v http://www.4healthinsurance.com
v http://www.ehealthinsurance.com
Are pre-existing conditions
excluded from coverage under the health plan?
No. The health plans offered
do not deny coverage due to a pre-existing condition provided a person is
enrolled when initially eligible for coverage. However, disability income
coverage does have a pre-existing conditions limitation.
How soon does coverage start
for a new employee?
As of September 2003,
coverage for a new employee starts the first of the month following the
employee’s first 90 days. The new
employee has only 30 days from the date of hire to make insurance elections
such as adding dental or adding dependent coverage. After the initial eligibility
window, approval for coverage is not always guaranteed.
How soon does coverage start
for other enrollees?
The start date depends on the situation, but in most cases one of the
following applies:
A dependent added during an employee’s first 30 days
can be covered the first of the following month for optional coverages and the
first of the month after the employee’s first 90 days for health coverage.
If a newly acquired dependent is added within 30
days of initial eligibility, their coverage begins the first of the following
month.
A newborn or newly adopted
child have can have coverage from the date of birth or placement for adoption,
provided the employee adds the new dependent within 30 days of birth or
placement.
Most eligible summer enrollment changes are
effective the following September 1st.
Most changes made following a recent Qualifying Life
Event are effective the first of the month after the event.
How long does it take to
receive an insurance ID card?
Normally, the ID arrives at
your home address within three weeks of the effective date of coverage.
Do I have to select and
designate a Primary Care Physician (PCP)?
You are required to do so to
receive network benefits. You are strongly encouraged to make your PCP
designation right away in order to save yourself and your family a significant
amount of money. You can change your PCP at any time.
What happens if I see my PCP
when I am covered but before I have received my ID card?
It
is possible that your PCP will see you and collect only your co-payment.
However, because they are not required to charge you less than full charge
without proof of your coverage, you may have to pay for the visit in full and
file a claim for reimbursement. For other options, contact your insurance
company.
What
happens if I obtain a prescription drug when I am covered but before I have my
ID card?
In
most cases, you will have to pay full price for the prescription and file a
claim for reimbursement with your prescription drug administrator once you
receive your ID.
When
do I have to get a referral from my PCP?
When
you wish to see a specialist and receive network benefits. A few exceptions
apply:
For mental or behavioral health specialists, your insurance
plan has a special phone number and department to start the process for seeing
a network behavioral health provider.
You may go directly to a network eye specialist for
an annual eye exam.
Women may go directly to a network OB/GYN for any female-related
medical issue.
Can
I change my PCP?
Yes,
as often as once a month. Call your insurance company directly to make a
change.
Are
glasses or contacts covered?
Vision
coverage under the health plan is limited to an annual eye exam at the same co-payment
for a specialist office visit. Effective
May 2003, vision discount benefits were added to the benefits package and the
discounts include certain percentage discounts on glasses, contacts, and LASIK
obtained by a participating discount plan provider. See Vision Benefits
page for more details.
Am I required to enroll in
health insurance?
No. You can elect in writing
on or before your first day of hire to decline/waive health insurance coverage.
Otherwise, health coverage is automatic from the date of eligibility (the first
of the month after a 90-day waiting period) in an insurance-eligible position.
Effective September 2003, you can enroll in dental or other optional coverages
even if you decline/waive health coverage.
A new employee has only 30 days from the date of hire to make insurance
elections on optional coverages such as dental or to add dependents to such
coverages. A new employee may elect or
waive health coverage for employee only and/or dependents during the first 90
days of eligible employment.
When
can I make changes to my insurance?
Outside
of a new employee’s initial enrollment period, changes can only be made either
within 30 days of a qualifying life event or during summer enrollment. However,
past the initial new hire enrollment window, evidence of insurability or EOI
(proof of good health) is required for most coverage, and acceptance for
coverage is not guaranteed. Dental, AD&D, and TexFlex enrollment are
examples of true summer enrollment opportunities without the EOI approval
requirement—all other coverages require EOI approval, which is not guaranteed.
Who
is listed as my beneficiary for the free basic and/or optional term life
insurance through ERS?
ERS
mails an annual statement of benefits to your home mailing address on file with
them every December. Your beneficiary information is confirmed on this annual
statement. To check on your beneficiary designation, mail a written, signed
request with your social security number to ERS at
What
happens to my insurance if I go on a leave of absence without pay?
Options
depend upon the type of leave and the duration. If an employee does not
physically work at least one day in a particular month, the employee is
responsible for paying the state contribution to insurance plus his own
contribution, if any, unless approved Family Medical Leave (FML) applies to any
part of the month. An employee on an approved leave of absence without pay must
mail premium payments directly to ERS.
When
does my insurance end?
Insurance
ends on the last day of the last month in which an employee is physically at
work, provided the required premium for the month is paid.
How
do I qualify for retiree health insurance?
Current
RETIREMENT
Why
do I have to participate in either the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or
Optional Retirement Program (ORP)?
How
do I find out if I am in Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or the Optional
Retirement Program (ORP)?
Your
paycheck stub will indicate either TRS or the abbreviation of a name of an ORP
company with a deduction equal to either 6.4% (TRS) or 6.65% (ORP) of your
gross salary. TRS members had to complete a TRS-5 form at hire and receive an
annual statement of account from TRS.
ORP participants had to officially select an ORP vendor along with
completing other forms at the time of enrollment and should receive ORP company
statements from their ORP company on a quarterly basis.
How
much is the employee contribution to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS)? Is
there an employer contribution?
6.4%
of your gross salary. Yes, however, the employer contribution is a required
near-matching amount that helps fund the TRS trust fund and not the
participant's individual account specifically.
How
much is the employee contribution to the Optional Retirement Program
(ORP)? Is there an employer
contribution?
6.65%
of your gross salary. Yes, the employer contributes 6.0%; however, the employer
contributions are not the ORP participant's vested right unless/until the
employee contributes to ORP for at least a year and a day (13 months).
Can
I choose any company to invest with for the Optional Retirement Program
(ORP)? You may choose any company from
the list of Collin College-authorized ORP vendors.
Can
I contribute more to my retirement than the Teacher Retirement System/Optional
Retirement Program (TRS/ORP) allows?
Yes,
you can contribute more towards your retirement than the TRS or ORP percentage
allows on a tax-deferred basis through a voluntary Tax
Deferred Account (TDA).
What
is a Tax Deferred Account (TDA)?
A
TDA is a supplemental voluntary retirement savings account as allowed by
the provisions of the Internal Revenue Service Code (IRC) Section 403(b). A TDA allows an employee to set aside money tax-free in addition to the
Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or Optional Retirement Program (ORP) set
percentage amount. The TDA participant determines a monthly dollar amount
to defer from their gross salary, within IRS limits, and the company from
Collin College's authorized list to whom Collin College sends the money for
your account.
Can
I choose any company to invest with through a Tax
Deferred Account (TDA)?
You
may choose any company from the list of Collin College-authorized TDA
vendors.
What
type of plan is Teacher Retirement System (TRS)?
TRS
is an IRC Section 401(a) retirement pension plan.
What
type of plan is ORP?
ORP
is an IRC Section 403(b) retirement annuity or mutual fund investment plan.
Who
is eligible to choose the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) in lieu of the
Teacher Retirement System (TRS)?
Full-time
faculty, librarians, and certain administrators who have never been eligible
for ORP before in
When
am I “vested”?
Teacher
Retirement System (TRS) members:
Five years
Vesting in TRS means entitlement to a lifetime retirement
annuity income as a TRS retiree at a minimum age of 55 (or younger if years of service plus age equals 80 or more).
Optional Retirement Program
(ORP) members:
One year plus one day (13 months of contributions)
Vesting in ORP means entitlement to the employer ORP
contribution of 6.0% (including contributions made on your behalf prior to
vesting).
Can
I get into Teacher Retirement System (TRS) if I am in or have been in the
Optional Retirement Program (ORP)?
No,
unless prior to vesting in ORP, you change to a position that is ONLY eligible
for TRS.
Can
I get into the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) if I am in or have been in
Teacher Retirement System (TRS)?
No,
unless you become eligible for ORP for the first time in your career in
Who
is listed as my beneficiary for the death/survivor benefit options through my
Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or Optional Retirement Program (ORP) account?
TRS
mails an annual statement of account to your home mailing address on file with
them every October. Your beneficiary information is confirmed on this annual
statement. To check on your beneficiary designation at any time, mail a
written, signed request with your social security number to TRS at
How
do I qualify for retiree health insurance?
Current
LEAVE BENEFITS
When
can I use my accrued vacation time?
Staff
members who accrue vacation time may use earned vacation leave after completing
the 90-day probationary employment period.
I
have used up all my vacation but need more time off, so can I use my sick
leave?
Sick
leave is to be used ONLY for the following:
Illness of the employee; or
physician or dental appointments for the employee.
Illness of the employee’s
child or spouse where care of the child or spouse is necessary; or physician or
dental appointments for the employee’s child or spouse where care of the child
or spouse is necessary.
Do
I have to document my time worked and time off?
Non-exempt employees must complete a monthly Time
Sheet for any time off, whether with or without pay.
Exempt employees, such as full-time faculty, need
to complete an Application for Leave Form for time missed of four hours or
more, reported in four-hour increments.
A time sheet is not required from exempt employees.
ANY employee taking leave for Bereavement, Critical
Illness, Family/Medical Leave, Military Leave, or Jury Duty must complete an
Application for Leave Form and contact Human Resources for assistance with
documentation.
ANY employee who will be out more than five days
for a medical reason or who is hospitalized (such as following an ER visit) for
any period of time must contact Human Resources regarding appropriate
documentation.
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Employment . Insurance . ERS . TexFlex
. Retirement . TRS . 403(b)
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Copyright 2003-06 (Collin College)
Last reviewed or revised 09/2006