STATE HOLIDAYS

DATE	NAME
January 1	New Year's Day
The Third Monday of January	Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday and Robert E. Lee's Birthday
The Third Monday of February	Washington's Birthday
The Last Monday of April	Confederate Memorial Day
The Last Monday of May	National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' Birthday
July 4	Independence Day
The First Monday of September	Labor Day
November 11	Armistice or Veteran's Day
A day fixed by proclamation by the Governor of Mississippi as a day of Thanksgiving, which shall be fixed to correspond to the date proclaimed by the President of the United States	Thanksgiving Day
December 25	Christmas Day

Health Insurance Information

Open Enrollment Period for Active Employees

Each October during the annual open enrollment period, an employee may choose to elect coverage for himself and/or his eligible dependent(s). The coverage elected during open enrollment takes effect on January 1 of the following calendar year. An employee may choose either Base Coverage or Select Coverage during open enrollment.

SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIODS

An employee, dependent of a covered employee, or dependent of a COBRA participant who loses coverage under another health plan will be eligible to enroll for coverage in the Plan if the following apply:

• The employee declined coverage for himself or his dependents when first eligible because the employee or dependent was covered by other health insurance coverage; or the COBRA participant declined coverage for his dependent when first eligible because the dependent was covered by other health insurance coverage; and
• The employee or dependent lost other coverage as a result of any of the following qualifying events:

DIVORCE

• The employee or dependent is no longer eligible for coverage (Loss of coverage due to non-payment of premiums does not qualify);
• The employer ceased to contribute toward the cost of the other health plan, and it was terminated;
• The employee’s or dependent’s COBRA continuation has run out.

 

To enroll for coverage under these circumstances, an Application for Coverage form must be submitted within 60 days of losing coverage under the other plan and appropriate premiums must be paid. As part of the application process, proof of loss of coverage must be provided. If these requirements are met, coverage under the Plan will take effect the first day following the loss of other coverage. An enrollee adding coverage due to a special enrollment event may change coverage types (Base to Select, or Select to Base). There is no deductible or out-of-pocket credit if an enrollee changes coverage types during a calendar year.

LINK

Click here for the Mississippi State and School Employee’s Life and Health Insurance Plan Document

Cobra Information

What Are Cobra Benefits

Cobra (short for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986) is a federal law that allows for continuation of coverage under an employer's group health plan to covered persons (called "qualified beneficiaries") in the event of a qualifying event.

Who is a Qualified Beneficiary?

A qualified beneficiary is an individual who, on the day before the qualifying event, is covered under the Plan either as an employee, enrollee's dependent spouse, or enrollee's dependent child. A qualified beneficiary is also a child born to the employee, or who is placed for adoption with the employee during a period of COBRA continuation coverage.

What is a Qualifying Event?

A qualifying event is an occurrence which, but for the continuation coverage available under the Plan, would result in the loss of coverage for a qualified beneficiary.Under COBRA, qualifying events include the loss of coverage that otherwise would result due to:

• Termination of employment, for reasons other than gross misconduct
• Reduction in hours of employment
• Death of the enrollee
• Divorce or legal separation
• Entitlement to Medicare
• Loss of dependent eligibility

If the qualifying event is divorce, legal separation, or ineligibility of a dependent child, the employee or qualified beneficiary must notify the employee’s employer unit no later than 60 days after the qualifying event occurs; otherwise, continuation coverage may not be made available. Any other enrollee or his qualified beneficiary must notify BCBSMS no later than 60 days after the qualifying event occurs; otherwise, continuation coverage may not be made available.

Cobra Continuation Coverage Checklist

• A Cobra election form must be completed and returned to Blue Cross Blue Shield within 60 days of the date coverage ended or the date of the notice, whichever is later.
• The first premium payment must be made within 45 days from the date of election to continue coverage.
• The first payment must include all premiums due for the coverage periodbeginning with the COBRA coverage effective date through the current month.

Link

Click here for the full Health Insurance Plan Document