KingCare Select members: Choose your Primary Care Provider
A Primary Care Provider (PCP) can make a big difference in your health by delivering continuity of care. This means you and your PCP establish a partnership over time to achieve the best possible health outcomes. Next year, if you are enrolled in the KingCare Select medical plan, you must choose a PCP and let Regence know who you selected by calling them at 888-367-2112, visiting regence.com/pick-a-pcp, or emailing cs@regence.com. If you’re not sure which medical plan you are enrolled in, check your medical ID card or login to PeopleSoft and go to the… Read More
Get the most from your King County employee benefits
Open Enrollment for 2022 benefits continues until Friday, Nov. 15. Get the most out of your robust King County employee benefits package by finding out what’s offered in 2022 and by participating in Open Enrollment. Attend a virtual information session: Learn about the 2022 benefit changes and get your questions answered at live information sessions hosted by the Benefits Team. This event is offered on a variety of days and times to accommodate your schedules. Register here: Open Enrollment Education Session or here: Transit Open Enrollment Education session Watch an Open Enrollment… Read More
Open Enrollment begins Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 15
Make the most of your robust King County employee benefits package by making informed decisions for next year during Open Enrollment, Nov. 1 – 15. Here’s how you can learn more: See what’s changing next year. Register for an Open Enrollment information session. Watch the Open Enrollment Overview. Review how to use the PeopleSoft Open Enrollment tool by watching the Completing Open Enrollment with PeopleSoft video or reading the Open Enrollment PeopleSoft Guide. Go to the Open Enrollment page. When you are ready, Go to Open Enrollment to log in from Nov. 1… Read More
Look for Open Enrollment information
Check your home mailbox for important benefits and Open Enrollment information mailed recently to the address you have listed in PeopleSoft. Open Enrollment takes place Nov. 1 – 15 and is your opportunity to: Change medical plans—Check plan quality and performance scores and use the Plan Comparison Charts and other resources on the Medical plans page to evaluate your options. Consider whether Kaiser SmartCare or KingCare Select (Regence) makes sense for your family. These plans will likely save you money, with lower deductibles, copays, and Benefit Access Fees. The Washington Health Alliance’s… Read More
Day Care FSA limits increased; enrollment and changes allowed in May
With the recent passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), you are now able to contribute up to $10,500—pre-tax—into your 2021 Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). For this year only, if you are currently enrolled, you can contribute up to $10,500 to your Day Care FSA, or $5,250 if married and filing separately. (Normally, per year, you can contribute up to $5,000 per household or $2,500 if married, filling separately.) This means you can save up to an additional $1,650 at tax time. In addition, during May 2021,… Read More
Unlimited FSA carryovers now allowed
New legislation provides relief to employees who may not have been able to use all of their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds during the pandemic. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 COVID-19 relief bill signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, allows a temporary change to FSAs to help employees avoid losing funds. If you have a Health Care or Dependent Day Care FSA, any unused funds in your FSA account from last year will be rolled over and available for use this year. The rollover of funds from 2020 to 2021 will happen automatically… Read More
COVID-19 Child Care Reimbursement Program now available
A new temporary program will provide $500 to $5,000 tax-free to those in the Regular Employee Benefits Group to reimburse them for child care provided during the 2020/2021 school year. The COVID-19 Child Care Reimbursement Program was created by King County management and unions in the Joint Labor Management Insurance Committee (JLMIC) in response to the overwhelming impacts of COVID-19 on working parents. It is funded with $9M from the Protected Fund Reserve of the JLMIC. Who can participate? If you are enrolled in the Regular Employee Benefits Plan, you can be… Read More
In January, eligible PERS 2 members can switch to PERS 3
Each January, certain members of Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 have the opportunity to transfer to PERS Plan 3. You are eligible to transfer to Plan 3 if you meet all of the following criteria: You enrolled in PERS Plan 2 before Sept. 1, 2002. You are currently in an eligible position. You will earn service credit in January. Here’s how to switch: Use the resources on the DRS website to help you decide if transferring to Plan 3 is right for you. Complete a DRS Member Transfer Form and return it by email to kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov or by… Read More
Your vision benefits don’t expire at year-end
If you’re panicking because your regular vision provider has been closed or is booked solid during the long COVID-19 pandemic, fear not; your vision benefits, through Vision Service Plan (VSP), make it easy for you to get the eye care you need. And best of all… vision benefits are calculated on a rolling 12-24 month period, as follows, meaning you don’t need to rush out before year-end. *Allowance for Regular and Transit ATU 587 employee benefit group is $200, allowance for all other benefit groups is $130. You may use any eye… Read More
Have you delayed routine dental care?
If you haven’t had a preventive dental check-up this year because of concerns about the coronavirus or difficulty scheduling an appointment, don’t worry—your dental plan incentive level will not be impacted. Under the Delta Dental plan design, diagnostic and preventive care—such as exams, cleanings, and x-rays—are 100% covered for those in the Regular or Transit ATU 587 employee benefit groups. An incentive program applies to crowns and restorative services, including fillings, endodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery. For those in the Deputy Sheriff employee benefit group, the incentive program also applies to diagnostic… Read More
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