HEALTH, DENTAL and VISION INSURANCE

 

All of the City’s health and dental benefits are provided through Midwest Public Risk (MPR). Gardner currently offers a choice between four plans.  There are two PPO plans. Plan B and the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP).  Claims and Benefits for both PPO plans are administrated by Cigna. This is an Open Access Plus Network and you may find more information on www.cigna.com.  The City continues to offer two HMO plans, HMO Option 1 and HMO Option 2.  Humana will continue to administer the HMO Program. Effective this plan year, the HMO Program will be open access to physicians.  This means participants will no longer be required to select a primary care physician (PCP) or seek referrals to specialists.  The network is still HMO Premier.  Additional information can be found at www.mymprhealthplan.org.

The City pays $392.00 towards individual coverage, $727.55 towards employee plus Spouse OR Children (TIER II) coverage, and $861.95 towards Family coverage.  Employees who enroll in the High Deductible Plan (HDHP) have funding provided by the City into their Health Savings Accounts (HSA). 

The City’s contribution to each employee’s Health Savings Account:

• Individual coverage - $500 (up front 1x contribution)
• Family and Tier II coverage - $1,000 (up front 1x contribution)
• Employees hired after open enrollment during 2013 receive $500 (up front 1x contribution)

Vision insurance is provided by VSP.  The City pays $7.54 towards individual vision coverage, $12.06 towards Tier II coverage, and $17.23 towards Family coverage.

Dental insurance is provided by Delta Dental of Kansas.  The employee pays 100% of the dental premiums.

Employees are eligible for coverage the first day of the month coinciding with or immediately following their employment date.  If they waive coverage at this time, they will again be eligible for coverage only:

• During open enrollment for an effective date of July 1 of each year
• Loss of current coverage due to a qualifying event

Employee premium costs for the various plans are as follows:

 

FLEXIBLE SPENDING PLAN

 

The Flexible Spending Plan includes the medical account which allows employees to make pre­tax deductions for qualified unreimbursed medical and dental costs and the dependent care account which allows employees to make pre-tax deductions for qualified dependent care costs. The City pays 100% of the administrative costs. Employees choose their payroll deduction up to a maximum of $5,000 per year for unreimbursed medical expenses and $5,000 per year for dependent care expenses.  The plan is administered by Secure Benefits Systems.

 

 

RETIREMENT

 

The City's retirement benefits are provided through the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) or Kansas Police and Fire Retirement System (KPF).

KPERS is a mandatory retirement plan administered by the State of Kansas. All employees working in covered positions EXCEPT those employees working as commissioned Police Officers, including individuals in all other full-time and regular part-time positions of the City who meet the KPERS membership requirements, are required to participate. Participation begins on the first day of employment.

KPERS is a defined benefit pension plan. Monthly retirement benefit is based on final average salary and years of service. Vesting time for retirement is 5 years. Normal retirement age is 65. Employees contribute 4% or 6% of their gross salary depending on Tier I or II enrollment and previous KPERS status.  The City contributes a percentage that is legislated annually by the State of Kansas.

KP&F is a mandatory retirement plan administered by the State of Kansas. All employees working in positions as commissioned Police Officers, including individuals in full-time and regular part-time positions of the City who meet the membership requirements, are required to participate. Participation begins on the first day of employment.

There is an administration fee. The employee chooses his/her payroll deduction amount not to exceed the maximum allowed by law per year. The City will make contributions for those employees working in KPERS covered positions, including individuals in all full-time and regular part-time positions except those covered under the KP&F system, who meet the membership requirements based on the following employee contributions:

• KPERS participating employees.
• The employee contributes 1% of their gross salary. The City contributes 1%.

Disability benefits are provided through KPERS. An employee must be member of the KPERS or KP&F Retirement Program to be eligible. The cost is included in the employer's contribution mentioned under the KPERS Retirement Plan benefit.  Employees are able to purchase short-term/long-term disability coverage thru the City’s supplemental insurance provider.

 

 

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE

 

The City offers an employee assistance program through New Directions Employee Assistance Program that is contracted through Midwest Public Risk (MPR).  The City pays 100% of the cost.

 

 

LIFE INSURANCE

 

The City provides fifteen thousand ($15,000) of group term life and accidental death insurance. Optional spouse/dependent child coverage is available. All full-time and regular part-time employees are eligible to participate. The waiting period ends on the first day of the month coinciding with or following the date of employment. The City pays 100% of the premium for the employee. Optional coverage for spouse and/or dependent child(ren) is funded 100% by employee.

 

RECREATION DISCOUNT

 

All full-time and regular part-time employees and their immediate family members who live at home will receive swimming pool passes.

 

 

PAYROLL SAVINGS

 

Employees are eligible for membership in the Mainstreet Credit Union (formerly Credit Union of Johnson County). Each employee who requests deductions made from his/her salary to be deposited with the Mainstreet Credit Unionmust request so in writing. The City has no responsibility for liability for the deposits once they are made with the Credit Union.

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE, ACCIDENT AND DISABILITY INSURANCE

 

Employees are eligible for membership in a group employee's accident, cancer, critical illness, life and disability insurance plans with Colonial Life Insurance Company. The City will, upon written request of the employee, make deductions from the salary of that employee for group insurance with Colonial Life Insurance Company.

 

 

DIRECT DEPOSIT

 

Employees are eligible to participate in the city's direct deposit program. The direct deposit program enables the deposit of all or a portion of an employee's net pay to be made in the employee's choice of financial institution(s). Employees may split the amount of their direct deposit into a maximum of five (5) accounts. The deposit is accomplished through an electronic funds transfer and is available in the employee's designated account(s) on the morning of the normal payday.