PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 22, No. , Sept. 19, 2002

benefits briefs

Employees may ‘opt-out’ of state health insurance
Because of a recent amendment to the Group Insurance Act, full-time members of the State of Illinois Group Insurance Program may "opt-out" of the state health plan if they have other comprehensive health coverage. However, a state of Illinois employee cannot waive coverage and enroll as a dependent of a spouse who also is in the State of Illinois Group Insurance Program.

To opt-out of the state health insurance plan, full-time benefits-eligible employees must submit the appropriate application form along with proof of other comprehensive health insurance coverage to the Benefits Center by Sept. 30.

The next time employees will be able to "opt out" will be in May. Contact the Benefits Center at 333-3111 for an application. For more information, call the Benefits Response Line at (866) 669-4772 and select option #1 at the prompt to speak to a Benefits Center representative.

‘30-and-Out’ provision permanent
The "30-and-out" provision of the State Universities Retirement System – which allows a participant to retire, regardless of age, if he or she has 30 or more years of service – is now a permanent provision. Without the new law, employees would have needed 35 years of service to retire after the end of calendar year 2002. The signed bill, now Public Act 92-749, contains five provisions.

For more information, visit the SURS Web site at: www.surs.com/news/Features/feature.htm#thirtyandout.

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