All regular full‐time employees are eligible for group health benefits. Full‐time employees, as defined under the Affordable Care Act, are employees who work an average of thirty (30) hours per week for more than one hundred‐twenty (120) days in one (1) year.

Full‐time employees will be enrolled, without cost, in the group health, dental and basic group life insurance programs. All coverage, which includes any voluntary and dependent coverage paid in full by employee, will begin on the first day of the calendar month following sixty (60) days from the date of hire. ¹⁾

1. Medical Insurance: Medical Insurance coverage for spouse and dependents of Full Time Employees and Part Time Employees with benefits is optional to the Employee, at a determined cost to the Employee, as established by the County for each insurance plan year.
   
   1. Retiree Medical Insurance:
      
      If vou are eligible for retiree benefits but not eligible for Medicare, Tanev Countv offers eligible retirees medical benefits at the retiree's cost, Medical insurance coverage for the retiring employee, as well as qualified dependents covered under the plan on the retirement date, will be offered coverage at the same cost offered to full-time employees, plus a two (2) percent convenience fee, Eligible retiree benefits are available beginning at age 49 and can last up through Medicare eligibility. To be eligible, Retirees must be at least age 49 and have at least 8 years of service with Taney County.
      
      When the covered retiree becomes eligible for Medicare, retiree coverage will no longer be available. Retiree covered dependents not yet eligible for Medicare will be offered the option of COBRA Continuation Coverage. ²⁾
      
      
2. Dental Insurance: Dental Insurance coverage for spouse and dependents of Full Time Employees and Part Time Employees with benefits is optional to the Employee, at a determined cost to the Employee, as established by the County for each insurance plan year.
   
   
3. Basic Life Insurance: Basic Life Insurance is life insurance that the County provides for the Employee. This coverage may change with each insurance plan year.
   
   
4. Optional Life Insurance: Optional Life Insurance is currently offered for the Employee; Employee’s Spouse; and Employee’s Children. The Employee is required to pay the premiums for Optional Life Insurance. Information regarding premiums for Optional Life Insurance will be in the Employee’s insurance packet. This coverage may change with each insurance plan year.
   
   
5. Short Term Disability: Short Term Disability is currently offered to the Employee. The Employee is required to pay the premiums for Short Term Disability. Information regarding premiums for Short Term Disability will be in the Employee’s insurance packet. This coverage may change with each insurance plan year.
   
   
6. Long Term Disability: The Employee is required to pay the premiums for Long Term Disability. Information regarding premiums for Long Term Disability will be in the Employee’s insurance packet. This coverage may change with each insurance plan year.

Full Time Employees and Part Time Employees working the required minimum number of hours or more per year will be enrolled as participating members of the appropriate local government retirement plans.

1. LAGERS: Full Time Employees and authorized Part Time Employees who are employed in positions normally requiring 1,000 hours of work per year will be enrolled in the LAGERS plan after six (6) months of employment. Whereas the Taney County Commission will continue to cover in LAGERS all Elected Officials that work over 1,000 hours per year, the Commission has voted to opt out of covering Part-Time Elected Officials who work less than 1,000 hours per year in LAGERS, pursuant to Missouri Statute 70,600 (10). An Employee will be vested in LAGERS after completing five (5) years of credited service. The County pays the entire cost of the LAGERS Plan.
   
   
2. CERF (County Employees’ Retirement Fund): The County Employees’ Retirement Fund was established by Senate Bill 579 effective August 28, 1994. On January 1, 1997, CERF began paying annuity payments to eligible retirees. Full Time Employees and authorized Part Time Employees who are employed in a position normally requiring 1,000 hours of work each year will be enrolled in the CERF plan upon employment.
   
   The following Employees are not eligible for Cerf:
   
   1. Circuit Clerks or any Deputy Circuit Clerks who are members of MOSERS
   2. Court Employees who are hired, fired, or whose work and responsibilities are controlled by a Circuit Judge or Associate Circuit Judge
   3. Election Employees – Directors and Employees of independent election boards
   4. Juvenile Services Personnel
   5. Extension Employees
   6. Prosecuting Attorneys
   7. Sheriff
      

An Employee must complete eight (8) years of credited service before being vested in CERF. Four percent (4%) of gross wages will be withheld as self-funding for an Employees retirement plan for all Employees hired after January 1, 2003. All funds paid in will be returned to the Employee by CERF if they leave County employment before vesting per CERF Policy.

Employees hired after February 25, 2002 will have four percent (4%) withheld from their paycheck pursuant to the CERF legislative change. If the Employee is not employed for eight (8) years, the Employee will be entitled to a refund from CERF.

If an Employee remains employed for eight (8) years, they will be considered vested and payments to CERF will go toward their retirement benefit per CERF guidelines. For further information regarding CERF, Employees may contact the Plan Administrator, Boone County National Bank, at 1-800-357-8557. ³⁾

Employees who are enrolled in the Health Insurance plan may take advantage of reducing their taxable income through utilization of the cafeteria plan. Additional insurance, such as Dental, Cancer, and Life may be available and premium amounts for these and dependent health insurance are deducted from gross income prior to income tax deductions.

Full-Time Employees may elect to participate in deferred compensation programs. The County does not participate monetarily in these programs. Interested Employees should contact The Benefits’ Coordinator to schedule an appointment with a representative. You are under no obligation to participate in these plans and should immediately report any harassment to Human Resources by any salesperson involved with said programs. ⁴⁾

Employees who are enrolled in the Health Insurance plan may take advantage of reducing their taxable income through the FLEX Spending Program. This is done by the Employee setting aside a designated amount into the plan per calendar year for dependent child-care and for medical expenses and/or dental expenses. Amounts that are set aside by the Employee are deducted from their gross income prior to income tax deductions.

When specific qualifying events occur, Employees and their Dependents who lose their Health or Dental benefits may elect COBRA Continuation Coverage for up to 18 months. Certain qualifying events may extend the length of time from 18 months to up to 29 months, or up to a maximum of 36 months. Premium payments for COBRA are the responsibility of the individual(s) electing COBRA Continuation Coverage. The individual will pay 100% of the total premium plus 2% administrative fee for a total of 102% of the insurance. All Employees will receive an “Initial COBRA General Notice” at the time they become eligible for the County’s Insurance Program. This notice explains their rights regarding COBRA, should a qualifying event occur. Individuals that lose coverage due to a qualifying event will receive information through the mail of their rights to continue coverage. This information is referred to as “Continuation of Coverage through COBRA”. COBRA is not a County benefit but is administered by the Internal Revenue Service.

The Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that covers different areas of insurance and privacy. HIPAA limits the release of Personal Health Information (PHI). Doctor’s offices, Hospitals, etc. will have every patient fill out a HIPAA Privacy Act form. In following the guidelines of HIPAA, Taney County will comply with the guidelines to only share Personal Health Information that is absolutely necessary for administrative purposes for our Employee’s insurance purposes.

In order to comply, the guidelines listed below will be followed:

1. Privacy Officer(s): The Privacy Officers are within the Human Resources Department; these are the current positions of Benefit’s Coordinator and Director of Human Resources.
2. Medical information will not be given out to anyone without a signed release from the Employee. (Release forms are in the Human Resources Department.) This information does not include and is not limited to information for purposes of requesting and obtaining group insurance coverage, work restrictions and filing of FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act), and Worker’s Compensation claims.
3. Taney County management (Supervisors and above) and the Human Resources Department will not disclose medical information about an Employee or an Employee’s family member without his/her signed consent.

What is “Medical Information”? Medical information is information Taney County would receive from a variety of sources concerning your personal health. Likely sources are you and/or a physician; however, it could include nurses, dentists, insurers, and family members.

How Medical Information may be Used or Disclosed: The most common use of medical information is in the payment of health care claims. Therefore, personal health information may be shared with our insurer(s) and/or claims payers. Medical providers may request information from us to assist in treatment plans. Retirement Plan Administrators may need specific information at times. Taney County may occasionally request providers, such as life insurance companies, other insurers, and certain other providers to give us rates or quotes on a particular type of coverage. They may use consultants or actuaries to whom medical information would be disclosed.

Three specific descriptions of how medical information might be used:

1. Treatment – a physician or hospital might inquire and receive information about you in planning a course of action for your medical problem
2. Payment – a third-party payer may use personal medical information related to your use of the health plan to determine whether you have met a deductible
3. Health-care operations – should the organization change insurers, a new set of data including your personal health information will be transmitted to the subsequent insurer

Taney County will use Protected Health Information only in the management of health care or other benefit programs. If Taney County is required to, and/or permitted to, make any other disclosure, or use of Protected Health Information, we will notify Employee of such.

If a state or federal law becomes effective or revised, and contains more stringent requirements, the County will follow the more stringent law.