The Georgia statement, Georgia. Merit System, Vol. 3, no. 2 (Apr. 2000)

The Georgia Statement

An informative quarterly of policies, trends and news of all agencies and employees in state government published by the Georgia Merit System

VOLUME 3, NO. 2

APRIL 2000

State Health Benefit Plan

Offers PPO Option

in place of Standard Option

With the rising costs of medical care for the some 560,000 people who are covered under the State Health Benefit Plan, the Department of Community Health made significant changes to keep the program sound. Overall medical costs have been increasing at a rate of 12.5 to 17% a year and premiums have not kept pace in spite of increases last year. In fact, the deficits exceeded 200 million dollars and the Governor devoted $253 million from the state surplus to shore up the plan. Double-digit medical cost increases have affected the benefit plans all over the country. Most employers no longer offer plans like the Standard and High Option (indemnity plans) in which 75% of SHBP members are enrolled. It became obvi-
Flexible Benefits insert .....3-5
Look for your You Decide Book soon

ous that to remain financially sound and to combat increasing costs and provide members quality care, the plan had to make some changes.
The employee cost for new PPO Option is $45.10 single and $131.72 for family coverage.
The new design is based on the Department of Community Health goals of maximizing the states purchasing power, and developing a focus on wellness.
The biggest change is that the Standard Option is being replaced with a Preferred Provider Organization Option.This is a network of doctors, hospitals and other providers that have agreed to offer quality medical care and services at discounted rates. This large network of providers includes 94% of the doctors currently providing services to Standard and High Option members. That means if you are currently in one of these programs, you will most likely find your physician in the PPO network. Also, over 90% of the hospitals in the state of Georgia are included in this network.
The Standard PPO Option provides many advantages of the indemnity-type plans, like the High and former Standard
continued on page 2

Commissioner Marjorie Young accepts the Governors Cup from Commissioner Michael Thurmond and Dianne Harnell Cohen, the Governors Deputy Chief of Staff

Charitable Contributions

Awards presented

Merit System wins coveted Governors Cup

Charitable Contributions coordinators from across Georgia gathered in the

Floyd Room atop the Floyd

Building across from the

capitol in Atlanta to celebrate

another successful Charitable

Contributions campaign. The

final total for the 1999-2000

campaign was a record

breaking

$2,728,480.

In a repeat of last year,

Skidaway Island Institute of

Oceanography and the

Georgia Merit System won

the Governors Cups, the

two top awards. These

winners have the highest

contribution per employee. The Governors Award categories for state agency

Four time Govenors Cup winner being accepted by William McChesney for Skidaway Institue of Oceanography from Commissioner Thurmond and Deputy Chief of Staff Cohen.

and university system has

three categoriesthe largest increase in contributions award went to

Georgia Tech and to the Department of Human Resources. The highest

level of employee participation awards went to Atlanta Metro College and

the Department of Administrative Services. The highest increase in percent

of participation awards went to Southwestern State University and Phoenix

Center CSB.

continued on page 2

page 2 The The Georgia Statementeorgia

Charitable continued from page 1
CommissionersAwards (state agencies and colleges/ universities grouped by employee population and given on the same basis as the Governors cups) were award as follows: for 1 to 100 employees the winners were the Employees Retirement System, Ga. Commission on Equal Opportunity; 101 to 500 employees the winners were Department of Banking and Finance, Department of Community Affairs, Board of Regents of the University of Georgia System, Savannah State University, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Dalton State College; 501 to 1000 employees there winners were Department of Education and Georgia College and State University; 1001 to 9000 employees the winners were the Department of Revenue and Georgia State University; 9001 and over the winner was the University of Georgia.
The Partnership for a Smog-Free Georgia kickoff meeting was held in March and with it begins the campaign to limit the amount of harmful emissions into metro Atlantas air. The ozone or smog season runs from May 1 til the end of September. Watch for announcements.
The Georgia Statement
Volume 3, Number 2
State Personnel Board
M. David Alalof, Chair Geri P. Thomas, Vice Chair Claybon J. Edwards, Member
Kip Plowman, Member
Georgia Merit System
Marjorie H. Young, Commissioner
Pat P. Hewatt, Editor
contributing artist Huey Theus
The Georgia Statement is published quarterly for state employees by the Commissioner's Office of the Georgia Merit System. If you wish to submit comments or need to correct a distribution problem/address, contact Pat Hewatt, Editor,Georgia Statement, 200 Piedmont Avenue, SE, Suite 504 West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334, or call 404/657-0360. If you have a disability and need this material in an alternative format, notify the Editor at the above listed address, or for TDD Relay Service only: 1-800-255-0056 (text telephone) or 1-800-255-0135 (voice).
The Georgia Merit System is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PPO continued from page 1

Option plans. When you need Choice Option are the

ible.

care, you may make the

same as for the Standard During Open Enroll-

decision to see a PPO net- PP0 Option, as are the ment you must make

work provider, including

benefits, other than the some decisions about

specialists. Or you may

ability to nominate

your health coverage.

choose to see any licensed providers. The cost for You need to read the

provider outside of the net- this option is $59.55 for State Health Plan

work, but if they are outside single coverage and

UPDATER that goes into

the network, your level of $158.47 for family

great detail about the

coverage will be reduced.

coverage.

new options. Any ques-

Your in-network coverage is If you choose to re-

tions you might have can

generally 90% and out-of- main in the High Option be answered at the Ben-

network coverage is generally Plan, your cost per

efit Fairs that will be

60%.

month will go up sig-

going on around the

In the Standard PPO Option, nificantly. The new high state. Or, you may call

the annual general deductible option premium will be your payroll/personnel

for an individual will be $300 $110 for single and

office or visit the Depart-

and for a family $900. If you $253 for family cover- ment of Community

elect this option you will pay age.

Health site at

$45.10 for individual cover- Prescriptions are cov- www.communityhealth.

age and $131.72 for family ered much the same as state.ga.us

coverage.

in the past. In the Stan-

For complete information on dard PPO and PPO all health plan changes and Choice Options, you pay options, read the State Health 10% of the allowed

Ask your personnel or

Benefit Plan UPDATER. Your lifetime benefit maxi-
mum has been increased to 2 million dollars. A Primary

amount after you have met the $300 deductible. You might remember that in the former Stan-

payroll office about the State Benefit

Care Physician or Specialist dard Option, you paid

Office or Clinic visit for

20%. Under the High

treatment of illness, injury or Option you will still pay

Health Plan video.

preventive care is 100%

10% after the deduct-

covered after a per visit copay of $20. Out-of-network providers are covered at

STATE EMPLOYEES DAYS @ 6 FLAGS Tickets Good Anytime in 2000

60% of the allowable amount for illness and injury subject to the deductible, but preventive care visits are not covered out-of-network.

Please send me _____ tickets to Six Flags for our special days at the special price of $19.00 ea.
(Allow at least 7 calendar days for processing and mailing.)
Sale ends May 31, 2000, but tickets are good

Some of the other covered anytime in the 2000 Season.

services include 100% cover-

age of preventive lab work and tests up to $500 per

Total Enclosed: $ __________

person per year and 90% coverage on lab and tests done in conjunction with

Name: ____________________________________________________

treatment of illness or injury. SSN: ______-____-_______

Hospital services and outpa- Address:

tient surgery are covered at

90% of the network rate.

City:

St: ______ Zip:

You may choose the PPO

Home /OfficePhone: _________________________

Choice Option that allows

Send order with check or money order and Stamped Envelope to:

you to nominate a provider to

State Employees Credit Union

be treated as in-network. The eligibility rules for the PPO

130 Memorial Dr., SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 656-3748 Toll Free: 1-800-659-7328

page 7

he The Georgia Statement

page 3

Deferred Compensation investment plans

offers new fund choices $30 a month can get you

Because investment markets and the finan-

Extended Market Index Fund, which seeks to replicate the Wilshire 4500 Index an

started in Deferred

cial services arena have index of all U.S. common stocks that are not changed so rapidly in part of the S & P 500; and

Compensation

recent years, the Merit Fidelity Spartan International Index Fund,

System recognizes the importance of constantly trying to improve benefits offered to state employees. In November the Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee was formed. It is made up of representatives from several departments and agencies of

which seeks to replicate the Morgan Stanley Capital International, Australian and Far East Index known as EAFE.
The investment lineup offers a broad range of individual funds from which to choose as well as three model portfolios for those investors who want to have a diverse portfolio, but arent sure which individual funds to choose. The Model Portfolios are: Conservative Growth (low risk), Moderate Growth (moderate risk)

Deferred Compensation investing is an excellent way to help you build financial security for retirement above and beyond your basic pension plan. Because your contributions and earnings are tax-deferred, you gain significant advantages over conventional after-tax savings plans---and it takes as little as $30 a month to get started. Remember you can sign up for Deferred Compensation at any time during the year. Contact your personnel or payroll office to sign up for before-tax deductions. Visit our WEB site at www.state.ga.us/employee/ deferred.asp for more information about Deferred Compensation and the investment options offered.

state government. Along and Aggressive Growth (higher risk.) All

with Merit System staff of the investment options are listed in the

and investment consult- chart below with the new options shown

ants, the Committee

in italics.

researched and evaluated numerous mutual funds and recommended adding several options, bringing the total available for investment to nineteen.

Participants should obtain a prospectus and review funds in detail before making investment decisions. A prospectus is neither required nor available for the Fixed Income Option and the three Model Portfolios.

You can access your acount at anytime over the phone or via the internet at www. state.ga.us/employee/deferred.asp If you need assistance, please contact Great-West at 1-800-701-8255 or Georgia Merit System
Deferred Compensation Administrative staff

New choices:

at 1-800-331-7180

Harbor Capitol

Appreciation Fund

investing in large

growth

companies;

Euro Pacific Growth

Fund investing in

large international

companies;

Columbia Real Estate

Equity Fund, invest-

ing primarily in real

estate investment

trusts (REITS),

which own office

buildings, industrial

properties, apart-

ments; etc;

Ariel Fund investing

in small companies;

Fidelity Spartan

page 8

The Georgia Statement

Magic Kingdom Membership GeorgiaGain
Survey Update

FlexTrans another pre-tax benefit

Sometime within the next few weeks, you may receive a questionnaire from Commissioner Marjorie Young of the Georgia Merit System. If so, you will be one of the 5% of state employees randomly selected to provide feedback about the effects of two very important state initiatives: GeorgiaGain and the Georgia Civil Service Reform Act (Act 816). Responses to the questionnaire will be very useful in efforts to better understand the impact of both of these major human resources initiatives. State employees are encouraged to be frank and prompt in responding. In an attempt to get reliable and honest information, the survey has been designed such that responses cannot be traced to individual survey participants.

offered by the Georgia Merit System
Statistics reveal there are more commuters on the roads today than any other time in history and the need to improve the quality of air and conserve energy by reducing traffic congestion has become an integral part of maintaining a health environment. To help with these challenges, legislation known as Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits was introduced under Section 132 of the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers to offer their employees qualified transportation and parking benefits.
The Georgia Merit System wants to take an active part in promoting healthy environmental conditions and provide State employees with the cost savings benefit offered under this legislation. Beginning in early summer, your State of Georgia payroll deduction for vanpool, MARTA Transcard, or parking will automatically be taken on a pre-tax basis. Visit our web site at www.gms.state.ga.us to learn more about FlexTrans.
Governor Roy Barnes Mentor/ Protege Iniative created

Renaissance Festival
Spring Festival Special for State Employees
Saturdays and Sundays April 29 -June 11, Memorial Day - May 31 10:30 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Adult tickets: $10.50 Children 6-12: $5.00 Children under 6 free
Send a self addressed, stamped envelope and check or money order payable to: State Personnel Council P.O.Box 47206

The Governors Proteges initiative was created to assist entrepreneurs in becoming effective and successful in todays highly competetive business climate. Recognizing that technology and sophisticated business solutions drive todays business leaders, this programs aim is to facilitate teaming among successful large enterprises and growing smaller enterprises. The odds for success increase dramatically when those with proven competiencies

are teamed with those desiring to learn. This pilot initiative will provide small businesses the tools and techniques to bid successfully on state contracts, secure additional venture capital, and identify strategies for overcoming slow growth. For more information, call 404463-0696 or email, www.gagovernor.org/ mentor.protege

Deadline for ordering tickets is June 2, 2000

White Water
Specials
Sponsored by the State Personnel Council
Sponsored by the State Personnel council
Discount prices on all advanced tickets..........$17.50 (children under 3 admitted free) Mail order, payment and self addressed, stamped envelope to: State Personnel Council - P.O.Box 347206 - Atlanta, GA 30334