2024 Benefits FAQ
General | Domestic Partner | Medical | Pharmacy | Telehealth | Dental
HSA | Healthcare FSA | Dependent Care FSA | Commuter Benefits | Family Planning
Transgender Services | EWS | 401k Plan | New Hire | Transfers
You will need to provide your SSN, date of birth and address when enrolling yourself or anyone else that will be covered under your plan.
If you miss the open enrollment period, you will need to wait until the next open enrollment period in order to change or enroll in benefits unless you experience a Qualifying Life Event. These qualifying events include:
- Marriage
- Divorce or legal separation
- Birth or adoption
- Child reaches age limit
- Change in spousal employment status
- Death
If you have a qualifying life event, you can make mid-year changes to your benefits that are consistent with your life event as long as you complete your enrollment, which includes submitting appropriate documentation during your QLE window (than 31 days from the date of the event).
If you are enrolling a domestic partner, you affirm that you have met all eligibility requirements listed below for the previous 3 months:
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You have entered into a valid domestic partnership or a valid civil union recognized by state law, including same-sex and opposite-sex couples registered with any state or local government agency authorized to perform such regulations (any requirements for proof of relationship for domestic partnerships are also applied to marriages and domestic partner registry certificates are accepted as fully equivalent to marriage certificates); or
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You are domestic partners in accordance with all of the following criteria:
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You and your domestic partner share an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring;
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You and your domestic partner cohabitate and reside together in the same principal residence and intend to do so indefinitely;
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You and your domestic partner are not related by blood or a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which you legally reside (i.e. a parent or sibling is not an eligible domestic partner);
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You and your domestic partner are at least 18 years of age and mentally competent to contract;
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Neither you nor your domestic partner is currently married to or in a domestic partnership with another person under either statutory or common law;
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You and your domestic partner are not in this relationship solely for the purpose of obtaining benefits coverage; and
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You and your domestic partner are jointly responsible for each other’s common welfare and living expenses.
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- Under federal tax law, the portion of an insurance premium that your employer pays for your coverage is not taxed as income. Federal law treats benefits for spouses, children and certain dependents the same way. However, a domestic partner is not considered a spouse under federal law.
- If your employer pays for health insurance for your domestic partner or other beneficiary that are not legal spouses or dependents as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), they must calculate the estimated fair market value (FMV) of those health benefits and credit that amount to you as “imputed income” through payroll.
- For example, if the monthly premiums for self-only and self-plus-one coverage are $160 and $310, respectively, and the employee and one domestic partner are covered, the fair market value of the domestic partner's coverage would be $310 minus $160 or $150.
- Typically the full Associate paid monthly premium is withheld on a pre-tax basis; however, when covering a domestic partner, part of the premium is paid on a pre-tax basis and the rest is paid on an after-tax basis. Using the example figures above, the $160 portion to cover the Associate would be paid on a pre-tax basis, while the $150 portion would be paid on an after-tax basis.
HSA
- Your domestic partner can be enrolled on your High Deductible Health Plan as a qualified dependent.
- However, if you cannot claim your DP on your taxes – they are not eligible to have their expenses reimbursed through your HSA account.
- You cannot use FSA funds for your domestic partner's medical expenses because a domestic partner is not an IRS qualified dependent.
- Special enrollment rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) allow assoicates to add coverage mid-year for a new spouse, but not for a domestic partner (since no marriage has occurred).
- The HIPAA rule for a mid-year enrollment in the event a dependent losing his or her coverage under another plan does apply to domestic partners.
- As does the HIPAA rule to drop coverage mid-year in the event a dependent gains their own coverage under another plan (i.e. as a result of a new job).
- Log in to your enrollment portal to add your domestic partner as a dependent with the required information and complete the certification form.
- IRS regulations mandate that the value of the health care benefits are considered taxable income to HBC Associates. Contributions for the domestic partner and domestic partner's child(ren) will be deducted from your paycheck on an after-tax basis.
You should confirm that your provider participates in the Cigna Open Access Plus (OAP) network. To see if your provider is in the OAP network, log in to mycigna.com and click "Find a Doctor".
Once your Cigna coverage begins, you can log into myCigna.com and search for providers and services. MyCigna provides tools that let you compare the out-of-pocket costs of identical services at different providers before you receive the services.
At the time of care, you will need to provide your Cigna ID card to confirm coverage. The provider should then submit your claim expense to Cigna so the negotiated discount may be applied. Only after Cigna processes the claim would you generally be responsible for making payment to your provider based on your Explanation of Benefits and your bill. This applies for in-network providers only. Out-of-network providers may require payment at time of service since network discounts do not apply.
Eligible preventive care service are covered at 100% on all medical plan offerings when using an in-network provider.
Click here to see a list of preventive care services.
To learn more about preventive care, visit mycigna.com Understanding Preventive Care.
No. The Choice plan offers in-network benefits only.
No. If your spouse has coverage through Medicare you will not incur a spousal surcharge.
When you enroll, you are asked to officially certify that you and/or your dependents are not tobacco/nicotine users to receive the reduced rates. If it is determined that you were dishonest in your certification, you may be subject to disciplinary action up to or including termination of employment.
Geisinger Health Plan is available to all Associates in the Wilkes Barre Distribution Center location.
No, The HMO plans only offer in-network benefits only.
You can search for providers, facilities and more by clicking here.
Yes, if you enroll into the Geisinger CDHP Plus Plan you can participate in the HSA.
Yes, you can access and schedule a visit with telehealth through Teladoc by calling 800-275-6401. Teleadoc is available 24/7.
While you will be responsible to meet your deductible before your regular co-pays would begin, you could still receive a discount on the cost of the drug by billing it through your insurance. Therefore, when getting a prescription filled, you should always show your Cigna or Giesinger ID card, so the pharmacy can apply the discount to the overall amount due.
Yes. The prescription drug plan is the same for all medical plans. This was intentional so the prescription drug coverage didn’t complicate your decision.
Telehealth Connection offers a more convenient way of obtaining health care services – particularly when you can’t leave your home or office, or if you are traveling. In addition, it can save you money. To learn more, review the Cigna Virtual Care All Services Flyer.
Once you have completed your consultation, American Well and MDLIVE can even share any pertinent records with your medical provider upon your request and permission.
Cigna Telehealth Connection is available to all Associates who are enrolled in one of HBC’s medical plans, and all enrolled dependents. Associates not enrolled in an HBC medical plan are not eligible for Telehealth.
- If you’re considering the ER or urgent care for a non-emergency medical issue
- When your primary care physician is not available, or their office is closed
- At home, traveling, or at work
- 24/7/365, even holidays!
You can get the care you need - including most prescriptions - for a wide range of minor acute conditions including:
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Stomachache
- Fever
- Cold and Flu
- Allergies
- Rash
- Acne
- UTI
- and More
To locate a participating provider in the DHMO network, log onto www.cigna.com and select “Find a Doctor.” Then, click on the directory labeled “For plans offered through work or school.” Select the “Dentist” tab and enter your search location (city, state, or zip). Using the “Select a Plan” pull-down menu, if you are in the Core or Buy-Up dental plan, choose the ‘Total Care Cigna PPO’ network. If you are in the DHMO plan, choose the ‘Cigna Care DHMO’ network. If you are looking for a specific provider, enter the name. Finally, click the “Search” button to view your results.
If you elect the Buy-Up or Core dental plan, your network will be the “Total Care Cigna PPO” network. If you elect the DHMO plan, your network will be called “Dental Care DHMO.”
The coinsurance amounts listed in the DHMO brochure is the “Patient Coinsurance” -- the amount you would pay.
Dental coverage provides insurance up to the annual maximum. Once the plan has provided coverage or reimbursement up to the annual maximum, there is no further coverage available. You will, however, only be charged the negotiated discount rate for services in-network. The annual maximum is per covered individual, so even if one family member reaches their limit, another member is eligible up to their own limit.
Under the Buy-Up dental plan, there is no age limit. Both children and adults are eligible for the orthodontia benefit. Under the DHMO dental plan, orthodontia is covered for dependent children up to their 19th birthday.
No. You must also confirm if your provider participates in the PPO (Total Cigna Dental PPO) and/or DHMO (Cigna Dental Care) plans.
No. The spousal surcharge, if applicable, only applies to the medical plan participation.
An “HSA”, or Health Savings Account, is like a 401(k) for healthcare. This pre-tax benefit account, paired with your qualified high-deductible health plan, is used to pay for eligible out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses. You can earn interest on the money in your account and invest it so that it grows over time.
To qualify and be eligible to make contributions into an HSA, you must meet all of the following conditions:
- You must be enrolled in either the Choice or Choice Plus plan.
- You cannot be enrolled in another type of pre-tax healthcare benefit account, such as a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). This includes being enrolled in your spouse’s Healthcare FSA or HRA.
- You cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return.
- You are not entitled to benefits under Medicare.
For 2024, the annual contribution limits are: $4,150 for an individual HSA policy and $8,300 for a family HSA policy. Exception: If you are age 55 or older as of December 31, 2024, you may contribute an extra $1,000 as a catch-up deduction under both individual and family policy coverage for 2024. These limits are set by the IRS and may change year to year.
Yes. For the 2024 plan year, HBC is making up to the following contribution amount:
- Automatic deposit into your HSA if you enroll in the Choice Plus CDHP and Choice CDHP:
- Up to $250 lump sum – Associate only coverage
- Up to $500 lump sum – Associate + Spouse/DP; Associate + Child(ren); Family coverage
- Wellness Incentives: an additional HSA contribution is given if you are enrolled in the Choice or Choice Plus CDHP, and complete an annual physical exam and online Health Risk Assessment:
- Up to $250 – Associate only coverage
- Up to $500 – Associate + Spouse/DP; Associate + Child(ren); Family coverage and both you and your Spouse/DP complete wellness requirements
- The Wellness Incentive will be awarded on an individual basis (independent of Associate/Spouse requirement completion).
NOTE: Associates and/or spouses/domestic partners must complete a Health Assessment and an annual exam to be eligible for the Wellness Incentive. If you cover a spouse/domestic partner on an HBC medical plan, you can both complete the requirements on an individual basis to be eligible for the Wellness Incentive, independent of one another. HSA contributions are only available to Associates enrolled in one of the CDHP Plans. Wellness Incentive HSA contributions are available to Associates enrolled in any plan.
There are two ways to fund your HSA:
- Pre-Tax through automatic payroll deductions. As long as you elect the high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you will be given the option to contribute to your HSA as part of your benefits enrollment. Deductions will come out of your paycheck.
- Post-Tax through direct contributions. You can contribute additional funds directly to your HSA at any time, subject to the annual contribution maximum. While these contributions aren’t tax-free, they can be deducted on your tax return.
Yes. Generally, you are able to transfer or rollover funds from an HSA with another custodian to your current HSA at Optum Bank. You are limited to one rollover per 12 month period and the rollover must be deposited into another HSA account within 60-days of it being distributed from your other HSA account. For more information and step-by-step instructions regarding each process, click here.
The funds in your HSA must accumulate in your account before you can use them. You can easily monitor your balance on Optum's website and you should receive monthly statements as well.
Yes, you can contribute to your HSA as long as you are an eligible individual and have not enrolled in Medicare Part A, B, or D. Once you enroll in Medicare you may no longer contribute to your HSA.
For example, if you enroll in Medicare on July 21, you are no longer eligible to contribute to an HSA as of July 1. Your maximum contribution for that year would be for 6 months of that year (you were eligible the first six months of the year.) Remember to also include ½ of the catch-up amount for that year.
If you turn age 65 and are still working and are not enrolled in Medicare, you are still eligible to contribute to your HSA, including the catch-up amount.
Eligible individuals who are age 55 or over as of December 31, 2024 are allowed to make additional “catch-up” contributions to their HSAs. The catch-up contribution is set by the IRS on an annual basis and the current limit is $1,000.
Yes; however, the catch-up contribution cannot be combined and put into one HSA. Each person must open an HSA and put the catch-up amount into his/her own respective HSA account.
If you enroll in a qualified HDHP mid-year,* you may still elect the maximum annual contribution into your HSA. Your contributions will be spread out evenly amongst all remaining pay periods, through the remainder of the current plan year and you must remain enrolled until the end of the year in order to avoid potential tax issues.
*You need to enroll in a qualified HDHP prior to December 1.
- In general, you can use your HSA to pay for any qualified medical expense. Qualified medical expenses are defined by the IRS and include medical care, dental and vision care expenses, prescription drugs, and payments for long term care services and insurance.
- An HSA may reimburse certain types of insurance premiums, such as COBRA continuation, or any health insurance plan maintained while receiving unemployment compensation under federal or state law for the HSA holder or for his/her spouse or dependents. If you have an HSA and are age 65 or older (whether or not you’re entitled to Medicare), you may use your HSA to pay for any deductible health insurance, such as retiree medical coverage other than a Medicare supplemental policy.
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- See more about covered expenses HERE
Generally, you cannot treat insurance premiums as qualified medical expenses unless the premiums are for:
- Long-term care insurance, subject to IRS mandated limits based on age and adjusted annually.
- Healthcare continuation coverage (such as coverage under COBRA).
- Healthcare coverage while receiving unemployment compensation under federal or state law.
- Medicare and other healthcare coverage if you are 65 or older (other than premiums for a Medicare supplemental policy, such as Medigap).
For (2) and (3) above, your HSA can be used for your spouse or a dependent meeting the requirement for that type of coverage. For (4) above, if you, the account beneficiary, are not 65 years of age or older, Medicare premiums for coverage of your spouse or a dependent (who is 65 or older) generally are not considered a qualified medical expenses.
- See more about covered expenses HERE
Yes, you can withdraw funds from your HSA at any time. If you use your HSA funds for any reason other than to pay for a qualified medical expense, those funds will be taxed as ordinary income, and the IRS will impose a 20% penalty.
After you reach age 65 or if you become disabled, you can withdraw HSA funds, without penalty, but the amounts withdrawn will be taxable as ordinary income.
See more about withdrawing HSA funds without penalty HERE.
Yes, you can use your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses for your spouse and dependents, as long as their expenses are not otherwise reimbursed.
Yes. If an account beneficiary has reached age 65, premiums for Medicare Part D for the account beneficiary, the account beneficiary’s spouse, or the account beneficiary’s dependents are considered qualified medical expenses.
- See more about what is a qualifying expense HERE.
No, there is no spending limit for your HSA, and the entire balance can be carried over from year to year.
No, there is no limit for how much you can carry over from year to year in your HSA.
Yes, the law allows a one-time transfer of IRA assets to fund an HSA.
The amount transferred may not exceed the amount of one year’s contribution and individuals must be otherwise eligible to open an HSA. Transfers are not taxable as IRA distributions; however, amounts transferred into an HSA from an IRA are not deductible. IRS Publication 969 provides more information.
- See more about transferring assets from IRA to HSA HERE.
At or after age 65, you can withdraw your HSA funds for non-qualified expenses at any time, although they are subject to regular income tax. You can avoid paying taxes by continuing to use the funds for qualified medical expenses.
If you are age 65 or older, premiums for Medicare Part A, B, C or D, Medicare HMO, and employee premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance can be paid from an HSA.
- See more about withdrawing HSA funds at or after 65 HERE.
Yes, you and your spouse may both have an HSA. However, the contributions to both HSAs cannot exceed the annual family limit. The IRS regulations limit the total amount you both may contribute to your HSAs. For 2024, the annual family contribution limit is $8,300.
If your spouse has a traditional health insurance plan, such as a PPO or HMO, that provides individual coverage only, then yes, you are eligible to participate in an HSA, but only if you are enrolled in a high deductible health plan and your spouse doesn’t also have a Healthcare FSA or HRA that covers your healthcare expenses.
If your spouse has a traditional health insurance plan that provides family coverage, and you have not exempted from that coverage, then no, you are not eligible to participate in an HSA. However, if your spouse has a traditional health insurance plan that covers him/her and your children only, then you are eligible to participate in an HSA.
- See more at: https://www.irs.gov
If you leave HBC, you keep your HSA and all the money in it, but keep in mind that there may be nominal bank fees if you are no longer enrolled in your HSA through your employer.
Almost anyone can contribute to your HSA: you, your spouse, your employer, your family members. For example, if you enrolled in an HSA through your employer, both you, as the employee, and your employer may make contributions. Additionally, your spouse may contribute to your HSA on behalf of other family members (e.g., your children) as long as the other family members are covered under the high deductible health plan and are not otherwise insured.
HSA contributions in excess of the IRS annual contribution limits ($4,150 for individual coverage and $8,300 for family coverage for 2024) are not tax deductible and are generally subject to a 6% excise tax.
If you’ve contributed too much to your HSA this year, you can do one of two things:
- Remove the excess contributions and the net income attributable to the excess contribution before you file your federal income tax return (including extensions). You’ll pay income taxes on the excess removed from your HSA.
- Leave the excess contributions in your HSA and pay 6% excise tax on excess contributions. Next year you may want to consider contributing less than the annual limit to you HSA to make up for the excess contribution during the previous year.
- See more about HSA limits HERE
A Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, or “FSA,” is a pre-tax benefit account that you can use to pay for eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses that aren’t covered by your health insurance plan. The Limited Purpose FSA works the same as the Healthcare FSA, however, you are limited to reimbursement for dental and vision expenses only. You can only enroll in a Limited Purpose FSA if you are enrolled in one of the Cigna Choice or Choice Plus medical plans.
You decide how much to contribute to your Healthcare FSA each year, and funds are withdrawn automatically from each paycheck for deposit into your account before taxes are deducted. The total amount you elect to contribute to your Healthcare FSA each year is available on the first day of your plan year. The annual limit imposed each calendar year is mandated by the IRS.
- For 2024, Associates can incur expenses through March 15, 2025 and can submit claims for reimbursement up through June 15, 2025. Any remaining funds after this point would be forfeited.
- If you terminate from HBC before the plan year ends, your contributions would cease and your card would be turned off immediately. However, you may still submit receipts for reimbursement for any eligible expenses incurred up to your date of termination. Expenses must be submitted within 90 days of your date of termination.
- For the Healthcare and Limited Purpose FSA, if you have a positive balance, you may be eligible to continue participation through COBRA on an after tax basis. You will receive information in your COBRA election notice.
A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, or “FSA,” is a pre-tax benefit account used to pay for dependent care services while you are at work. The money you contribute to a Dependent Care FSA is not subject to payroll taxes, so you end up paying less in taxes and taking home more of your paycheck.
Under this type of account, a “dependent“ is a child under 13 years of age (until the day of their 13th birthday) and adult dependents who can’t take care of themselves. Please keep in mind that dependents must live with you and be claimed as dependents on your tax return. Please review the eligible expense list to see what’s covered under your Dependent Care FSA.
For 2024, Associates can incur expenses through December 31, 2024 and can submit claims for reimbursement up through June 15, 2025. Any remaining funds after this point would be forfeited.
If you terminate from HBC before the plan year ends, your contributions would cease and your card would be turned off immediately. However, you may still submit receipts for reimbursement for any eligible expenses incurred up to your date of termination. Expenses must be submitted within 90 days of your date of termination.
All Associates enrolled in a commuter benefit will pay for their commuter/transit/parking benefit through a debit card provided by WEX. You have the ability to decide how much (up to $315/month) that you would like to put on your debit card, to purchase or pay for your commuter or parking benefit.
- Enrollment for your commuter benefits is done by logging into the enrollment site.
- Elections must be made by the 10th of the month in order to receive funds on your debit card for the following month. You can keep your metro card (or other transit pass) until it expires and use your new debit card to load/purchase your pass for the following month. If you pay for your transit out of pocket, you can submit the expense to WEX for a reimbursement.
Any unused funds for the month, will carry over to the following month. Any unused funds at the end of the year, will carry over to the new year. Funds continue to roll forward until you terminate.
Commuter benefits work differently than a traditional FSA any unused commuter funds continue to roll over from year to year as long as you are an eligible active associate.
You will have ninety (90) days from your Employment Separation Date to submit any remaining expenses for reimbursement as long as they were incurred on or prior to your Separation Date. Any unused pre-tax funds will be forfeited since IRS regulations do not permit HBC to return pre-tax commuter funds to you. If you have additional questions or concerns regarding your commuter account, contact WEX at 1-800-498-8705.
Eligible Transit Expenses:
- Buses
- Trains & subways
- Ferries
- Vanpools
- Commuter highway vehicles
- Car Service Apps — uberPOOL and Lyft Line
Eligible Parking Expenses:
- Parking at or near your place of employment
- Parking at a location from which you commute to work
Ineligible Transit and Parking Expenses:
- Bridge tolls
- Highway tolls
- Expenses for someone other than you
- Gas / Fuel
- Mileage
- Taxis
- Uber and Lyft services not associated with uberPOOL and Lyft Line services
- Parking fees at your home
- Airport parking fees
- Business travel and other reimbursed expenses are also excluded from this benefit.
Cigna plans cover infertility up to a $10K lifetime benefit maximum. The maximum includes prescription infertility medications and services. This is for diagnosed infertility.
- Testing and treatment services performed in connection with an underlying medical condition.
- Testing performed specifically to determine the cause of infertility.
- Treatment and/or procedures performed specifically to restore fertility (e.g. procedures to correct an infertility condition).
Artificial Insemination, In-vitro, GIFT, ZIFT, etc.
When not clearly specified in the benefit plan, infertility is defined as ONE of the following:
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The inability of opposite-sex partners to achieve conception after at least one year of unprotected intercourse.
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The inability of opposite-sex partners to achieve conception after six months of unprotected intercourse when the female partner trying to conceive is age 35 or older.
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The inability of a woman, with or without an opposite-sex partner, to achieve conception after at least six trials of medically supervised artificial insemination over a one-year period.
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The inability of a woman, with or without an opposite-sex partner, after at least three trials of medically supervised artificial insemination over a six-month period of time when the female partner trying to conceive is age 35 or older.
In the absence of a diagnosis of infertility, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) services are considered not medically necessary.
HBC offers maternity, family planning and menopause support through Maven.
Maven Maternity provides resources and support for:
- Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
- Returning to Work
- Coping with Miscarriage and Loss
- Breast Milk Shipping with Maven Milk
- Preconception
- Fertility Treatment / Preservation
- Adoption and Surrogacy
- Mental Health
- Menopause Resources
- Personal Support
- Provider Recommendations
For more information visit www.mavenclinic.com.
Learn more about the Maven Fertility, Family Planning and Menopause benefit HERE.
HBC provides Associates with adoption, surrogacy and fertility financial assistance. Learn More.
Yes! Effective 1/1/2023, HBC will provide up to six (6) weeks of Paid Parental Leave to full-time salaried Associates following the birth of a child or the placement of a child due to an adoption or foster care. Please review the Paid Parental Leave Policy and Paid Parental Leave FAQ for more information.
Cigna: Your health plan provides coverage for medically necessary treatment, which may include:
- Gender reassignment surgery
- Chest surgery, including mastectomy and breast augmentation
- Hormone therapy
- Required lab testing to monitor prescribed hormone therapy
- Behavioral counseling
- Routine medical care
Cigna Transgender Standard Coverage FAQ
Cigna: Yes. Medically necessary treatment for an individual with gender dysphoria may include the following services:
- Behavioral health services, including but not limited to counseling for gender dysphoria and related psychiatric conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression)
- Hormonal therapy, including but not limited to androgens, anti-androgens, GnRH analogues, estrogens and progestin (prior authorization requirements may apply)
Find more resources for Cigna's transgender services HERE or call the 800 # on the back of your ID card
Cigna Transgender Standard Coverage FAQ
Cigna: Yes, as long as they meet the criteria on the coverage policy – Gender Reassignment Surgery.
Find more resources for Cigna's transgender services HERE or call the 800 # on the back of your ID card
Yes, as long as you meet the criteria on the attached coverage policy – Transgender Services with Standard Coverage FAQ Flyer.
Find more resources for Cigna's transgender services HERE or call the 800 # on the back of your ID card
Yes, voice modification surgery and voice therapy/voice lessons (voice communication therapy) are covered.
Find more resources for Cigna's transgender services HERE or call the 800 # on the back of your ID card
Yes. This includes Blepharoplasty, Rhinoplasty, Electrolysis, Facelift, Facial bone reduction (osteoplasty), & Hair removal.
Find more resources for Cigna's transgender services HERE or call the 800 # on the back of your ID card
You can access EWS services 24 hours a day by calling toll free 1-866-248-4094. The EWS services are provided to you at no additional cost. A specialist will help you identify the nature of your problem and the appropriate resources to address it. If you need financial or legal services, Optum will refer you to an expert in that field. If you want to see a clinician, Optum will match you with one in their network who has the appropriate experience to help.
For 24-hour, confidential access to your EWS benefit and tools to help you enhance your work, health, and life, simply visit www.liveandworkwell.com (Access Code: HBC). You can check your benefit information and submit online requests for services, search the online directory of clinicians, access information and resources for hundreds of everyday work and life issues in one of their many virtual help centers, and participate in interactive, customizable self-improvement programs. Any member of your household may access these online services, including dependents living away from home.
The EWS will never share your personal records with HBC, or anyone else, without your permission. All records, including medical information, referrals, and evaluations are kept strictly confidential in accordance with federal and state laws.
You become eligible for the plan the first of the month following age 21 and completing 3 months of continuous service. Newly hired Associates will be auto-enrolled in the plan after 3 months. Rehired Associates will be immediately eligible to enroll into the Plan.
Upon eligibility, you are automatically enrolled in the HBC 401(k) retirement savings plan at a defaulted contribution rate of 3%. Contributions are invested into an age-appropriate target date fund based on your age and an estimated retirement date on or near your 65th birthday.
Yes, you can opt out of the plan or make changes to your contribution rate and/or investment elections at any time by going online www.benefits.ml.com or by calling 1-888-335-8218.
Roth contributions are made on an after-tax basis. Roth contributions – along with their accumulated earnings – can be withdrawn tax-free from your account if they meet the qualified distribution requirements. Generally, Roth contributions are qualified if you are at least 59 ½ when you take the distribution and the first Roth dollar has been in your account for at least five (5) years.
Yes, the company does offer an employer matching contribution. You become eligible to receive the employer match the first of the month following age 21 and completing 1 year of service. A ‘year of service’ is a 12-consecutive month period, beginning on your date of hire, during which you work 1,000+ hours. If you fail to complete 1,000 hours during your initial 12 months of employment, you may still complete a ‘year of service’ by being credited with 1,000 hours during any subsequent plan year (January – December).
The HBC company match is discretionary and determined on an annual basis.
You are always 100% vested in your own contributions. You become vested in the employer match contributions upon completing 3 years of credited service. A year of credited service is defined by each calendar year (January – December) you completed 1,000+ hours of service.
You can call Bank of America Merrill at 1-888-335-8218 to speak to a representative about the investment options or you can access the information online by visiting www.benefits.ml.com.
Upon termination, your recurring payroll loan repayments will stop and you will need to set up ACH payments directly with Merrill, from a checking or savings account, to continue making loan repayments directly to your account. If you do not make timely payments, your loan could default and be considered taxable income.
Although you become eligible for most health and welfare benefit plans as of the first of the month following 30 days employment, you must enroll within 31 days from your date of hire.
Please note, it may take 5-10 business days from your date of hire for your information to be available in the enrollment system. If that is the case, you will have 31 days from the date your record is available to make your elections.
Click here to enroll in benefits.
Questions? Reach out to the HBC Service Center at 1-800-498-8705
Your health and welfare benefits under HBC would stop and you would need to enroll into Saks OFF 5TH benefits. Note, any accumulated deductibles and coinsurance would transfer as well, so you would not have to start them over. Your 401(k) benefit would remain the same, since Saks OFF 5TH Associates are covered under the HBC 401(k) Plan, your current elections and loans (if applicable) would stay intact.
Your health and welfare benefits under HBC would stop and you would need to enroll into SaksOFF5TH.com benefits. Note, any accumulated deductibles and coinsurance would transfer as well, so you would not have to start them over. You will no longer be eligible to participate in the HBC 401(k) Plan and would need to enroll into the SaksOFF5TH.com 401(k) Plan.
Your health and welfare benefits under HBC would stop and you would need to enroll into Saks Fifth Avenue benefits. Note, any accumulated deductibles and coinsurance would transfer as well, so you would not have to start them over. Your 401(k) benefit would remain the same, since Saks Fifth Avenue Associates are covered under the HBC 401(k) Plan, your current elections and loans (if applicable) would stay intact.
Your health and welfare benefits under HBC would stop and you would need to enroll into Saks.com benefits. Note, any accumulated deductibles and coinsurance would transfer as well, so you would not have to start them over. You will no longer be eligible to participate in the HBC 401(k) Plan and would need to enroll into the Saks.com 401(k) Plan.
Your current US benefits would end and you can enroll into benefits available in Canada as long as you have met their eligibility and waiting period.
Yes, you would be eligible to enroll in US benefits, with no waiting period.
Yes, you would retain your original date of hire for eligibility and service requirements.