MU Extension
County Secretary Health Benefit
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Introduction
Plan Administration
Plan Design
Eligibility
Extension Subsidy
Enrollment
Withholdings
Each County as Its Own Entity
Billing Procedures
Contact Information
Introduction
The MU Extension County Office Secretary Health Benefit Plan is the result of several years of effort by staff,
councils, commissions, university administration and members of the Missouri legislature.
Plan Administration
Health coverage will be offered through an employer-provided health plan. Historically, employer-provided
health care has been with Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP). MCHCP is the state-authorized
organization that provides coverage for most state employees, and for many other public employers. Effective
January 1, 2011, employer-provided health care plans may be with any health care provider, including county
government health plans.
Plan design
To provide the maximum flexibility for types of coverages that a given county extension council might prefer for
its staff, each county extension council will enroll with a health provider as the employer, and will be involved
with staff in selecting preferred coverages.
For example, the health care provider may offer dental, vision and employee assistance plans in addition to the
health plan. A county extension council may offer these additional plans to staff through funding provided by
the county extension council, staff members or some combination thereof (each plan has specific funding
guidelines). A county extension council might also want to offer coverages to part-time (less than ¾ time, or
less than 30 hours per week) staff. MU Extension funds will not be available to fund these additional coverages.
The health care provider will bill all plan costs to each council on a monthly basis. The full premium of the
employee's health plan and any additional coverages a council has offered to its staff will be paid by the
council. County extension councils will receive an extension subsidy to apply toward the medical plan on a
quarterly basis.
There is no required contribution from the county extension council to the cost of health insurance if the
extension subsidy covers the required employer portion of the employee only medical premium offered to
secretaries or program office support staff working 3/4 time, or more (30 or more hours per week). (MCHCP
requires entities to cover 50% of the employee only medical premium.)
County extension councils are, however, agreeing by virtue of their employee's enrollment in an employerprovided health plan to ensure that appropriate deductions are made from their employee's paychecks to cover
the employee's share of monthly premiums.
Eligibility
MU Extension, state funded, support for health plan premiums will be provided for county office secretaries, or
locally paid staff whose primary duties consist of program office support for Extension program staff. Individuals
must be regularly working at least ¾ time (.75 FTE), or 30 hours per week. This support (subsidy) is intended to
provide reasonably affordable health care coverage to the individuals employed by the council, within the
constraints of available funds.
Each County Extension Council is responsible for direct notification to the health provider and the MU
Extension Plan Administrator of any changes in coverage, terminations, or new hires to assure that coverages
and charges are correct.
Extension subsidy
Effective January 1, 2011, the extension subsidy for employer provided health insurance will be a flat rate
based upon the current budget. The extension subsidy is based on the employee only rate premium and will
be provided on a quarterly basis to county extension councils upon receipt of a Medical/Health Insurance
Verification (see forms page). The subsidy may be adjusted due to terminations, new hires, etc.
1.
If the employee-only health care premium is less than the flat subsidy, the subsidy will be
adjusted accordingly.
2.
There will be no double-dipping in government funds. If any part of the total health premium is
paid by county government (not the county extension council), the subsidy will be adjusted
accordingly.
Subsidies for .75 FTE employees
Consistent with University of Missouri policy, only employees who work three-quarter-time (.75 FTE) and
above are eligible for subsidized medical benefits from MU Extension.
Split-funded employees
Individuals who are funded 50 percent by a county extension council and 50 percent by the university are
provided benefits as a full-time secretary.
Retired staff
Staff members that retire after the start of the plan are able to qualify to continue coverage with the health
care provider, as they would have an existing pension plan in effect. Retirees are required to pay 100
percent of premiums directly to the health care provider.
Existing contract employees
County extension councils that have secretarial contracts with UM are grandfathered in and maintain
existing health benefits. Present cases are subsidized for health costs. No new contracts between county
extension councils and UM will be initiated for secretarial payroll.
Enrollment
Counties should contact the health care provider (for employer-provided health insurance) of their choice for
complete benefit and enrollment information.
If coverage changes occur during the year, the health care provider and MU Extension Plan Administrator
should be notified as soon as possible about the coverage change.
Withholdings
For eligible county secretaries who choose to participate, the plan may require a monthly payroll deduction.
Employee contributions may need to be withheld from paychecks in the month prior to coverage to provide for
timely payment. Through the County’s Cafeteria Plan, employee deductions may be made as pretax or aftertax contributions. It is the county extension council's responsibility to ensure that appropriate amounts are
withheld from an employee's pay to cover the individual's share of health premiums. The health plan provider
bills the county extension council who employs the individuals for health coverage, not the individuals
themselves.
Each county as its own entity
For medical benefits, each county is a unit under a health care provider. As the employer, each county will
make determinations if it will provide a health plan and any optional coverage plans offered. This will allow
each county extension council the flexibility to add additional benefits and provide benefits for secretaries less
than .75 FTE.
Billing procedures
The health care provider will bill each county extension council in accordance with their own plan payment
schedule. For instance, MCHCP bills each county extension council prior to the beginning of the coverage
month. Remittances indicate covered individuals and the types of coverage. Councils should verify that the
coverage is correct.
County extension councils should pay the health care provider remittance upon receipt. Employee contributions
may need to be withheld from paychecks in the month prior to coverage to provide funds on time. Employee
deductions must be made in accordance with the county's cafeteria plan (either pre-tax or from net income
after taxes).
If a county extension council wishes to pay the employee's share, it will not be considered a taxable benefit and
thus will not be included in an employee's gross pay.
Contact Information
Each county extension council is responsible for notifying the health plan provider and the MU Extension Plan
Administrator, upon any change, termination or employment of new secretaries to stop or change coverage. All
payments for invoices must be remitted to to the appropriate plan provider.
MU Extension Plan Administrator
Tamra Robbins, robbinst@missouri.edu
MU Extension – County Secretary Benefits
209A Whitten Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
TEL: 573-882-7755
FAX: 573-882-2595
Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP)
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Website:
https://www.mchcp.org/index.asp
(select Public Entity Members)
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Phone:
Operator: 573-751-8881
Member Services: 573-751-0771
Toll-Free: 800-487-0771
TTY: 573-526-3033
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Fax:
800-834-5181
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Address:
P.O. Box 104355
Jefferson City, MO 65110-4355