Continuing Health and Dental Coverage
If you terminate employment upon approval for LTD, in lieu of COBRA coverage, you are allowed to continue your coverage with the state group for as long as you remain disabled according to the plan definition of disability. The state’s share of the monthly premium will cease at the end of the month in which your employment terminates. LTD coverage will begin the first of the month following termination and you will pay the full monthly premium for any insurance coverage you choose to keep.
You may drop your state group plan completely. However, there is currently no provision for rejoining the group at a later date.
If you continue your insurance coverage with the State of Iowa group, you will be able to participate in the annual open enrollment period, which will allow you to change your health plan every year. You can continue your group health and group dental coverage separately or together. You do not have to elect to continue in both plans. Your benefits as a member of the group are identical to benefits for the plan you held as an active employee.
If The Standard determines that you are no longer eligible for LTD benefits and you are not drawing a monthly IPERS benefit, health and dental benefits will stop.
You can continue your coverage with the state if you become eligible for Medicare. Refer to the Health Insurance for Medicare-Eligible Retirees website for additional information.
See your personnel assistant for specifics and the required paperwork at the time of termination of employment.
Continuing Life Insurance Coverage
If your long term disability payments begin before you reach the age of 60, the basic and supplemental term life insurance that you had as an active employee continues, and your insurance premiums are waived. If you are over the age of 60 when your long term disability benefits begin, you have up to 31 days from the date you cease active work to port your life insurance coverage or convert your life insurance coverage to an individual policy. For information about the difference between porting and converting coverage, or to get premium rates, contact The Standard at 844-450-5547. If you have not been removed from payroll, supplemental term life insurance premium payments must continue during the qualifying period for LTD.
More Information
For more information about your coverage, please contact your human resources associate.
The Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise is providing this information about the State of Iowa’s benefits. The information on this web page is subject to change. Nothing herein shall be construed as a guarantee of benefits. This webpage is not a complete description of the State of Iowa’s benefit plans. Nothing on this web page supersedes or changes any of the terms and conditions of any plan documents, insurance policies, or other legal agreements. If the wording in this web page contradicts any plan documents, laws, regulations, administrative rules, insurance policies, or other legal agreements, the wording in the official documents and agreements will govern.