The Employee's Health Benefit Program provides employee Non-Medical coverage for five school districts and was implemented to:

* Stabilize spiraling insurance costs
* Provide a self-insurance program for districts to have maximum use of their insurance dollars
* Allow districts more control of their program

Currently, employees of Bradford, Columbia, Gilchrist, Hardee, and Lafayette are participating in all or part of the program.

A Cafeteria Plan is also available to the districts' employees who choose to participate. This program offers salary reduction for specified items that result in a tax saving to the employee.

The Healthy People (Wellness) Program consists of intervention programs. Programs include reducing risks for heart disease, stop smoking, exercise, weight control, stress management, safety and cancer screening. Risk evaluations and screenings are also part of the Healthy People Program.

Some districts implemented an Employee Assistance Program as an additional benefit. A comprehensive resource available to the employee and the employee's family members (of participating districts), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The EAP is designed to provide fast, convenient answers and advice on a wide range of topics.

The North East Florida Educational Consortium Employee Benefits Program has become a plan that the districts can count on to receive prompt service, accuracy, and benefits at a reasonable cost.

As everyone knows the health care industry is in a crisis of double-digit inflation. It is our job to be proactive to ensure we monitor your plan to minimize the inflationary effect and to be current with industry trends.

In the future, we will be assessing the adequacy of our current programs, looking at trends in your claims experience to determine if any benefit changes would be recommended and educating our members on plan benefits.

We will continue to make your plan the best in the state.

Sincerely,

Ted Bennett

HIPAA PRIVACY NOTICE

Notice of Privacy Practices : This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to this information. Please review it carefully: Read the notice (5 page PDF file)

FYI:

IRS suspends requirements to file Form 5500, Schedule F "Fringe Benefit Plan Annual Information Return"

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/ir-02-43.pdf | http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/n1311.pdf