Health & Dental Insurance
Benefit Summary

State Health Plan

The State Health Plan provides employees and dependents with valuable medical coverage when needed. Coverage under the State Plan generally begins the first of the month following the date of hire. Employees may choose from two types of coverage:

The Standard Plan is a traditional PPO and offers a $350 individual ($700 family) deductible and 20% co-pay for in-network services. This plan has an annual in-network coinsurance maximum of $2000/individual or $4000/family and a lifetime maximum benefit of $1,000,000/person. Prescription Drug coverage is included in the plan. The copay is $10 for generics, $25 for preferred brands, and $40 for non-preferred brands. There is a $2500/person annual co-payment maximum for prescriptions.

The Savings Plan is a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and offers a $3000 individual ($6000 family) deductible and 20% co-pay for in-network services. This plan has an annual in-network coinsurance maximum of $2000/individual or $4000/family and an annual lifetime maximum benefit of $1,000,000 per person. Prescription drugs are subject to the deductible, coinsurance and coinsurance maximum applicable to other services under the plan. Employees enrolled in the Savings Plan may utilize a Health Savings Account to save money on a pre-tax basis to fund expenses not covered by the plan.

Health Maintenance Organizations

As an alternative to the State Health Plan options, two Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are available. Both Cigna HealthCare HMO and BlueChoice HMO offer no deductible for physician office visits. Cigna has a $20 co-pay for Primary Care Physician visits and a $40 co-pay for specialist visits. BlueChoice has a $15 co-pay for Primary Care Physician visits and $30 co-pay for specialist visits. The prescription drug coverage under the HMOs differs slightly. Cigna’s co-pay is $7 for generic prescriptions, $25 for preferred brand names and $50 for non-preferred brand names while BlueChoice's co-pay is $7 for generic prescriptions, $35 for brand names, $55 for non-preferred brand names and $100 for Specialty Pharmaceuticals.

State Dental Plan

The State Dental Plan offers coverage for a variety of services at a reasonable cost. Services include diagnostic & preventative, basic (fillings, extractions, etc.), prosthetics (crowns, bridges, etc.) and orthodontia.

Dental Plus

This supplemental, optional plan offers a higher level of dental coverage for the same services covered under the Standard Dental Plan (SDP) except for orthodontia. The allowances under this plan will be the same amount (or more) that 90% of the dentists in South Carolina charge for particular services. Dental Plus premiums are in addition to SDP premiums. The level of coverage (e.g. employee only, family) under the SDP must be maintained under Dental Plus.

Monthly Employee Rates for the above Health, Dental, and Dental Plus Plans are as follows:

Payments may be made on a pre-tax basis

Vision Care Discount Program

Participating ophthalmologists and optometrists throughout the state have agreed to charge no more than $50 for a routine, comprehensive eye examination. Fittings for contact lenses may result in additional charges. Participating providers including opticians have also agreed to give a 20% discount on all eyewear (excluding disposable contact lenses).