About us

As an employee of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, we offer you the most comprehensive and generous health and wellness benefits, designed to help you maintain or improve your health. With our 'be healthy!' benefits option, you will be empowered with the knowledge to learn and understand your health status. We will also provide you with the resources to improve or maintain your health through onsite educational and fitness programs.

Health Insurance - Employee Health Benefit Plan

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi offers excellent healthcare coverage to its employees and their dependents. Because usage trends change, the company consistently reviews benefits each year to ensure we are offering the best overall plan possible for our employees. Our employees may choose not to pay anything for their own health coverage - only for the coverage of any dependents they want covered under the plan - and may begin use of these benefits on the first day of the month following ninety days of employment.

When network providers are used, most services are paid at 80% after a $30 co-payment. When non-network providers are used, benefits are generally paid at 50% of allowable charges after a non-network deductible has been satisfied. Also, because we encourage our employees to take a preventive stance with their health, 100% of benefits are paid for wellness services if they or their dependent has services rendered that are encouraged based upon their age and sex parameters. Our employees who obtain a preventive exam also receive one full day off work to visit their healthcare provider.

Dental Plan

Our dental plan offers excellent coverage at a nominal price, and our employees may choose to receive care from any dental provider. As with most dental plans, the service rendered determines the level of coverage received.

Vision Plan

Vision coverage is provided to all BCBSMS employees at no cost. The plan does allow for employees to cover their dependents under the vision plan at a nominal cost.

Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

Your unexpected death can be emotionally and financially draining on your family. Survivor benefits for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi employees can help ease the burden. All BCBSMS employees receive life insurance.

Travel Accident Death & Dismemberment

The company covers all employees who travel on company business through a Business Travel Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance policy at no cost to our employees.

Long Term Disability

Salary continuance insurance - or Long Term Disability - is provided to employees should they suffer a disabling injury or sickness and are physically unable to work.

Cafeteria Plan

The cafeteria plan is designed to help increase an employee's take-home pay by saving money through payment for certain qualified expenses with pre-tax income. There are three levels of tax relief offered by the BCBSMS Cafeteria Plan:

• Premium Conversion - Health or Dental premiums paid by employees may be deducted from the employee's gross pay prior to being taxed.
• Unreimbursed Medical Expenses - While BCBSMS has an excellent health insurance plan, some items may not be covered. (i.e. LASIK surgery, cosmetic procedures, etc.) This level of the cafeteria plan allows employees to defer a portion of their salary prior to being taxed in order to pay these non-covered expenses.
• Dependent Care Expenses - Employees may use pre-tax dollars to pay expenses related to dependent day care.

401(k) - Tax-Favored Savings Program

The BCBSMS 401(k) Plan allows employees to save money and reduce taxable income. This benefit can help enhance financial security upon and following retirement.

The BCBSMS 401(k) Plan matches dollar for dollar up to three (3) percent of pay and fifty cents per dollar ($.50 per $1) for the fourth and fifth percent of employee contribution up to five (5) percent of pay.

Employees eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan are 100% vested immediately.

To further support retirement savings, employees hired on or after January 1, 2007 will also receive an additional four (4) percent contribution to his or her personal accounts on January 1 each year regardless of participation in the program.

Vacation and Paid Personal Leave

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi provides employees with annual vacation and paid personal leave that may be used for emergencies or compelling personal situations which require time away from work.

Holidays

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi observes eight holidays per calendar year. The holidays include:

• New Year's Day
• Good Friday (half day)
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

Based upon the day these holidays fall, additional days off may be granted by the company. Additionally, each employee with at least one year of service is eligible for a pre-scheduled floating holiday to be designated by the employee.

Other Programs

• Wellness Incentive Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• On-Site Fitness Center
• Exercise Classes
• Health-Related Lifestyle Classes
• Company Sponsored Sports Teams
• Short Term Disability
• Annual Employee Health Fair

This information is accurate as of the date initially published. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi reserves the right to modify any or all components of the company's benefit plans at the sole discretion of management.