Our Benefits

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 Protection 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.

The plan allows employees to receive care from any provider they wish. When network providers are used, most services are paid at 80% after a $30 copayment. 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. The following is a breakdown of the coverage offered under the BCBSMS Dental Plan:

• Basic services, which include oral exam, dental x-rays, prophylaxis and topical fluoride treatment if under age 19, are covered at 100% with no deductible.
• Additional services, such as fillings or endodontics, are covered at 80%.
• Prosthetic and periodontal services are covered at 60%.
• Orthodontic services are covered at 50%, not to exceed $1,000 lifetime maximum.

The annual deductible for the employee dental plan is $50 per individual and $150 per family. Each covered individual may receive up to an annual benefit maximum of $1,500 per calendar year.

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. Coverage includes an eye exam and replacement eyeglass or contact lenses once every 12 months and replacement eyeglass frames once every 24 months. Benefits rendered from non-network providers are paid according to a reimbursement schedule.

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 equal to three times their annual salary rounded to the next highest $1,000 to a maximum of $600,000. This insurance is provided to employees at no cost. Employees may also choose to purchase Dependent Life insurance for a nominal fee. An additional Accidental Death & Dismemberment benefit is also available to our employees offering coverage of up to $300,000.

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. The policy provides the employee or the employee's family with accidental death and dismemberment coverage in the amount of $50,000.

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. All full-time employees with six months of employment with BCBSMS are eligible to receive this coverage. Long Term Disability provides income replacement of 60% of an employee's salary after the completion of a 150-day waiting period.

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, medically unnecessary 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 is another venue for offering employees financial security. Employees may contribute up to 25% of their compensation (maximum contribution levels are determined annually by the IRS) on a pre-tax basis to the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi 401(k) Plan. Any salary deferrals may be invested in up to 14 basic fund options available through Fidelity Investments. Employees are 100% vested in both the employee and the employer match immediately.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi provides a dollar for dollar match on employee contributions up to 3%. Additionally, BlueCross & Blue Shield of Mississippi provides a deferral totaling 50 cents for every dollar for the fourth and fifth percent of employee contribution up to 5% of pay. To promote future savings, all employees meeting eligibility requirements are automatically enrolled with a 3% contribution 30-45 days after their date of hire.

To further support employee retirement savings, employees hired on or after 1/1/2007 will receive an annual 4% contribution to their 401(k) account from the company regardless of their participation in the 401(k) program.

Paid Personal Leave

Paid Personal Leave is designed to provide income protection in emergency or compelling personal situations which require time away from work. Paid personal leave is earned at a rate of 5 hours per month which totals 8 days per year. This leave may be taken as it is accrued based upon management approval.

Vacation

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi provides employees with annual vacation. The number of vacation days allotted to an employee is determined by the individual's length of service with the company. The schedule of vacation accruals for all BCBSMS employees is:

• 10 days per year for employees with 1 - 4 years of service
• 15 days per year for employees with 5 - 19 years of service
• 20 days per year for employees with 20 or more years of service

This leave may be taken after the employee has completed 6 months of employment. Once the introductory period has been satisfied, employees may use vacation leave as it is accrued based upon management approval.

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
• U. S. Savings Bonds
• Leaves of Absence
• Short Term Disability
• Universal Life
• 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. Although employees will be notified in advance where possible, any such changes may occur with or without notice.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi benefit programs are offered to employees who are regular full-time employees.