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LTD Insurance

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Income Protection

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD) pays a percentage of your salary when you are unable to work because of a covered illness or injury. These benefits can be used to help pay your everyday expenses when you are without a paycheck.

Basic LTD coverage is provided to you at no cost. You also have the option to purchase additional coverage. All LTD plans are provided by BlueCross BlueShield of Texas.

You are eligible for the Basic LTD insurance starting the first pay period after 45 days of continuous employment with Harris County. For Optional LTD (Buy-Up Plan), you are eligible for coverage starting the first pay period following 12 months of continuous employment with Harris County.

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NEED TO MAKE AN LTD CLAIM?
Call BCBS directly at 877-442-4207 or file online at bcbstx.com/ancillary. Use Group Policy No. F019139 when completing the form(s).

BASIC LTD

  • Provided at no cost to you.
  • Pays 50% of your monthly earnings to a maximum of $5,000.
  • Benefits will begin once you have satisfied the elimination period of 180 days of continuous disability due to injury or illness.
  • Benefits may continue for up to 24 months.

OPTIONAL LTD

  • You may purchase this option to increase your benefit.
  • Pays 60% of your monthly earnings to a maximum of $6,000.
  • Benefits will begin once you have satisfied the elimination period of 90 days of continuous disability due to injury or illness.
  • Benefits may continue for employees up to the maximum time periods as follows:
  • Less than age 62: to age 65 or 42 months, whichever is longer
    • Age 62: 42 months
    • Age 63: 36 months
    • Age 64: 30 months
    • Age 65 and older: 24 months

If you enroll in the Optional LTD plan, your premium rate is $0.257 per $100 of your monthly salary, up to $10,000 of monthly salary. (See below for the definition of salary.)

LTD FAQ

WHEN IS MEDICAL EVIDENCE OF INSURABILITY REQUIRED?

Satisfactory evidence of insurability is required for any employee who did not enroll for the Optional LTD plan when first eligible.

ARE BENEFITS EVER REDUCED?

BlueCross BlueShield of Texas will reduce the amount of your LTD payment by other income benefits you may receive.

WHAT OTHER BENEFITS ARE INCLUDED?

  • Survivor Benefit
  • Work Incentive
  • Rehabilitation Incentive with Day Care
  • Worksite Modification

This summary is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a contract. The full terms and conditions of the coverage are contained in the policies provided. If there is any discrepancy between this benefit description and the policy, the terms of the policy will control. BlueCross BlueShield of Texas is the trade name of Dearborn Life Insurance Company, an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

DEFINITIONS

TOTAL DISABILITY
Total Disability means that during the first 24 consecutive months of benefit payments due to sickness or injury, you are continuously unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your regular occupation; and your disability earnings, if any, are less than 20% of your pre-disability indexed monthly earnings. After the LTD monthly benefit has been paid for 24 consecutive months, total disability means that due to sickness or injury, you are continuously unable to engage in any gainful occupation; and your disability earnings, if any, are less than 20% of your pre-disability indexed monthly earnings.

PARTIAL DISABILITY
Partial Disability means that during the elimination and the first 24 consecutive months of disability due to sickness or injury, you are continuously unable to perform all of the substantial duties of your regular occupation; and you are able to earn between 20%–80% of your pre-disability indexed monthly earnings. After the LTD monthly benefit has been paid for 24 consecutive months, partial disability means that due to sickness or injury, you are continuously unable to perform all of the substantial duties of any gainful occupation; and your disability earnings, if any, are between 20%–80% of your pre-disability indexed monthly earnings.

SALARY
Monthly earnings means your base monthly salary, incentive pay, and longevity pay calculated November 30 prior to the most recent Annual Enrollment Period as reported to BlueCross BlueShield of Texas by your employer, rounded to the next higher multiple of $1,000 if not already a multiple thereof, divided by 12.
Earnings include:
• Contributions made through a salary reduction agreement with your employer to an Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 457 deferred compensation agreement.
• Amounts contributed to your fringe benefits according to a salary reduction agreement under an IRC Section 125 plan.
• Longevity pay.

Earnings DO NOT include overtime pay or any other form of extra compensation.