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.
NEED TO MAKE AN LTD CLAIM?
Call BCBS directly at 877-442-4207 or file online at bcbstx.com/ancillary and submit your disability claim online. Use Group Policy No. F019139 when completing the form(s).
GROUP LTD CORE For Active Employees
Monthly Benefit: 50% of your monthly earnings up to a maximum benefit of $5,000 per month. We will reduce the amount of your LTD payment by other income benefit payments you may receive or are eligible to receive.2
Elimination Period: Benefits will begin once you have satisfied the elimination period of 180 days for either injury or sickness. NOTE: You must exhaust all of your sick leave before benefits are payable.
Maximum Period Payable: Benefits payable for 24 months.
GROUP LTD BUY-UP PLAN For Active Employees
Monthly Benefit: 60% of your monthly earnings up to a maximum benefit of $6,000 per month. We will reduce the amount of your LTD payment by other income benefit payments you may receive or are eligible to receive.
Elimination Period: Benefits will begin once you have satisfied the elimination period of 90 days from the onset of disability, provided you are continuously disabled. NOTE: You must exhaust all of your sick leave before benefits are payable.
Maximum Period Payable:
Age 61 or younger: 42 months or to age 65, whichever is greater
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 $0.259 per $100 of your monthly salary, up to $10,000 of monthly salary. (See below for the definition of salary.)
Cost Example:
Annual Salary of $50,000.
$50,000 ÷ 12 months = $4,166.67 monthly earnings
$4,166.67 (monthly earnings) ÷ 100 (rate basis) x $0.239 (rate) = $9.96 per month.
Worksheet:
________ ÷ 12 months = _______ monthly earnings ÷ 100 x $0.239 = _______ per month.
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.