OCEA Guidance for County/Court EME Program Participants During Open Enrollment
Dear OCEA Member,
A valuable benefit offered to married or domestically partnered County employees (fulltime, regular or limited term) the opportunity to enroll in a County-sponsored health plan as Employee Married to Employee (EME). Under the EME Program, the County will pay more toward the cost of health plan rates for yourself, your spouse or domestic partner, and all eligible dependent children when enrolled as EME instead of enrolling separately. The County will pay 100% of the premium if the Subscriber (the primary insured person) is eligible for the OC Healthy Steps program and completes the program, or the Subscriber is exempt from the program, and 95% of the premium if the Subscriber chooses not to participate in the program.
This will be the County’s first Open Enrollment with the new Benefits Administrator, Alight. Due to the Administrator change, to enroll or to continue to participate in the EME program, both you and your spouse/domestic partner must agree to the terms and conditions of the EME Program by completing an updated online attestation confirming you meet the Program’s requirements. For the 2020 attestation, the EME Subscriber will also be required to submit documentation of proof of marriage or certified domestic partnership. The County will accept the following types of documentation:
- certificate of marriage or domestic partnership, and,
- if you’ve been married or domestic partners for longer than 6 months, proof of joint debt such as a joint tax return, statement from a joint bank account, joint loan or utility bill (black out all financial information leaving only your names and address visible).
To protect your financial privacy, OCEA strongly recommends you demonstrate your joint debt by providing a statement from a joint loan or utility bill if you have been married for longer than six months. Again, be sure to redact all financial information prior to submission. Please be advised that all EME enrollees will be required to re-attest to these terms and conditions during future open enrollments to remain in the Program, but will not normally be required to resubmit supporting documents.
By attesting that you and your spouse or domestic partner are still a County Couple by Oct. 12, 2020, and providing the required documentation by Oct. 16, 2020, you will continue to receive the benefits of the EME Program effective Jan. 1, 2021.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact My OC Benefits™ at mybenefits.ocgov.com or call the Benefits Service Center at 1-833-476-2347 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. PST).
In Solidarity,
Charles Barfield
OCEA General Manager
Publication Date: September 25, 2020
