Health Insurance

For complete information regarding the Kentucky Employees Health Plan (KEHP), please refer to the KEHP handbook. Handbooks are available from your Agency’s Insurance Coordinator or on our website at www.kehp.ky.gov.

You are eligible to participate in the KEHP if you are a full-time employee who contributes to a state-sponsored retirement plan.

As a new employee, you have 30 days from your date of hire to:

• Enroll in a health insurance plan (Commonwealth Premier, Commonwealth Enhanced, Commonwealth Essential or Commonwealth Select): or
• Elect to waive health insurance and enroll in a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA): and
• Enroll in, and direct your employee contribution into a healthcare Flexible Spending Account and/or a dependent care Flexible Spending Account.

If you fail to enroll in a health insurance plan, or fail to elect to waive health insurance within 30 days from your date of hire, you must wait until the next annual Open Enrollment period to enroll, unless you experience a Qualifying Event that allows you to enroll mid-year.

You will find an enrollment application in the KEHP Handbook which you will receive from your Insurance Coordinator. You may enroll using the application in the Handbook, or by enrolling online via the KEHP website at www.kehp.ky.gov. Please note that you will not be able to enroll online until you receive log-in information from your Insurance Coordinator.

If you decide to enroll in health insurance coverage, your effective date will be the first day of the second month following your month of hire. For example: if you begin work on January 4, your health insurance coverage will become effective on March 1. If you begin work on January 31, your health insurance coverage will become effective on March 1.

The Premium Conversion program gives an employee the opportunity to pay for a portion of the health insurance premium with pre-tax dollars. This may save the employee money. An employee is automatically enrolled unless he/she signs a cancellation form either during Open Enrollment or within 30 days of his/her date of hire. If an employee chooses to participate in the Premium Conversion option, he/she must remain on it until the next Open Enrollment period. If the employee cancels out of this program and wishes to once again participate, he/she must re-enroll by signing an enrollment form during Open Enrollment. An Agency Insurance Coordinator can supply the employee with a cancellation form or a re-enrollment form should it become necessary.

If you and/or any covered dependents lose group health insurance due to termination of your employment, or a reduction in work hours, you have the right to continue participation in the Kentucky Employees Health Plan at your own expense under COBRA. Refer to the Handbook for specific information.