Group Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance Benefits

When Benefits Begin

Your coverage will be active on the first day of the month after you complete your first full month of employment.  For example, if you start on May 10, your benefits begin July 1.

How to Enroll ⏲️ (30-Day Deadline)

You must actively enroll in or decline your benefits within 30 days of your hire date.  If you miss this window, you will be automatically enrolled in the Waiver without HRA plan and will not receive any Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) funds.

First-Time Enrollment Checklist 📝

1. Set Up Your Kentucky Human Resources Information System (KHRIS)  Account: Use the "Forgot User ID" and "Forgot Password" steps.

2. Make Your Selections: Enter dependents in the system and elect your health, dental, and vision benefits.

3. Confirm and Submit: Print your confirmation form and email it as a single PDF from your @nkyhealth.org email to hr@nkyhealth.org.

Need more help? Click here for detailed instructions with pictures.

NKY Health's Contribution to Your Premiums

We subsidize your premiums more than the standard KEHP plan, providing better coverage and lower costs.

• Group Health: We pay 100% of the Employer Contribution and 50% of the Employee Contribution.

• Group Dental: We cover up to the cost of the single Silver Plan.

• Group Vision: You are responsible for 100% of the cost.

Important: We do not offer Group Life Insurance through KEHP.  Our Group Life plan is contracted with Minnesota Life through OCHS.

Waiving Benefits & HRA

If you waive our group health plan because you have other qualified coverage, you might be eligible for a $175 per month Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for eligible medical expenses.

• Note: You are not eligible for HRA funds if you are on a government-sponsored plan like Medicaid.

• There are no funds for waiving dental or vision coverage.

Payments & Resources 💸

Your group health insurance premiums are discounted if no one on your plan uses tobacco. For most plans, premiums are withheld pre-tax from the first two payrolls of each month.

• The Benefits Selection Guide and plan summaries are available on the Documents, Forms, and Legal Notices page to help you choose the best plan for you.

• The Human Resources staff are your Insurance Coordinators and are here to help with any questions. We're here to support you!

We participate in the Commonwealth of Kentucky Employees' Health Plan (KEHP), the same plan offered to thousands of state employees across Kentucky. By joining this large group, we can provide you with better coverage at a lower cost than we could on our own. You'll also have a single, convenient online portal to manage your enrollment and make changes. For additional information about insurance policy details, please refer to Section 4.2.2. of NKY Health's Guide to Personnel Policies.

We are proud to offer a more generous benefits package than the standard KEHP plan.

NKY Health's Contribution to Your Premiums

• Group Health: We cover 100% of the Employer Contribution and 50% of the Employee Contribution.

• Group Dental: We pay up to the cost of the single coverage for the Silver Plan.

• Group Vision: You are responsible for 100% of the cost.

Note: We do not offer Group Life Insurance through KEHP. 

Understanding Your Payments

Your group health insurance premiums are discounted as long as no one on your plan uses tobacco.

For most plans, your portion of the monthly premium is withheld pre-tax from the first two payrolls of each month. This means you do not pay taxes on that portion of your income. The only exception is Group Vision Insurance, where premiums are withheld post-tax. If you'd like your health and dental premiums to be withheld post-tax, you can fill out the "KEHP Federal Post-Tax" form, available in the KEHP Forms, Documents, Forms and Legal Notices section.

The Benefits Selection Guide, usually updated during Open Enrollment, contains a Benefits Grid that you can refer to anytime for general information about what your plan covers. 

Please contact the insurance carrier for with specific questions about what is and is not covered.

Open Enrollment is the one time a year when you can make changes to your health, dental, and vision insurance. It's your chance to review your current plans and decide if you want to make any updates for the upcoming year. Open Enrollment usually happens in the fall, and any changes you make will take effect on January 1st. 

Just a heads-up: The only other time you can change your benefits is if you experience a "qualifying life event," such as getting married, having a baby, or a spouse losing their job.

Ready to get started? Follow these steps to complete your Open Enrollment:

1. Access the KHRIS Portal. This is where you'll make all your benefit elections.

2. Verify your information. Take a moment to update any personal details or information about your dependents.

3. Elect your benefits.  Add or select the health, dental, and vision plans that are right for you and your family. You may also choose to add Healthcare and/or Dependent Care FSAs.  

4. Confirm your choices. Print out the confirmation form and review it carefully to make sure everything looks correct.

5. Submit the form. Email all pages of the form to hr@nkyhealth.org. For security, please send it from your work email and attach the entire form as a single PDF.

Sometimes, a life event or change in your personal information requires you to update your benefits. Outside of the annual Open Enrollment period, you have 30 days from the date of the qualifying event to make these changes.

Need help? Contact HR at hr@nkyhealth.org for assistance. We're here to help!

WHAT ARE THE ALLOWABLE REASONS FOR CHANGES?

Changes are permitted by the Department of Employee Insurance (DEI) for two main reasons:

1. Updating Personal Information: This includes changes to your address, correcting personal data, or adding a Social Security number for a new baby.

2. Qualifying Events (QEs): These are specific life events that allow you to change your benefit coverage. 

How to Make a Change

The process for making a change depends on the reason.

➡️For Qualifying Events Handled by DEI

For a list of allowable Qualifying Events and detailed instructions, refer to the QE List and Rules from DEI. If your event is listed below, you will upload your forms and documentation directly to the DEI Portal and follow the QE instructions from DEI.  

You must also email a copy of your full submission to hr@nkyhealth.org.

• • Birth, adoption, or placement of a child

  • Court order for a child

  • Change in marital status (marriage or divorce)

  • Loss of group or individual coverage 

  • Beginning or ending Medicare

  • Gaining or losing other coverage due to spouse's or dependent's change in employment status

➡️For Other Changes Handled Directly by HR

For all other reasons, including the events below, you will complete the necessary forms and email them directly to hr@nkyhealth.org from your NKY Health email account.

• • Updating Personal Information

  • Loss/Gain of Medicaid (Note: A Medicaid Eligibility Termination (MET) form must be submitted to HR first)

  • Dependents become ineligible

  • Court orders (other types not handled by DEI directly)

  • Death

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Get the Correct Form: 

   • • Find the appropriate form in the "Benefits Enrollment/Change Forms" section.

     • Use the YYYY Employee Benefits Enrollment Change form for Group Health changes.

     • Use the separate Dental or Vision forms if you are only changing those plans.

2. Complete the Form:

   • • Fill out the form electronically.

     • Print and sign it in blue or black ink.

     • If you are only updating personal information, please note this clearly on the form.

3. Gather Required Documentation:

   • • Attach all required supporting documents (e.g., birth certificate, marriage license, proof of loss of coverage). 

4. Submit:

   • • For DEI Events: Upload to the DEI portal and email a copy to hr@nkyhealth.org.

     • For HR Events: Email the form and the documentation directly to hr@nkyhealth.org.

If you are registered on the insurance carrier's website, you can print a new card.

if you are not registered on the insurance carrier's website, please contact the insurance carrier to request a new or replacement card.  

To receive a health insurance premium discount for the next plan year, you must complete the LivingWell Promise.

The deadline is strict: You must complete the Promise between January 1 and July 1 of the current year. Completing it during Open Enrollment will not qualify you for the discount.

How to complete the Promise:

1. Set up your Castlight account at mycastlight.com/mybenefits.

2. Complete the health assessment, which takes about 10 minutes and asks about your health and lifestyle.

Important Notes:

• This discount is for employees who were covered under the plan on January 1.

• If your spouse is also covered under the plan, both of you must complete the Promise to receive the discount.

If you're eligible for NKY Health's Group Health Insurance but choose to waive (decline) coverage because you're already covered by a qualified health plan, you might be eligible for a standalone Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA).

You could receive $175 per month contributed to your HRA for eligible medical expenses not covered by your other plan.

Important Notes:

• You are not eligible for HRA funds if you are on a government-sponsored plan like Medicaid.

• Unused standalone waiver HRA funds may be rolled into the next calendar year, provided you continue to waive coverage and have not reached the maximum rollover amount.

• Waiving Dental or Vision: There are no benefits or funds for waiving dental or vision coverage.

• If you waive coverage because of a Qualifying Event, you won't receive HRA benefits until the next plan year.

Employees who make a mistake during Open Enrollment (OE) may request an exception from the Department of Employee Insurance (DEI). DEI usually accepts exception requests through December 31 of the year of OE.

Employees whose enrollments are incorrect due to an administrative error in processing may also request an exception from DEI.

To request an exception, follow these steps:

1. Read DEI's guidelines regarding the exception request process.

2. Download and complete the Employee Benefits Enrollment Change form below.

3. Download and complete the Exception form from DEI's website. Use "1/1/yyyy" as the effective date for OE requests or the date of the initial coverage for error requests, "NKY Health" as the agency name, "Kimberly Monaco" as the IC Name, and "90310" as the agency number.

4. Email all pages of the form, the application, and any supporting documentation in one .PDF file from your fname.lname@nkyhealth.org to hr@nkyhealth.org. 

Health insurance can feel like a foreign language, but it's much easier to understand once you know the basic terms. Here's a no-nonsense guide to the key words you might see.

Key Health Plan Terms

• Premium: Amount you pay for insurance, typically broken down into a monthly dollar amount. It's like a membership fee.

• Deductible: Amount you have to pay for care before your insurance starts to help.

• Co-pay: A fixed fee you pay for a doctor's visit or a prescription.

• Co-insurance: Your share of the bill, as a percentage, after you've met your deductible.

• Out-of-Pocket Limit: The maximum amount you'll pay in one year for covered care. After this, your insurance pays 100%.

NKY Health Acronyms

• DEI (Department of Employee Insurance): The team that manages benefits for state employees, including us.

• FSA (Flexible Spending Account): A voluntary account for pre-tax money to help cover eligible healthcare or daycare costs. 

• HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement): Money NKY Health gives you to help with health expenses.

• KEHP (Kentucky Employees' Health Plan): The official name of our group health plan.

• KHRIS (Kentucky Human Resources Information System): The online system for enrolling in and managing your health benefits. 

• KPPA (Kentucky Public Pensions Authority): Our pension system.

• TPA (Third-Party Administrator): The company that manages a specific benefit for us, like dental or pharmacy. 

We hope this helps clarify things! If you have any other questions, please reach out to HR. 

3/6/2024

• Updated information about benefits offered by KEHP.

• Simplified language. 

2/18/2025

• Updated instructions for making changes due to a Q/E.

• Changed insurance coordinator to include Kimberly Monaco.

August 2025

• Updated, simplified, and clarified language in all sections for easier to follow format. 

10/28/2025

• Annual update of links, grids, etc for 2026.