State of California

  M E M O R A N D U M

  REFERENCE CODE:
  98-030

  DATE:
  July 3, 1998

  TO:
  Personnel Officers
  Personnel Transactions Supervisors
  Personnel Transactions Staff

  FROM:
  Department of Personnel Administration
  Benefits Division

  SUBJECT:
  Dental Program Effective Date Rule Change

  CONTACT:
  Nicolas Villa, Benefits Program Analyst
  (916) 324-0525, CALNET 454-0525
  FAX: (916) 322-3769
  OFFICE VISION: DPA(NXVILLA)
  INTERNET: NickVilla@DPA.CA.GOV


  The purpose of this memo is to provide Departments with 
  important information on a change to the Effective Date 
  Rule for Permissive Transactions.
  
  Effective Date Rule Change for Permissive Transactions 
  Effective July 1, 1998
  
  Effective July 1, 1998, the "Standard Effective Date 
  Rule" which is applied to permissive dental enrollment 
  transactions will be changed to match the rule applied to 
  health enrollments.  This change will ensure that all 
  forms submitted timely by the employee will always be 
  effective on the first of the month following submission 
  of the Dental Plan Enrollment Authorization (STD. 692) to 
  the employing office.  Any STD. 692 form that is 
  submitted to the State Controller's Office (SCO) and must 
  be returned to the Personnel Office for corrective action 
  will maintain the original effective date.  However, 
  Personnel Office staff need to be aware that any delay in 
  document processing will impact eligibility information 
  being sent to the dental carriers.  With this change, 
  both the Mandatory and Permissive Effective Date Rule for 
  dental will be the same as the rules applied towards 
  health enrollments. 
   
  
  There will be no change to the current "Mandatory 
  Effective Date Rule" which is the "first day of the month 
  following the event".  Listed on the next page is the new 
  Effective Date Rule for Permissive Transactions and two 
  helpful examples.
  
  New Effective Date Rule for Permissive Transactions
  
  First of the month following submission of the STD. 692 
  to the employing office.
  
  Example(1)Employee hired 6/1 and submits STD. 692 
  on 6/10.  The effective date is 7/1.
  
  Example(2)Spouse moves out of household 8/25 and 
  employee 
  submits STD. 692 on 9/2.  The effective 
  date is be 10/1.
  
  Any STD. 692 form received from the employee in the 
  Personnel Office on or after July 1, 1998 should reflect 
  the new Effective Date Rule for Permissive Transactions 
  as noted above.
  
  Permitting Event Code Chart
  
  The Dental Program Permitting Event Codes/Date Chart will 
  be revised in order to incorporate the new Effective Date 
  Rule for Permissive Transactions.  This change will be 
  incorporated on the next revision of the Benefits 
  Administration Manual (BAM) Dental Program Section 509.  
  It is anticipated that the BAM revision will be sent to 
  departments in October 1998.  The Personnel Office should 
  take action to update the "Standard Effective Date Rule" 
  information which is contained in the BAM Dental Program 
  Section 509, Page 500.18 until a formal revision to this 
  section is completed and sent to departments.
  
  Departments' Role
  
  Personnel Offices are being asked to ensure that all 
  staff who assist employees with their benefit enrollments 
  are advised of this change.  Personnel Office staff 
  requiring assistance or clarification of the information 
  contained in this memo should call Nicolas Villa, 
  Benefits Program Analyst, at (916) 324-0525 
  or CalNET 454-0525.
   
  We realize that this is short notice for a July 1, 1998 
  effective date.  However, due to the recent ratification 
  of the Bargaining Unit 16 Memorandum of Understanding 
  Bill, we are making this change to coincide with the 
  implementation of Consolidated Benefits for Unit 16 
  effective July 1, 1998.  We appreciate your 
  understanding.
  
  
  
  
  Kathie Vaughn, Chief
  Benefits Division
  
  cc:SCO, Butch Massoni/Don Ward/Del Delgado/Sandra 
  Young
  CalPERS, Lura Franzella
  STRS, Pat Sidhu
  CAHP Dental Trust, Terri Westbrook
  CCPOA Dental Trust, Lou Ohls