WHITTIER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT Whittier, California

AR 4154.1 4254.1 4354.1 CONTINUATION OF SURVIVING SPOUSAL BENEFITS Admin Reg 2-1-80 Renumbered 10-26-10

The surviving spouse of an employee is eligible to buy into the medical benefits provided District employees. To secure such benefits the following procedures are to be followed: 1.

Buy-in privileges are granted only for the medical benefits in which the spouse was covered as a dependent at the time of death of the employee, provided that these benefits are available to employees and that buy-in options are permitted by the insurance carrier.

2.

Once enrolled, coverage will be continued until the spouse attains the age of 65, so long as all of the conditions set forth herein are followed, and provided that the contracts with the providers of the medical benefits permit such coverage.

3.

Should the surviving spouse remarry, eligibility for these benefits ceases.

4.

When notified of death of the employee, it will be the responsibility of the Personnel and Administrative Services division to provide the eligible spouse with written notification of his/her option to purchase these medical benefits.

5.

Personnel and Administrative Services will provide the eligible spouse enrollment forms and the schedule of payments. The spouse and eligible dependents, then, upon returning the completed forms to Personnel Services, along with payment as provided herein, will be added as an enrollee. Procedures are to be established by the Personnel and Administrative Services Division.

6.

The payment schedule is to be as follows: A.

Within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of enrollment forms by the surviving spouse, the Whittier Union High School District must receive payment for all requested coverage from the date of death through the following September 30. This is to be a lump sum payment.

B.

Payment thereafter is to be on an annual basis. Payment in full must be on deposit with the Whittier Union High School District no later than September 1 annually, and will be for the twelve (12) month period, October 1 through September 30.

7.

After having been notified of enrollment procedures and schedule of payments, full responsibility for meeting all deadlines rests with the surviving spouse. Failure to meet the deadlines revokes the privilege of buy-in as set forth in this regulation. Enrollment in this program is voluntary, and the enrollee understands and agrees that the Whittier Union High School District, its agents, officers and employees, are not responsible for acts or omissions of the insurance carriers. It is to be further understood that the District is responsible only for facilitating the enrollment of the spouse in the medical program. Participants are to understand and agree that the District is not to be responsible for either providing reminders of payments due, nor for notification that the enrollee has been dropped when payment is not received by the District in accordance with the September 1 annual due date.

8.

The enrollee is to understand that the contract period for medical benefits is October 1 through September 30 annually, and that renewed annual coverage is dependent upon whether the Whittier Union High School District enters into contracts for a subsequent year with the insurance carrier.

9.

Communications from the Whittier Union High School District to the enrollee will be sent by mail to the last known address on file in the personnel office. It is the sole responsibility of the participant to notify the District of address changes. It is to be understood and agreed that the District will be held harmless for any cause of action arising out of the participant not receiving communications which have been mailed by the District.