Benefits and Retirement
Next Step to GOLD – Your Individual Action Plan!
If you took the wellness assessment by Feb. 29, 2008, your next step to earning the gold out-of-pocket expense level is completing your individual action plan by June 30, 2008.
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You and your spouse/domestic partner have separate individual action plans based on your individual health risk. Since you and your spouse/domestic partner may have different health-risk levels, you may have different individual action plans. Be sure to follow your own individual action plan.
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Still Time to Earn Silver
If you haven’t taken the wellness assessment, you can still take it online by June 30, 2008, to earn the silver out-of-pocket expense level for your 2009 medical expenses. To take the wellness assessment online, simply click this link.
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Healthy Incentives℠ Program Web Site
The following links take you to easy-to-understand, step-by-step instructions complete with screenshots to ensure that taking the wellness assessment is as simple as possible:
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- Taking the wellness assessment online for the first time? Click here for your instructions.
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- Did you take the wellness assessment online last year? Click here for your instructions.
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- Need to find your User ID? Click here for instructions.
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- Need to find your Password? Click here for instructions.
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- Need to find your Access Code? Click here for instructions.
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- Need technical help or do you have a question about your benefits or the Healthy Incentives℠ program? Click here for instructions.
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Understanding Your Benefits
As a King County employee, you receive a comprehensive package of health and insurance benefits. You may also set aside pre-tax dollars into flexible spending accounts to save money on your medical and dependent-care expenses.
Wondering whether your health plan covers a specific condition or procedure? Look it up in your plan booklet (regular employee booklet, part-time transit operator booklet or deputy sheriff booklet), and then contact your plan with follow-up questions. If you need additional help, contact Benefits and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov.
Your retirement
Most King County employees participate in one of several mandatory state retirement plans. However, the county also offers you the opportunity to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program as a supplement to your state retirement plan and other investments you may have.
Remember that your financial future is as important as your future health. Be sure to review your retirement options periodically as part of your overall financial planning.
Other featured benefits
You can take advantage of free financial, legal and counseling services through the Making Life Easier program and the Employee Assistance Program.
Attend one of the free Home Ownership Program classes – you might be able to save thousands of dollars buying, selling or refinancing your home.
KingCare℠ benefits at a glance for part-time transit operators
Group Health benefits at a glance for part-time transit operators
Talk to a nurse 24/7
Do you have a question about your health?
Call the nurseline at:
KingCare℠ Members
Informed Health Line: 1-800-556-1555
Group Health Members
Consulting Nurse Line: 1-800-297-6877
You may also visit Aetna's member Web site, Aetna
Navigator, for claim status and details, the cost of tests and medical
visits, and much more.
Face of BROS
Benefits and Retirement Operations (BROS) manages all the King County benefits and retirement plans. Those of us in BROS have dubbed ourselves “BROSnians,” and every month this section will feature a BROSnian so you can get to know us and understand better what we do for you.
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The BROSnian for May is Dorothy “Sam” Kaunisto. As the Administrative Specialist III, Sam is the first person you’ll meet when you visit our office. Sam can help with general benefits and retirement questions and knows which of her BROSnian teammates to call upon when a more complicated issue comes up.
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“I've been a BROSnian for just under four years. My day-to-day is very busy and diverse, but I love the variety and, to some extent, the drama of it all! A large portion of what I do is greeting employees that come to the reception window with questions relating to their benefits. Most of the time I can handle the issue, but on occasion, I need to pull together the person or persons needed to resolve the question at hand. Without the cooperation in the BROS team, our customers would not receive the high level of service they deserve, and my job would be impossible.”
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In addition to her duties with King County, Sam is also an avid supporter and participant in the arts and music scene. Locally, she plays drums with Northwest Taiko, and regionally, she has worked with San Jose Civic Light Opera and the Zellerbach Theatre at UC Berkeley.