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Human Resources Department
Benefits
When it comes to employees' health, here at the City of Houston, each employee is valued for their individual skills, talents and contributions to the success of the city. And when it comes to employees’ health, we empower employees with a comprehensive set of benefits designed to protect their physical and emotional health.
The following benefits are offered based on eligibility:
Houston's Healthiest Employer Award
The City of Houston Health and Wellness Program is honored to be selected as a Finalist in the Houston Business Journal’s Houston’s Healthiest Employer Award in the category for “Extra Large Employers” (5,000 or more total employees). We receive this designation with other distinguished employers such as Baylor College of Medicine, BP, Chevron, Harris Health System and more.
We could not have achieved this designation without the hard work of our employees like you who improved their overall health and wellbeing by participating in our various Health and Wellness Programs.
To thank our employees for helping us to reach this designation, the City of Houston has awarded all City of Houston Employees who completed the entire 2017-2018 Wellness Program (online health assessment and one wellness engagement option) with a Cigna Healthy Awards Account in the amount of $35.
Employees may utilize these funds for medical services such as physician visit copays, pharmacy claims, and inpatient/outpatient hospital facilities. Funds will expire April 30, 2019, so employees must utilize them prior to this date or the funds will be forfeited.
Please review these instructions below regarding your specific medical plan and how to utilize your Healthy Awards Account for specific medical expenses.
Read moreCigna Limited Plan
- All Services Provided by Physician Groups – Submit a Claim Reimbursement Form (paper or online; download a pdf of the form) to Cigna for eligible expenses paid with personal funds*
- Eligible Pharmacy Claims at Point of Sale - Healthy Awards Account funds will be deducted automatically; no need to submit a claim reimbursement form
- Inpatient/Outpatient services in a hospital facility – Healthy Awards Account funds will be deducted automatically; no need to submit a claim reimbursement form
*Cigna will pay back for eligible expense via check.
Cigna Consumer Driven Health Plan
- All Medical Services - Healthy Awards Account Funds will be automatically deducted AFTER you deplete your Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) funds
- Eligible Pharmacy Claims - Healthy Awards Account Funds will be automatically deducted AFTER you deplete your Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) funds
- All Medical Services – Healthy Awards Account funds will be deducted automatically; no need to submit a claim reimbursement form
- Eligible Pharmacy Claims at Point of Sale – Healthy Awards Account funds will be deducted automatically; no need to submit a claim reimbursement form
To access your Healthy Awards Account, check balances, and track transactions, login to MyCigna.com, hover over “Manage Claims & Balances” and click on “Balances & Account Transactions”.
For questions or assistance with your Healthy Awards Account, please contact an Onsite Cigna Representative at 832-393-6191, 832-393-6192 or 832-393-6193.
Other Benefits
In addition to traditional benefits, we offer plans to protect you against medical unexpected events. The City of Houston offers plans that will assist you with your medical day to day and make the most out your finacial future.
The City of Houston provides the following other benefits:
- Supplemental
- Life Insurance
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
- FMLA
- Long Term Disability
- City Employee Paid Time Off
- Wellness
- Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
Retirement Benefits
The City of Houston provides the following retirement benefits:
- Houston Municipal Employee Pension System
- Houston Firefighters’ Relief And Retirement Fund
- Houston Police Officers's Pension System
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
Who is Elgible?
Your eligible dependents are defined as:
- Legal spouse
- Natural or adopted children to age 26
- Children to age 26, over whom you have legal guardianship or legal foster care
Grandchildren and stepchildren to age 26 if they qualify as your dependents for federal income-tax purposes and live with you - A dependent child who is 26 or older, primarily supported by you, and incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental incapacity, physical disability or handicap which arose while the child was covered as a dependent under these plans, or while covered as a dependent under prior city plans without a break in coverage. Upon applying and receiving third party medical administrator’s approval, proof of the child’s condition and dependence must be submitted within 31 days or the child ceases to qualify for benefits.
- Dependents (children and grandchildren) for whom a court order has been received requiring the employee to provide healthcare coverage, provided HR Benefits receives the court order within 31 days after issuance.
After a divorce, an ex-spouse is not eligible, except by court order issued at the time of a divorce. A divorce decree may be amended to require a retiree to cover an ex-spouse under a city medical plan.
Changes to your benefits are limited to open-enrollment periods, unless you have experienced a qualifying life event.
Qualifying Life Events
Outside of Open Enrollment, you can change your benefit coverage only if you experience a qualified life event. You have just 30 days to change your plan, so don’t wait to inform Benefits Customer Service.
Qualifying life events are defined as:- Marriage, divorce or legal separation.
- Adoption or birth of a child.
- Death of a spouse or child.
- A child on your policy turns 26.
- Taking or returning from a leave of absence.
- A change in your work schedule that causes you to gain or lose coverage.
- Change in residence or work location of you or a dependent on the policy.
- Loss or gain of benefits coverage due to a change in spouse's employement status