You may obtain beneficiary information, and name or change your current beneficiary by calling the insurance company directly.

Basic Life:
Flex, Options and Choices participants may call CIGNA Life at 800-842-6635.

Optional Group Term Life:
Options and Choices participants may call CIGNA Life at 800-842-6635.

MetLife Optional Group Variable Universal Life:
Flex and MegaFlex participants may call MetLife at 800-846-0124, or log on to the Web enrollment system at www.mylacountybenefits.com and click the MetLife link.

Notify your departmental personnel office immediately on a change of address.  Your department will update the County payroll system and the change of address will be automatically reported to the health plans.

Medical and dental provider directories are available at your departmental personnel office.  You can get the most up-to-date directory listings by logging on to the medical and/or dental plan’s Web site.  The Web site addresses and phone numbers can be found in the back of your enrollment guide.

Once your benefits become effective for the Plan Year, federal tax laws state that you will have to wait until the next annual enrollment to enroll or make changes, unless you have a qualified “change in status” or life event.  For more information, review the Making Changes to Your Benefits During the Year section in any of the Benefits Enrollment guides on this Web site under the Flexible Benefits link.

If I do have a change in status, such as a marriage or birth of a child, how do I make changes to my benefits?

You may request a change to your benefits during the year as long as the change is consistent with the qualified life event.  To change your benefit elections or add or remove family members, you must do the following:

  1. Enroll:  Within 90 days of the date of your life event by going to the Web enrollment system at www.mylacountybenefits.com  and selecting the Life Event link, or calling the telephone enrollment system at 888-822-0487 and select “To make changes to your benefits” option from the Main Menu.  Make sure you confirm your enrollment at the end of the process.
  2. Submit:  Proof of dependent status documents such as a marriage certificate to add your spouse or birth certificate to add your child within 90 days of your life event.  Write your employee number on each document and mail to: County of Los Angeles Benefits Plan Administrator, PO Box 5102, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034, or fax to: 310-788-8775.

 

Note: Your enrollment is not complete until the plan administrator has received and approved all necessary proof documents, and processed your request.

When can I make changes to my benefits, add or remove family members if I missed the 90 day deadline?

Annual enrollment is your only opportunity to make changes to your benefits if you miss the 90 day deadline.  Annual enrollment is during the month of October.  The benefits you elect at that time will go into effect for the next Plan Year (January 1 through December 31).

Do I have to wait until Annual Enrollment to add or remove my domestic partner from my medical or dental plan?

You may add a domestic partner and your domestic partner’s children to your medical and/or dental coverage, or remove them from coverage, at any time during the year under similar rules as described in the Making Changes to Your Benefits During the Year section of the enrollment guide.

Medical and dental identification cards are usually mailed to the employee within 15 working days from the effective date of coverage.  If you need to use services, you may use your confirmation letter as temporary evidence of insurance coverage.  If you have not received or want to replace your identification card, call the health plan directly.  The phone numbers are listed below.

County Sponsored Medical Plans:
Anthem Blue Cross – 844-730-1931
Cigna – 800-842-6635
Kaiser Permanente – 800-464-4000
UnitedHealthcare – 800-367-2600

Union Sponsored Medical Plans:
ALADS Blue Cross – 800-842-6635
CAPE Blue Shield – 800-487-3092
Fire Fighters Local 1014 – 800-660-1014

County Sponsored Dental Plans:
Delta Dental – 888-335-8227
MetLife (Safeguard) – 800-880-1800
DeltaCare – 800-422-4234

If you leave County service, you may continue your medical, dental, and Health Care Spending Account, if any, under a federal law known as COBRA.  When federal COBRA ends, you may be entitled to extend medical and dental coverage further under California law.  COBRA information will be automatically mailed to you when you leave County service or retire.  This notice explains your rights and obligations under COBRA as well as a notice explaining your rights and obligations under California law.

In most cases employees who retire decline COBRA coverage because they are offered medical and dental insurance through the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA).

The life insurance you had prior to leaving County service cannot continue under COBRA.

Options and Choices employees may convert their CIGNA Optional Group Term Life insurance to an individual policy by calling CIGNA Life at 800-842-6635.

Flex and MegaFlex employees will be automatically billed by MetLife for their Group Variable Universal Life insurance.  If you do not receive a bill or have questions, please call MetLife at 800-846-0124,

If you are having problems using services, contact the health plan directly.  You can find the phone number for your health plan on your identification card.