While the holidays can be a joyful time of year, they can also cause anxiety for some. Please remember the resource of our Employee Assistance Program which can assist those dealing with the stress of the holiday season. More information can be found at www.ben.omb.delaware.gov/eap.

Open Enrollment starts earlier - on October 15th - and lasts longer (7 full weeks) to give you enough time to review and make changes to your coverage. But, also starting this year, you will need to make your final selection for next year's Medicare coverage by December 7th. This change ensures Medicare has enough time to process your choice, so your coverage can begin without interruption on January 1.

For additional information please read the full article.

Special Medicfill Medicare Supplement (Administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware)
This plan supplements Medicare. Unless otherwise indicated on the Benefits Highlights pages in the plan description booklet, benefits will be paid as noted only after Medicare pays its full amount.

View the Summary Plan Description (SPD) for BCBSD's Group Special Medicfill plan.

2011 Workshops

The half-day workshops provide information regarding Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan benefits and Social Security benefits. Click here for more details

Open Enrollment for State of Delaware Pensioners is May 9 - 25, 2011 and includes exciting new options you don't want to miss - new Consumer-Directed Health Gold Plans offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware and Aetna as well as a new State vision plan through EyeMed Vision Care®.

Detailed information regarding your health, dental, vision and prescription benefits is now available in the 2011 Open Enrollment Booklet. Click here to access the booklet. Click here to download a "print friendly" version of the booklet.

Pensioner Briefing Sessions will be available for pensioners to learn about the new CDH Gold Plans. Click here to see times and places of briefing sessions.

Health Fairs will also be held throughout the state for you to meet with representatives of Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware, DelaWELL, Dominion National, Delta Dental, Medco, HMS, Blood Bank, and EyeMed Vision Care®.Click here to find a location near you.

2011 Forms / Information

On April 14, the State Senate passed HB 81, which reforms state employee health and pension benefits, and the bill is headed to the Governor for signature. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions information on changes resulting from the legislation.

Important Changes to Income Tax Withholding
In April 2009, as part of the Federal Stimulus Bill (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), the Internal Revenue Service released new tax withholding tables. This was also referred to as the "Making Work Pay" credit. The Office of Pensions implemented the new tax tables which resulted in less federal tax withheld from pension checks and thus increasing a pensioner's monthly net pay.

Effective in 2011 the provisions of the "Making Work Pay" credit expired. The 2011 federal income tax withholding tables have been adjusted and the new withholding amounts were applied to the January 31, 2011 pension check. In most cases, this resulted in an increase in the federal tax withholding and thus a decrease in a pensioner's monthly net pay.

A pensioner may complete a new TWE (Tax Withholding Election) with the Pension Office to adjust their federal tax withholding.

Form TWE (Tax Withholding Election) is available on our website at: Tax Withholding Election (TWE)

* Only submit this form if you wish to make a change.

Tax Withholding Election Form:
Due to changes in the federal income tax laws, please review your State of Delaware pension benefit tax withholding election. In the event that you wish to change your current tax withholding, you may print from our website the Tax Withholding Election (TWE) form for submission to our office.

* Only submit this form if you wish to make a change.