A word to the wise, don’t turn it down.

Question: I have just returned from active duty and my employer asked me if I wanted to reinstate my health insurance coverage with the company group policy. My human resources director told my that I had a right to reinstate the coverage upon returning to work, but if I declined to accept the reinstatement, I would be subject to the normal reinstatement policies involving enrollment periods, waiting periods, etc. I want to decline the coverage because I have TRICARE transitional benefits for myself and my family for several months at a significantly reduced cost as compared to the company policy. If I decline the coverage now, will USERRA require my employer to reinstate my coverage immediately upon the termination of TRICARE?

Answer: I believe the answer to that is no, and I think that your employer is correct. USERRA states in 38 USC 4317 that “in the case of a person whose coverage under a health plan was terminated by reason of service in the uniformed services, an exclusion or waiting period may not be imposed in connection with the reinstatement of such coverage upon reemployment if an exclusion or waiting period would not have been imposed under a health plan had coverage of such person by such plan not been terminated as a result of such service.

If you reject the coverage upon re-employment, you may jeopardize any protection for which you may be entitled under USERRA. This would also be true if you elected to reinstate your coverage but not to reinstate your family coverage that you had before activation, choosing instead to keep your family on the less expensive TRICARE plan. Your employer would not be required by USERRA at a later date, when your dependant TRICARE benefits have expired, to re-enroll their coverage as a separate entity. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Don’t turn down those health-care benefits when you return.

Veterans Education Grant (VetEd) – Pre-Application deadline is near

(MADISON) – The Wisconsin Veterans Education (VetEd) Grant Program provides a reimbursement grant for tuition and fees for veterans taking courses for credit at approved schools. For veterans to receive the end-of- semester reimbursement, two filing deadlines must be met: the pre-application must be filed with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs within 30 days of the semester start date; and the application must be filed no later than 60 days after the end date. As some schools’ fall semesters are underway, the pre-application deadline is drawing near. Veterans may apply on-line to submit both the pre-application and application forms. See a local County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) for assistance. Veterans may receive both a VetEd reimbursement grant and an up-front waiver of 50% of tuition and fees through the Wisconsin GI Bill while attending a UW or Wisconsin Technical College System campus, as well as the federal Montgomery GI Bill, for the same semester. For more information about VetEd, the Wisconsin GI Bill, and the Montgomery GI Bill, go to https://dva.wi.gov/ or call toll free 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387).

STATE BENEFITS ADVISOR
PO Box 8111
Madison, Wisconsin 53708-8111
fedhrfeedback@ng.army.mil
DSN 724-3727
Comm (608) 242-3727