Loyola University Chicago

• Additional Benefits through Cigna
• Adoption Assistance Program
• Always Vision SM
• Credit Union
• Group Legal Plan 
• Initial COBRA Notice
• Long Term Insurance Care 
• Transit Benefit
• Vision Service Plan

Adoption Assistance Program

Supporting families, Loyola’s adoption assistance benefit is provided to you at no cost.  This program will reimburse you at 90% for covered expenses up to a maximum of $1,000 (or $2,000 if the child has special needs). Expenses will only be paid for the adoption of children under the age of 18 or who are physically or mentally incapable of caring for themselves.    

Covered expenses (which must be reasonable and necessary) include:

- Agency fees 
- Counseling fees                                         
- Court costs
- Legal fees  
- Maternity costs for the child                           
- Placement fees
- Temporary foster care  
- Transportation costs                                       

Limitations:  Benefits are not payable for the adoption of stepchildren or for pre-natal or maternity costs of the birth mother of the adoptive child.

Tax considerations:  the adoption assistance benefit is not subject to federal or Illinois state tax withholding, but is subject to FICA withholding tax.

Loyola University Employee's Federal Credit Union

A credit union is a unique financial institution that is subject to the same regulations as a bank.  Formed by a group of people with a common link, like their profession or place of work, a credit union is run by its members.  The initial capital to start the credit union comes from the founding members who pool their own money as savings and make low-cost loans to each other. 

Loyola’s credit union started in just this way.  The sole purpose of the credit union is to meet the needs of its members. 

Your credit union account is insured for up to $100,000.00 through the National Credit Union Administration Insurance Fund, an agency of the Federal government. 

Joining:  Membership is open to all employees [including student workers] of Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, and Madden Mental Health Center, and their immediate family.  A share account may be opened with a minimum balance of $25.00.  You may authorize payroll deduction for direct deposit into your Credit Union account(s).  Membership forms may be obtained in the campus HR office or by contacting the Credit Union at (708) 216-4500.

Group Legal Plan

The Hyatt Group Legal Services Plan provides you and your family access to a network of attorneys who can provide a wide range of professional legal services including:

The Hyatt Legal Plan allows access to a nationwide network of participating attorneys.  Plan Attorneys have met stringent selection criteria and have an average of more than 16 years of legal experience. 

Plan Attorney assistance includes:
- Consultation on the telephone
- In-person consultation
- Document preparation
- Representation in many frequently necessary legal matters
 
You have the flexibility to use a non-Plan Attorney and be reimbursed for the covered services according to a set fee schedule.  If you use a non-Plan Attorney, you will be responsible for paying the difference between the Plan payment and the out-of-network attorney’s charge for the service. 

There are limitations to this plan.  Covered legal services do not include representation in litigation matters.

Legal advice is just a phone call away.  When you face a situation that you think has legal implications, simply pick up the phone.  A knowledgeable Client Service Representative will be available to assist you in locating a Plan Attorney near your home or workplace.  Plan Attorneys are generally available to meet with you on weekdays, evenings, and Saturdays.

Certain areas are not covered by the plan and there is no obligation to provide legal service benefits in any matter deemed frivolous, harassing or in contravention of the rules of ethical conduct by governing attorneys.  More information and a listing of available attorneys can be found on the Plan website: www.legalplans.com  or at 800-821-6400 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time Monday through Friday. 

This benefit is portable.  If you leave the University you need to contact Hyatt Legal Services/MetLife one month in advance.  Hyatt will give you details on plan
continuation.

Long Term Care Insurance

All full time faculty, staff, and part-time regular employees scheduled to work twenty (20) or more hours per week are eligible to enroll in this plan.  Your spouse, parents, grandparents, parents-in-law, and grandparents-in-law are also eligible to participate in Loyola’s Long Term Care insurance at group rates.   If you choose to enroll your parents or grandparents or those of your spouse, the enrollment form is mailed directly to CNA.

Long Term Care is a voluntary option provided to you through CNA.  Long term care is the type of help you may need when you are not able to perform some activities of daily living (ADLs) by yourself due to an illness, disability, or severe cognitive impairment (such as Alzheimer’s) or similar irreversible dementia.

Activities of daily living are bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, continence, and eating.  You might receive care at home, in a nursing home or an assisted living facility, or from community-based health care that allow you to stay in your own home.  Your group health plan will pay little, if anything, toward long term care.  This Long Term Care plan pays for care in a nursing home or an assisted living facility, or for community-based health care.

Cost of Coverage

Premium rates are based on a choice of four fixed daily benefits and your age at the time of enrollment.  When you select one of the “basic daily benefit” option levels of $100, $150, $200, or $250, this is the amount of daily benefits you may receive and the lifetime maximum.  For nursing home care, you will be reimbursed the daily benefit you select for each day you are confined to a nursing facility after you have satisfied the waiting period (60/15 Service Days).  Your lifetime maximum benefit amount for any covered service (nursing facility care, community-based care) is based on the plan selected.  After your application is approved by CNA, you will be advised of your monthly premium.

The Long Term Care Plan is a “Portable Plan” (Third page on Long Term Care Coverage)

You may continue your coverage under this plan at the same premium rate even after you retire or leave Loyola.  You are advised to contact CNA’s Customer Service one month prior to leaving employment or retirement to set up direct billing to your home.  CNA’s Customer Service Department: 1-800-528-4582.

How to Enroll:

 To enroll in CNA's Group Long-Term Care Insurance plan, you must go to their website where you can find your premium - and review your rate(s).  You will be able to download the proper forms to complete and mail to CNA; their mailing address is located on the forms.  You will not be able to enroll on-line.  Please follow these basic steps: 

Step 1: Log on to www.ltcbenefits.com. 

Step 2: Enter your Password:  Loyola

Step 3: Click on the "Enroll Now" Button

Step 4: Click on "Find My Premium" to review your rate

Step 5:  Download and print the proper form:

• Employee Form 
• Spouses of Employees
• Parents; Grandparents; Parents-in-law; Grand Parents-in-law 

Step 6: Mail the completed form to CNA (the mailing address is located at the

             bottom of the "applying is Easy" form.  You can print a copy of the Long-Term Care brochure.

To request a Long Term Care kit, call CNA at 1-800-528-4582.

Transit Benefit

Eligibility:  Full-time University Faculty and Staff members (FTE .80 or greater)

                  Full-time SSOM Faculty and Staff members (FTE 1.0 or greater)

There are two separate Transit Benefits:

1. Chicago Card Plus – allows you to make pre-tax contributions to your card for purposes of travel on Chicago Transit Authority buses and subways. 

2. RTA Transit Voucher – Effective 1/1/08, you will be able to purchase a voucher up to $115/month to be used towards the purchase of train passes through the Regional Transportation Authority.

How the Program Works:

• Enroll in Transit via the Internet at www.LoyolaExpress.com.  Using the internet to enroll is easy and safe.  Our secured website is set up to automatically take you through easy enrollment steps with instructions on line.  After you log on, the website will prompt you to enter your USERNAME and your PASSWORD.  Your Username is LUC followed by the last four digits of your Social Security Number (Example: LUC1234).  Your Password is your birth date entered as MMDDYYYY.  You may phone Benefit Express - Customer Service at (877) 837-5017, if you have questions or problems enrolling. 
• You may log on at any time to view or change your elections.  To change your election(s) on-line, the cut-off date is the 15th of each month.  Your new change will be effective with the following full month's payroll deduction(s) taken for the subsequent month's transit fare media.  [Example: changes made by October 15 would affect November payroll deductions used to purchase December transit media.] 
• There is a one-time $5 cost for the purchase of the Chicago Card Plus.
• Each month, the amount you have deducted through payroll will be automatically added to your Chicago Card Plus.  RTA Vouchers will be sent to your home address, or you may request to pick-up your card or voucher from the Human Resources Office at WTC or LSC.  Deductions for the Chicago Card Plus are withdrawn from your check the month prior to use.
• Use your Chicago Card Plus for CTA transportation; your RTA Voucher to purchase Metra, South Shore Railroad fares, or CTA or Pace transit cards from any authorized agent.
• Note that currency will not be returned if the ticket fare is less than the voucher amount and vending machines will not return change.
• The maximum monthly deduction for Chicago Card Plus is $75.00 which allows for unlimited travel on the CTA for 30 days from the first day of use.  Or, you may elect pay-per-use denomination amounts of $30, $35, $40, $50, $60, or $65.  The maximum monthly deduction for RTA Transit Voucher is $115.
• You may check your account balance on your Chicago Card Plus, suspend your participation in the program, or report a lost card by calling 1-888-YOUR CTA, or by visiting their website at www.chicago-card.com.
• A minimum of three consecutive months is required before withdrawal.  If you choose to withdraw from the program, please use the form on the website address listed above.
• If you purchase both an RTA Transit Voucher and a Chicago Card Plus, the combined total cannot exceed $115/month.