Benefits

What is COBRA? 

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a federal law that may allow you to temporarily keep health coverage for 18 months after your employment ends, if you lose coverage as a dependent of the covered employee, or experience another qualifying event.

Employees who are no longer actively employed by ISD 199 are eligible to continue district sponsored Health, Dental, Vision, FSA-Health and Life Insurance Benefits for a limited period of time. Upon notification of COBRA/Retiree eligibility, you will receive the appropriate information and forms required regarding COBRA, Minnesota Continuation and HIPAA regulations. If you elect COBRA/Retiree coverage, you pay 100% of the premiums, including the share the employer used to pay, plus a small administrative fee.

Plan specific premiums can be found on the IGHS Benefits Web Page. You will be informed of any plan changes and be able to participate in open enrollment, as applicable, in your continuation period. Minnesota state law allows continuation of life insurance for up to 18 months following loss of coverage.

If you have other questions regarding COBRA continuation coverage, please contact the ISD 199 Human Resources Department at 651-306-7800.

For answers to specific questions, please contact WEX.

Dental insurance is available to benefit eligible employees based on the employee’s labor agreement or contract. It begins on the first day of employment. Employees have 30 days from their start date to sign up for insurance coverage. If you do not sign up within 30 days of your start date, you will not be eligible to elect coverage until the next annual open enrollment period (typically in November) or unless you have a qualified status change.

Plan Summary
Dental Cost Schedule
Dental Open Access Plan

Educational Resources
Do you need dental insurance?
Ortho 101: Straight answers to questions about braces
Diabetes and gum disease: Making the connection
Insurance Presentation Videos

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is available to benefit eligible employees. It begins on the first day of employment or date of life event. Employees have 30 days from their start date or life event to sign up for FSA. If you do not sign up within 30 days of your start date or life event, you will not be eligible until the next annual open enrollment period (typically in November) or unless you have a qualified status change.

Utilizing a FSA is an easy way to lower your taxable gross income and increase your spendable income. With a FSA, you set aside part of the money you earn each year before taxes are calculated. Then, that money is paid back to you as reimbursement for health care and/or dependent care expenses that you incurred and have to pay out of your own pocket.

You may sign up for this benefit upon hire, or during our annual open enrollment period (typically in November.) For 2026, you may elect up to $3,400 for Medical FSA and $7,500 per household (for single filers or married couples filing jointly), or $3,750 for married individuals filing separately for Dependent Care FSA. If your spouse also elects a Dependent Care FSA, please ensure your combined total does not exceed the $7,500 IRS limit. .

Important: If you are enrolled in a Health Savings Account (HSA) plan, you may only enroll in a Limited Purpose FSA, which can be used for eligible dental and vision expenses only.

Plan Summary
Guide to FSA, Video, FSA Fact Sheet
Guide to Dependent Care FSA

Educational Resources
FSA Savings Calculator help determine how much you should set aside for your FSA
View our interactive eligible expense list for FSA
Insurance Presentation Video
2026 IRS Contributions Limits

Certain life changes can affect your benefits. A qualifying life event is an event that triggers a special enrollment period for an individual or family to purchase, update (add or drop dependents), or drop their insurance plans outside of the regular annual open enrollment period. You have 30 days from the date of the life event to make changes to your health plan, dental plan, vision plan and flex spending account. A qualifying life event does not allow you to switch plans, it only allows for changes to your current plan. Plan changes are done during ISD 199's annual open enrollment (typically in November).

List of qualifying life events:

• Beginning of employment
• Significant change in cost to employee due to contractual language
• Change in legal marital status, marriage or divorce
• Birth or adoption of your child
• Death of your spouse or child
• Loss of COBRA coverage
• Loss of group health coverage
• Loss of dependent status
• Change in employment status, part-time to full-time or full-time to part-time
• Change in spouse or dependent employment status, new job or loss of job
• Medicare eligibility
• Change in Medicaid or CHIP coverage, eligibility or termination

Qualified eligible dependents:

1. Spouse: current legal spouse

2. Child

• In each case the child must be either under 26 years of age
• Natural or legally adopted child
• Stepchild (child of the enrollee’s spouse)
• Child for whom you or your spouse is the legal guardian
• Child covered under a valid qualified medical child support order (as the term is defined under Section 609 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and its implementing regulations) which is enforceable against an enrollee

If you have a child or grandchild over 26 years of age and would like to know if they qualify as eligible dependent, contact the Human Resources Department.

Life insurance is available to benefit eligible employees. It begins on the first day of employment or January 1st if enrolled during the annual open enrollment. Employees have 30 days from their start date or during the annual open enrollment period to sign up for Life Insurance. If you do not sign up within 30 days of your start date, you will not be eligible until the next annual open enrollment period (typically in November).

A basic term life insurance policy is provided at no cost for all regular and active full-time employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week.  Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance reduces to 50% at age 70 and terminates upon retirement. Dependent Spouse and Dependent Child Life Insurance does not reduce and terminates upon the Employee's retirement. The amount of the policy varies by labor agreement or individual contract.  Accidental death coverage is included.  Employees also have the option to purchase supplemental life insurance for themselves at their own cost.  National Insurance Services is the broker and Ochs is the administrator for Securian Financial, the current Life Insurance carrier.

Changes to coverage are issued based on approval of good health. The Enrollment Form is required to be completed for any employee adding or changing coverage as a result of a qualified status change or during open enrollment.  Changes to the Designation of Beneficiary Form can be updated at any time.

Employees are automatically enrolled in a plan which provides monthly income of two-thirds (2/3) of the employee’s annual contract salary if you are disabled due to illness or injury for more than 60 days.  Your labor agreement or individual contract will list your required contribution towards long-term disability coverage, if any. National Insurance Services is the broker and administrator for Madison National Life, the current the long-term disability carrier.

If you are submitting a claim for long-term disability please contact Human Resources so that an employer claim form can be submitted by ISD 199.

• About Madison National Life Insurance and online capabilities.
• LTD Overview
• LTD Claim Guide
• LTD Claim Process FAQ
• Employee Claim Form
• Physician Claim Form

Medical insurance is available to benefit eligible employees based on the employee’s labor agreement or contract. It begins on the first day of employment. Employees have 30 days from their start date to sign up for insurance coverage. If you do not sign up within 30 days of your start date, you will not be eligible to elect coverage until the next annual open enrollment period (typically in November) or unless you have a qualified status change.

HealthPartners is the current medical insurance carrier. Contact HealthPartners for any questions including your coverage, claims, account balances or finding a doctor within your network.

UPDATE: 1095-B TAX STATEMENT. Individuals may receive a copy of their 1095-B upon request to the HR department at 199HR@isd199.org

Vision insurance is available to benefit eligible employees. It begins on the first day of employment. Employees have 30 days from their start date to sign up for insurance coverage. If you do not sign up within 30 days of your start date, you will not be eligible to elect coverage until the next annual open enrollment period (typically in November) or unless you have a qualified status change.

Vision Service Plan (VSP) is the current vision insurance carrier. Contact VSP for any questions including your coverage, account balances, or finding a doctor within your network. The open enrollment period is typically in mid-November.

Plan Summary
Insurance Rate Sheets
VSP Choice Plan
ISD 199 Vision Network Directory

Educational Resources
Eye exams are no cost to you, covered under the medical insurance plan at any of these in-network providers.

VSP Savings Calculator tool