An Important Message for NCFlex Participants

July 2023

Voya Travel Assistance - Free Benefit with NCFlex AD&D* and Accident Plans

If you are enrolled in the NCFlex Core or Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)* Plan or the NCFlex Accident Plan, you have a travel assistance benefit available at no cost.

This benefit offers enrolled employees the following when traveling more than 100 miles away from their primary residence: 

• Emergency Medical Services
• Medical Assistance Services
• Travel Assistance
• Security Assistance Services 

These services are available for you and your covered dependents. The customer service center and services provided on the website are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, from anywhere in the world.

View the English and Spanish flyers for more information about the Voya Travel Assistance benefit. There is also a section designed to be cut out and kept on hand during travel.

*Employees of the University System do not participate in NCFlex AD&D and have their own AD&D product.

Sensible Savings Session - One Date Left!

NCFlex, in partnership with the State Retirement System, State Employees Credit Union and Empower Retirement (State 401(k)/457), is offering a series of free financial and retirement planning webinars for State of North Carolina employees.

We have one session left on Thursday, July 27 at 1-4:30 p.m. Visit the Sensible Savings Sessions page to learn more and register. 

Adventure Safely This Summer

Did you know that July is National Parks and Recreation Month? With 41 state parks, 10 national park sites and four national forests in North Carolina, there's no shortage of opportunities to celebrate the season by hiking, biking, swimming or camping. Be sure to follow the tips below to maximize your fun by staying safe and healthy on all your summer adventures.

• Apply (and reapply) sunscreen. According to the Food and Drug Administration, there's no such thing as waterproof sunscreen. As a result, sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours and more often when you're swimming or sweating. Reminder: sunscreen SPF 15 and above is Health Care FSA eligible.

• Stay hydrated. The Mayo Clinic states that, on average, men need about 15.5 cups of fluids each day and women need about 11.5 cups daily. Hot, humid weather and exercise can make you sweat and increase the amount of fluids you need. Join us for a Wellness Webinar on Tuesday, July 25 for a deep dive on how you can stay hydrated this summer.

• Function over fashion. Wearing the appropriate attire can be the difference between a fun day in the sun and an accident leading to injury. Consider the best clothes for whatever activities are in store for you. For example, wear shoes with ankle support when hiking, don't forget your helmet when biking and be sure to wear a life vest when paddling. If an accident does occur, the NCFlex Accident Plan may be able to help. 

• Be prepared to avoid summer pests. The North Carolina Pest Management Association lists mosquitos and ticks as two of summer's most common pests and suggests wearing repellant to keep both at bay. Also, familiarize yourself with these tips from North Carolina State University for staying safe if you encounter a snake and always watch where you step when outside. The NCFlex Accident Plan may also help in the event of a snake or bug bite.

• There's safety in numbers. The outdoors is inherently unpredictable, so no matter how much you've prepared, always bring a partner on all your outdoor adventures and share your plans and location with a responsible person who's staying home. 

Bonus! July is also National Picnic Month.

Make your summer adventure even more fun by bringing along a nutritious meal to enjoy using EatingWell's simple formula for a perfect picnic dinner.

NCFlex Coverage Continuation

Transferring Your Employment

NCFlex benefits are sponsored by the State of North Carolina. If you transfer within state government to another agency, university, participating community college or participating charter school, your NCFlex benefits will transfer with you. In some cases, benefits do not automatically transfer. Be sure to check with the Health Benefits Representative at your new employer to ensure your benefits are transferred correctly.

Separation of Employment or Retirement

If you leave state employment or retire, most of these plans have options to continue coverage either at the same rate or a small percentage more.

Know your options before you leave. Our Continuation of Coverage chart lists each plan and continuation options that are available

Learn More

In June, our employee webinar session discussed continuation options that are available to you when leaving state employment. You can find the recording and slides on our NCFlex Webinars webpage.

Webinar Opportunity with NCFlex: August

NCFlex EyeMed Vision

In August, we are featuring the NCFlex vision plan from EyeMed. We'll talk about how the plan works, vision wellness, common lens enhancements and materials, member tools and savings.

Register on our Webinar webpage or below for one of the scheduled dates and times. Bookmark the page to view future events, video recordings and slides of past events.

Please email us at [email protected] with any questions.