As a valued member of our Kern County team, you have the opportunity to take advantage of 2 medical benefit plan options that Kern County offers their Extra-Help/Temporary employees. Below are links to important information about those options that will help guide you in making your decision. Of course, the staff at Kern County Health and Wellness is always available to answer any questions you or your family might have.

Important Notes

• You must either enroll in or decline coverage within 20 days of your date of hire. If you do not do so, you will not be enrolled in a health plan option.
• To enroll or decline coverage, see the Enrollment Forms section below. Enrollment and declination forms are completed through our secure online forms platform.

Health benefits coverage will go into effect the first day of the biweekly pay period following one month of continuous service, beginning on the day the employee physically reports to duty in the benefits-eligible position.

• Plan Year 2024 Effective Dates for New Hires (PDF)
• Plan Year 2025 Effective Dates for New Hires (PDF)

Plan Comparisons & Summary of Benefits and Coverage

Medical Plans (Including Prescription Benefit)

• Kern Legacy Share Select—High Deductible EPO Plan
• Kern Legacy Network Plus—Two-Tier Exclusive Network Health Plan

Important Notes

• You must either enroll in or decline coverage within 20 days of your date of hire. If you do not do so, you will not be enrolled in a health plan option.
• You must have an account for the online forms platform in order to submit a form. Create an account
• As of January 2021, the enrollment forms will no longer work with Internet Explorer. If you do not have another browser installed on your work PC, you can fill out the form from your home PC or smart phone/tablet.
• If you have questions about how to fill out the below forms, see the Health Benefits Online Forms FAQ.

Forms

• New Hire Extra-Help/Temporary Employees Health Plan Enrollment Form
• New Hire Extra-Help/Temporary Employees Health Plan Declination Form

Eligibility Policy

• Health Benefits Eligibility Policy for Extra-Help/Temporary Employees (PDF)

Important Notices

• Extra-Help/Temporary Employees Important Notices Handout (PDF)

As a new Extra-Help/Temporary employee, you are entitled to enroll in additional voluntary benefits. These include:

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Various Voluntary Insurance Benefits

For more information about the voluntary benefits available to you, visit the Voluntary Benefits page.

Balancing the demands of life can be stressful - the good news is we can help. Your Employee Assistance Program is available to help you take control of your life! Through Anthem Blue Cross, County employees and their dependents can access three free counseling sessions, per incident, to help through the tough times.

• Employee Assistance Program

Federal Law, usually called COBRA, requires that most employers sponsoring group health plans offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage (called "continuation coverage") at group rates in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end. Employees covered by the County's health benefits programs have a right to choose this continuation coverage if they lose health insurance coverage because of a reduction in hours or the termination of employment for reasons other than gross misconduct.