DOMA Section 3: Struck Down

Background information: The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) enacted September 21, 1996, is a U.S. federal law that allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages granted under the laws of other states.

Until Section 3 of the Act was ruled unconstitutional, DOMA had effectively barred same-sex married couples from being recognized as "spouses" for purposes of federal laws, or receiving federal marriage benefits. As of July 3, there is no longer any federal barriers to the recognition of same-sex couples married in states that recognize same-sex marriage. They are now entitled to receive the over 1,000 federal health, tax, Social Security and other benefits that a one man/one woman couple receives.

Example: Jane Smith is a benefits-eligible employee at North Shore-LIJ. Jane married her partner, Mary, in the state of New York in March of 2013. As a recognized marriage in New York, North Shore-LIJ was able to add Mary to Jane's policy as a Qualified Life Event.

Question: On July 3 the Supreme Court struck down DOMA, how does this affect Jane and Mary in the future, in regards to their benefits?

Answer: When the couple married in March, the state of New York recognized their marriage, but the federal government did not. As a result, Jane's pay statement showed an imputed income from the federal government. Since New York is one of the 13 states that recognizes same-sex marriage the couple did not have imputed income from New York. Now that Section 3 of DOMA has been struck down, Jane will no longer receive imputed income from the federal government and her medical contributions will be pre-tax for both federal and state purposes.

Note: North Shore-LIJ's payroll department is currently working to update the payroll system to reflect pre-tax contributions for all same-sex married participants. Impacted plan participants will be contacted directly with additional information.

If you are in a same-sex marriage and have additional questions about your benefits, call the HR Service Center at 516-734-7000.

Get Your Health Assessment Now

Open Enrollment for your 2014 Benefits Package is still a few months away but it's never too early to pledge to be well. One of the four Wellness Pledges for 2014 (which will credit your pay statement $260 for the year) is the Health Assessment Pledge. Similar to last year's Know Your Numbers/HRA Pledge you will need to fill in your health information on a secured site. Here's what you can do now to get a head start on wellness:

1. Register and login to UnitedHealthcare's myuhc.com and select the Health Assessment tab located on the far right side of the home page. 
2. Register and login using the same username and password as you did when registering on myuhc.com. 
3. Answer several security questions before you can get started. 
4. Take the Health Assessment by filling in the pre-populated fields.*
5. Hit Submit. If you have not completed the Assessment you will be notified that you have an additional 92 days to complete.

*To fill in your numbers for blood pressure, cholesterol, and Body Mass Index (BMI) you can contact your physician to see if it's time for a physical, and chart your updated biometrics in the myuhc.com portal.

Note: As long as you complete the Health Assessment and hit the submit button you will be credited for the Pledge in 2014.

Newly Hired?
If you were recently hired, you will not be able to access the Health Assessment until your benefits are active, which is the first day of the month following 32 days after your date of hire.

Protect Your Eyes All Year Round

It’s important to protect your eyes not just during the summer months but all year round. Medical studies have increasingly tied chronic exposure to UV and near-UV rays to ocular diseases. Although the sun may be the strongest during the summer months (particularly between the hours of 10am and 4pm) reflective surfaces, such as concrete, ice and snow can also contribute to UV damage.

The experts at Davis Vision recommend a quality pair of prescription or non-prescription sunglasses that:

• Block 99-100% of UVA and UVB rays
• Block blue light rays
• Contain large lenses that fit close to your eyes

Davis Vision (of Long Island) and Empire Vision Centers (of Upstate New York) will be renovated and rebranded under the name Visionworks at the end of this year. Visionworks remains the largest owned and operated optical company in the U.S., offering over 2,000 frames at each store location. More to come.

The Retirement Team is Here for You

The Investment Committee has got your back. Retirement planning should be a two way street, you invest your money and we help to invest it wisely. In addition to researching the best funds available for your Plans, the Retirement Team at North Shore-LIJ is here to help you plan for a secure future. In collaboration with the experts at MetLife, the health system offers the Retirewise Program, an informative retirement planning program with a classroom approach, educating employees about the options and opportunities they have through North Shore-LIJ. For more information and opportunities to save for your future, email: Retirement@nshs.edu. If you want a clear definition about the funds offered through MetLife, read more.