09/21/2019
If you received your Alabama Municipal Journal this week, you received two articles where the Alabama League of Municipalities has officially endorsed the “First Responders Benefits Program.” This program will be the state wide entity delivering the new “Firefighter Cancer and Disability Insurance Program” to all Firefighters throughout the state of Alabama. First Responders Benefits Program (FRBP) is excited to bring this product to the Firefighters/First Responders and their families throughout the State of Alabama to protect and support them with this invaluable benefit and service.
This program will provide the Cancer and Disability Insurance to meet the guidelines and requirements of the house bill that was signed by the Governor in 2019. This bill became law, ACT 2019-361, and will be effective on January 1, 2020.
This program will have two primary options, the first option will be to provide benefits that meet the “minimum requirements” of the new law. The second option will be an “enhanced product to meet all of the minimum guidelines and provide some additional benefits” to our Firefighters and First Responders, for just a few dollars more than the basic plan.
We have received numerous calls from cities, counties, fire districts, etc., requesting information, and asking if we could give an “indication of the projected cost” so they could build this into their finance budgets this month. With that said, First Responders Benefits Program has partnered with Hartford Insurance Company, who has delivered the same Firefighter Cancer/Disability product throughout the U.S. to several other state wide programs. Hartford has developed the following “tentative rates” for the state of Alabama, subject to final approval of the Alabama Department of Insurance. We do not see any issues with these rates being approved, but they must have the final blessing from the Department of Insurance. We are waiting for that final approval and expect to get it within the next few days.
TENATIVE RATES:
CAREER PAID FIREFIGHTER
If you are a “Career Paid Firefighter,” the cost for the enhanced benefit option of cancer and long-term disability will be $198.24 per year per firefighter. The cost of the basic plan for this same category of “Career Paid Firefighter” which meets the “minimum standards of the law” will be $186.48 per year per Firefighter. The primary difference in the enhanced benefit option and the basic plan is the cancer coverage. The basic plan covers the 21 named cancers, per the law. The enhanced benefit option covers all cancers. (***Note: Premiums must be paid by employer for all Firefighters in this category based on the law.)
CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER
If you are a “Certified Volunteer Firefighter” the cost for the enhanced benefit option of cancer and long-term disability will be the same as the career paid firefighter at $198.24 per year per Firefighter. The cost of the basic plan for this same category of “Certified Volunteer Firefighter” will also be the same as the career paid firefighter at $186.48 per year per Firefighter. The primary difference in the enhanced benefit option and the basic plan is the cancer coverage. The basic plan covers the 21 named cancers per the law. The enhanced benefit option covers all cancers.(***Note: Premiums must be paid by employer/volunteer department for all Firefighters in this category to get these rates.)
NON-CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER
If you are a “Non-Certified Volunteer Firefighter” the cost for the enhanced benefit option of cancer and long-term disability will be $150.24 per year per Firefighter. The cost of the basic plan for the “Non-Certified Volunteer Firefighter” will be $138.48 per year per Firefighter. The primary difference in the enhanced benefit option and the basic plan is the cancer coverage. The basic plan covers the 21 named cancers per the law. The enhanced benefit option covers all cancers. Also note that the premiums are less for this category because the monthly disability benefit for “NON CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS” is LESS. (***Note: premiums must be paid by employer/volunteer department for all Firefighters in this category to get these rates.)
All three of the above categories assume that the employer/department will be paying for 100% of the cost of all Firefighters (Career Paid, Certified Volunteer and Non Certified Volunteers) in the department.
*** If there are “Volunteer Departments” in the state that will not be paying for this coverage for their Firefighting team, please call the 800 phone number below for the rates for the individual paid Firefighter plans. ***
Within the next 10 days, we will launch the Alabama First Responders Benefits Program website that you may utilize for additional information, as well as request an online quote for your department. We have also set up a dedicated 800 phone number and a dedicated email address below for all questions and support during the enrollment process for your Municipality and Volunteer Departments.
Dedicated Phone #:
1-800-23-CANCER
Dedicated Email:
[email protected]
In addition, we will be mailing a packet to the Fire Chiefs with product and informational literature in the next 10 to 14 days. Please be on the lookout for this information. You will receive this packet in a bright red Tyvek envelope, addressed to the Fire Chief in your department. If by some chance you do not receive this packet within the next 10 to 14 days, please give us a call so that we can make sure that we get you this informational packet to you.
Please feel free to forward this email to anyone that you feel needs to receive this information going forward. If you have someone that needs to be added to this email list please simply hit reply to this email and we will add them to future emails. It will be our goal going forward to communicate to you weekly on key bullets and information about this program.
In closing, it is our honor and privilege to serve the First Responders in our communities throughout the state of Alabama. You have my personal commitment that First Responders Benefits Program is dedicated to support and serve you throughout this process. We have also assembled a dedicated team of people, who will be answering all calls and emails from each of you at the above dedicated 800 phone number and email address.
Thank you again, and we look forward to working with you in the coming weeks.
Thank you,
Terry E. Young
President
First Responders Benefits Program
Affiliate of Millennium Risk Managers, LLC
