Employees who do not use tobacco products pay less for Group LTD and IDI coverage. Each year, employees must verify their status as a non-tobacco user or tobacco user. To be considered a non-tobacco user and pay lower, non-tobacco user rates under the plan for a plan year, you must be tobacco-free for at least 12 months as of January 1 of that plan year, or complete an approved tobacco cessation program. If you continue to use tobacco, you will need to complete an approved tobacco cessation course annually to continue to qualify for the lower, non-tobacco user rates. If you meet the definition of a tobacco user but fail to declare your tobacco user status, you may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please Note: In your first calendar year of employment, you will be assigned non-tobacco user rates for your Group LTD coverage even if you declare yourself as a tobacco user, because you may not have had an opportunity to complete a tobacco cessation course in order to qualify for the lower non-tobacco user rates. In subsequent years, however, you will be eligible for non-tobacco user rates only if you have been tobacco-free for 12 months (as of January 1) or if you complete a tobacco cessation course, as described in the preceding paragraph.

However, if you were hired on or after October 1, for the current plan year; the following plan year you will be assigned non-tobacco user rates for your Group LTD coverage even if you declare yourself as a tobacco user, because you may not have had an opportunity to complete a tobacco cessation program in order to qualify for the lower, non-tobacco user rates.

For IDI coverage, you will declare your tobacco user status in your enrollment materials. You will be assigned rates based on your self-reported tobacco use. For those assigned tobacco user rates, your rates will only be changed to non-tobacco user rates if you have been tobacco-free for 12 continuous months (as of January 1).