Who is eligible for health care benefits?
- Full-time hourly and salaried employees of Briggs & Stratton.
- Part-time employees regularly scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week. Refer to the enrollment website or your local Human Resources Department for more details.
- Legally married opposite-sex or same-sex spouse (refer to Working Spouse Provision section below).
- Children through the month they turn 26. Our plan defines children as your biological, adopted, foster or stepchildren.
- Eligible children, who are disabled, as long as the child is declared disabled prior to reaching their 26th birthday and the request for extended coverage is submitted to the Benefits Service Center no later than 31 days after their 26th birthday.
- All employees and dependents must reside in the United States.
Note: You can’t be covered as both an employee and a dependent. Also, no one can be covered as a dependent of more than one employee, and your dependent(s) cannot be covered unless you are covered.
Working Spouse Provision
We believe every employer should take primary responsibility for providing medical coverage to its own employees. When an employee’s spouse enrolls in a Briggs & Stratton plan instead of his or her own employer’s plan, the spouse’s expenses shift to us. If a spouse has the choice of other coverage but declines it, we believe that adds a cost burden to our plan.
This provision would not apply if your spouse:
- Is not employed,
- Is self-employed and spouse’s business does not offer medical coverage to any employee or self-employed individual,
- Works part-time (even if eligible for coverage),
- Works full-time but is not eligible for coverage through his or her own employer,
- Has primary coverage through his or her own plan and enrolls in a Briggs & Stratton plan as secondary coverage, or
- Is employed by Briggs & Stratton.
Qualifying Events
Due to IRS regulations, the pre-tax benefit decisions you make during the enrollment period, whether active or defaulted elections, will remain in effect for the entire calendar year unless you experience a qualifying event such as:
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Birth or adoption of a child
- Change in dependent status (i.e. child is no longer a qualified dependent)
- Death of your spouse or child
- Changes in your spouse’s employment status
- Loss or gain of coverage for you, your spouse or eligible dependent
To change your benefit elections after a qualified life status event, you must make the change online or by phone within 30 days of the life event. Only election changes that are consistent with your life event will be allowed. Changes to your Health Savings Account contribution amounts can be made at any time during the year. Should you need assistance, contact the benefits service center at (877) 232-1083.
Briggs & Stratton has partnered with Empyrean Benefit Solutions to assist you with:
- Enrolling in benefits
- Assisting with life status changes (birth, divorce, etc.)
- Understanding your benefit options
- Electing/changing your Health Savings Account payroll contributions
- Accessing benefits library and videos
- And much more
Visit online at mylinks.basco.com > Success Center > Benefits to enroll and learn more about your benefits.
Representatives are also available to answer questions you may have. Call Briggs & Stratton Benefits Service Center at (877) 232-1083 anytime Monday – Friday, 7 am – 7 pm CST.
COBRA
For employees and dependents post-employment or after life status changes, there may be an option to extend the current Briggs & Stratton health plans. For additional information please contact Briggs & Stratton Benefits Service Center at (877) 232-1083.
