Healthcare benefits
The information contained in this section is intended to supplement the information contained elsewhere in the Stryker Benefits Summary. Except for the provisions described in this section, the description of the terms and conditions regarding medical coverage set out in other sections of the Stryker Benefits Summary will apply.
If you are on International Assignment and meet the eligibility requirements, Stryker offers you one medical option-the Cigna International Expatriate Benefits option provided through Cigna. The UnitedHealthcare plans or other carrier options are not available.
This section of the Stryker Benefits Summary, together with other sections of the Stryker Benefits Summary that pertain to the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan and the Schedule of Benefits issued by Cigna, constitute the Summary Plan Description for the Cigna option. It is intended to supplement the information contained elsewhere in the Stryker Benefits Summary. Except for the provisions described in this section, the description of the terms and conditions regarding medical coverage set out in other sections of the Stryker Benefits Summary will apply.
You are eligible to enroll in the Cigna option if you are a full-time employee of Stryker, or part-time employee of Stryker who works 20 or more hours per week, and who is on International Assignment and meets all other eligibility requirements as outlined in the Certificate, available at:
Eligible dependents include:
- Your legal spouse
- Your domestic partner. Note: registered domestic partnerships are not subject to any requirements for proof of relationship or waiting periods applied to domestic partnerships that are not also applied to marriages. For purposes of Stryker's benefit plans, a domestic partnership is defined as:
OR
- A domestic partnership that meets all of the following requirements for the immediately preceding 12 months:
- Is at least age 18 and mentally competent to enter into a legal contract when the domestic partnership began.
- Is your sole domestic partner in a committed relationship and intends to remain so indefinitely.
- Has not had another domestic partner within the prior 12 months.
- Has not been a party to a divorce or annulment proceeding in at least 12 months.
- Is not related to you in a way that would prohibit a legal marriage.
- Is not legally married to anyone else, and any prior marriages have been dissolved through death, divorce or nullity.
- Shares a household with you that is the primary residence of both of you (although you may live apart for reasons of education, healthcare, work, or military service).
- Shares joint responsibility with you for each other's basic living expenses incurred during the domestic partnership.
- Your child under age 26
- A disabled child, who is not able to support himself because of a physical or mental disability that existed before age 26 and who relies primarily on you for support, provided the child has had continuous coverage with Cigna since the child's 26th birthday
The term "child" means:
- A natural child
- A stepchild or domestic partner's child
- A foster child
- A legally adopted child
- A child placed for adoption.
"Child" also includes a child who is required to be covered under the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan by a qualified medical child support order (QMCSO). See the Your Rights and Responsibilities section in this Stryker Benefits Summary for more information regarding QMCSOs.
If both you and your spouse ,domestic partner, or dependent work for Stryker, you may not be covered under the plan both as an employee and a dependent nor may you be covered under any other Stryker-sponsored plan if you are enrolled in this plan. Any eligible children of two Stryker employees may be covered as dependents by only one parent.
Note: The dependent eligibility requirements and age limitations discussed here apply only to the Cigna option. Other options may have other requirements. Please see "Dependents" in the Participating in Healthcare Benefits section for those requirements.
If you enroll when you are first eligible, your coverage under the plan begins immediately as of your date of hire. If you are re-hired after a break in service, coverage begins immediately on your date of re-hire.
A newly eligible child, spouse or domestic partner will be covered immediately if you contact your Benefits representative and complete the necessary paperwork to enroll him or her within 30 days of the date of birth, marriage or domestic partnership, or the date the child joined the family.
Insurance for your dependents will become effective on the date you elect it by signing an approved payroll deduction form, but no earlier than the day you become eligible for dependent insurance. All of your dependents as defined will be included.
If you are a late entrant for dependent insurance, the insurance for each of your dependents will not become effective until Cigna agrees to insure that dependent. Your dependent will not be denied enrollment for medical insurance due to health status. Your dependents will be insured only if you are insured.
You are a late entrant for dependent insurance if:
- You elect that insurance more than 30 days after you become eligible for it
- You again elect it after you cancel your payroll deduction.
Any dependent child born while you are insured for medical insurance will become insured for medical insurance on the date of his birth if you elect dependent medical insurance no later than 31 days after his birth. If you do not elect to insure your newborn child within such 31 days, coverage for that child will end on the 31st day. No benefits for expenses incurred beyond the 31st day will be payable.
A person will not be considered a late entrant when enrolling outside a designated enrollment period if: he had existing coverage, and he certified in writing, if applicable, that he declined coverage due to such coverage; Employer contributions toward the other coverage have been terminated; he is no longer eligible for prior coverage; or if such prior coverage was continuation coverage and the continuation period has been exhausted: and he enrolls for this coverage within 30 days after losing or exhausting prior coverage. In addition, a dependent spouse, domestic partner or minor child enrolled within 30 days following a court order of such coverage will not be considered a late entrant.
If you acquire a new dependent through marriage, birth, adoption or placement for adoption, you may enroll your eligible dependents and yourself, if you are not already enrolled, within 30 days of such event. Coverage will be effective, on the date of marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption.
Coverage for you and your dependents under the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan ends on the date on which any of the following take place:
- You leave Stryker or fail to pay required coverage contributions
- You are no longer an eligible employee
- You drop coverage due to a qualifying life event
If you elect to drop healthcare benefits during annual enrollment, coverage ends on the December 31 following the annual enrollment period.
Dependent coverage ends:
- On the date your coverage ends
- On the last day of the calendar month in which your dependent child reaches age 26
- On the date your dependent child ceases to qualify as a dependent under the plan
- In the case of a spouse, the date of divorce
- In the case of a domestic partner, the date of the termination of domestic partnership
If coverage under the plan ends, you or your dependents may be able to choose COBRA continuation coverage. For more information, see "COBRA: Continuing Healthcare Coverage" in the Participating in Healthcare Benefits section of this Stryker Benefits Summary.
Although not required by COBRA law, under the Stryker Plan, when you elect COBRA coverage, your covered domestic partner and their covered dependents may also be eligible to continue coverage under COBRA. However, your domestic partner and their dependents will not be considered a qualified beneficiary for purposes of COBRA unless you (as the employee) cover the domestic partner under your COBRA plan. For more information about COBRA coverage, see "COBRA: Continuing Healthcare Coverage" in the Participating in Healthcare Benefits section of this Stryker Benefits Summary.
For specific information about the medical benefits offered under the Cigna option, refer to the Schedule of Benefits, available at https://totalrewards.stryker.com/spd/2023-medical-certificate.pdf.
The Cigna option provides benefits for covered prescription drugs purchased inside the United States, including contraceptives, insulin and diabetic supplies. Specific information is set out in the "Prescription Drug Insurance" section of the Schedule of Benefits, available at https://totalrewards.stryker.com/spd/2023-medical-certificate.pdf.
The Cigna plan provides dental benefits for basic, restorative, and major services, as well as orthodontia for eligible dependent children up to age 19. Preventive care is covered at 100%. Plan details are outlined in the "Traditional Dental Insurance" section of the Schedule of Benefits, available at https://totalrewards.stryker.com/spd/2023-medical-certificate.pdf.
The Cigna plan offers vision care insurance, which provides benefits for eye exams and eyewear every 12 months. For details, refer to the "Vision Care Insurance" section of the Schedule of Benefits, available at https://totalrewards.stryker.com/spd/2023-medical-certificate.pdf.
Information about filing claims for benefits, as well as appealing a reduction or denial of benefits, is set out in the Schedule of Benefits, available at https://totalrewards.stryker.com/spd/2023-medical-certificate.pdf. Cigna is the fiduciary for purposes of deciding claims for benefits under this healthcare option.