Who is the GIC?
The Group Insurance Commission (GIC) was established by the Legislature in 1955 to provide and administer health insurance and other benefits to the Commonwealth's employees and retirees, and their dependents and survivors. The GIC also covers housing and redevelopment authorities' personnel, participating municipalities, and retired municipal employees and teachers in certain governmental units.
Health coverage options include an Indemnity plan, Preferred Provider-type Organizations (PPO), and multiple HMO plans. The GIC also manages basic and optional life insurance coverage. As part of its indemnity and Navigator plans, it manages mental health/substance abuse benefits and also manages pharmacy benefits for the indemnity plans. For active state employees only, the GIC offers a long term disability (LTD) program, two pre-tax employee programs - Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), and for managers, legislators, legislative staff and certain Executive Office staff, a dental/vision plan. The GIC also offers a discount vision and a dental plan for Commonwealth retirees.
The Group Insurance Commission is a quasi-independent state agency governed by a fifteen-member Commission appointed by the Governor. Commission members encompass a range of interests and expertise including labor and retirees, the public interest, the administration, and health economics.
The GIC's FY2010 appropriation is $1.4 billion. The GIC covers 185,000 enrollees and over 300,000 lives. The mission of the GIC is to deliver high quality care at reasonable costs.
Dolores L. Mitchell, Executive Director
This information provided by the Group Insurance Commission.