
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 22, 1993                   TAG: 9305240237
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

STATE AGENCY OWES AN APOLOGY

BIG GOVERNMENT agencies are characterized by a lack of responsiveness, and the problem is usually considered inevitable and is tolerated. However, a problem of this kind is not expected of a service-oriented agency within the state government. I would like to bring to the attention of both state employees and responsible state officials two problems involving the Department of Personnel and Training.

DPT administers, among other things, various programs concerning the benefits of state employees. Among these programs, the Flexible Benefits Program entitles employees to use pretax dollars, with a cap of $2,000 per year, to pay for medical expenses that are not covered by health insurance. This cap was reduced to $1,000 for the first six months in 1993, because of a change to simplify the administration of benefits programs.

It is not clear to me whether DPT realizes that the cap set for the six-month period in fact reduces the benefits of those employees who incur between $1,000 and $2,000 of out-of-pocket medical expenses during this period, as the amount is otherwise allowed by the regular Flexible Benefits program.

I pointed out the problem to the benefits administrators at Virginia Tech, and on April 2 and April 30, they dutifully wrote and faxed to DPT to request a prompt response. Much to my surprise, nothing happened to the official letters sent from the Tech Employee Benefits Division. Besides frustration, I feel sympathy for university officials who regularly need to conduct business with this agency. I wonder if DPT cares to send an apology, in addition to a response, to Virginia Tech. JIANN-SHIN CHEN BLACKSBURG

by CNB