Your 2011 Annual Enrollment Must-Knows Guide NEW: Healthy Living Credits Programs Simplified Enrollment

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1 Don t miss your chance to win FREE medical coverage for a year! Your 2011 Annual Enrollment Must-Knows Guide NEW: Healthy Living Credits Programs Simplified Enrollment For U.S. Full-time Hourly and Salaried Associates

2 Dear Associate, We, like others in the country, face rising medical costs and additional expenses associated with Health Care Reform. Our objectives are to (1) provide you with valuable and competitive benefit programs; (2) slow down the rising costs of health care that you bear; and (3) give you the tools you need to improve your health. To accomplish these objectives, we ve added programs that will ask you to take a more active role in your health. By taking an active role, you will not only reduce your health care costs, you will also be taking steps to improve your health. I encourage you to review the 2011 benefits program. We have three new programs that will: Help you identify hidden health risks Give you access to the expertise and experience of world-class doctors Increase your financial protection from unexpected illnesses We have also added a new high deductible health plan (HDHP) medical option with a new health savings account (HSA), with the goal of providing you an option of a lower payroll deduction. Please read this material closely to determine whether this option is right for you. Taking care of our associates is a core value for our company. The rising costs of health care are a strain, but working together we can slow those increases down, while providing valuable coverage. Frank Blake! Action Needed: You must elect these credits & plans during enrollment YOUR ACTION NEEDED FOR NEW CREDITS & PLANS IN 2011! New Healthy Living Credits (see pages 2-5) Do you have a SILENT KILLER in you? Don t be in the dark regarding your health. Take action to know your hidden health risks. New High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) Medical Option* with New Health Savings Account (HSA) (see page 7) A new medical option with the lowest payroll deduction could this be the right plan for you? * Not available in all areas New Critical Illness Protection Plan (see page 8) Receive financial protection from unexpected illness and get rewarded for taking your annual physical!

3 8 lucky winners who enroll online can win FREE medical coverage for 2011! It s Time to Enroll in Your Home Depot Benefits! 5 ANNUAL ENROLLMENT MUST-KNOWS 1 This guide is a summary of new programs and changes for For complete information, visit 2 YOU MUST TAKE ACTION during your enrollment period if you want to: Elect the new healthy living credits Enroll in the new plans High Deductible Health Plan & Critical Illness Protection Plan Enroll in spending accounts 3 You will default into your current coverage if you make no new elections.* * Salaried associates will default to tax on plan cost for Long-term Disability. 4 Enroll online during your enrollment period for A CHANCE TO WIN FREE MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR A YEAR! 5 Your new PPO medical plan administrator will be Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). For medical coverage, you will default to your current deductible option ($550, $750 or $1000) with BCBS as the new administrator. See page 6 for more information Enrollment Periods Start Date Deadline Work State October 26 November 5 AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV November 2 November 12 CT, DC, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OK, TX, VT November 9 November 19 CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, PA, RI, SD, WI November 16 November 30 AK, AZ, CA, GU, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, PR, USVI, UT, WA, WY No hablas o lees inglés? Por favor llame al Benefits Choice Center (Centro de Opción de Beneficios) al y diga Estados Unidos para hablar con un representante en español. 1

4 New Healthy Living Credits for 2011 If you enroll in a Home Depot medical plan, you could receive valuable credits for yourself and your covered spouse or domestic partner.! Action Needed: You must elect these credits during enrollment Taking Care of Our People! HEALTHY LIVING CREDIT GOALS 1 Help you identify your hidden health risks 2 Encourage you to take advantage of the tools and resources available to improve your health 3 Reward your healthy behaviors Overview of 2011 Healthy Living Credits Biweekly Credit Amount Who is Eligible? NEW: Tobacco-free Credit Associate: $10 Associate and spouse/domestic partner who Spouse: $10 have been tobacco-free for 6 months or more (or have never used tobacco) and are covered under a Company medical plan Health Assessment Associate: $25 Associate and spouse/domestic partner who Credit Expanding to Spouse: $25 enroll in a Company medical plan and complete Include the NEW: Hidden the health assessment AND the associate agrees Health Risk Screening during enrollment to take the on-site Hidden Health Risk Screening in January 2

5 Healthy Living Credits: Tobacco-free Credit For Those Who Will Be Tobacco-free For Six Months Or More By 1/1/11 (or have never used tobacco) You will be asked to certify your tobacco-user status during your enrollment session. If you do not elect this credit, you will default to a tobacco user and will not receive this credit. Last year, over 12,000 of your fellow associates quit using tobacco Not Tobacco-free But Want To Be? If you do not currently meet the tobacco-free requirements, you may qualify for the credit for your remaining 2011 paychecks once you have been tobacco-free for six months. If you need help quitting, Home Depot offers the Quit for Life program FREE to associates and covered spouses/domestic partners to help you become tobacco-free. Find out more at Note: If it is unreasonably difficult to quit using tobacco due to a medical condition or medically inadvisable for the associate to achieve the standards for the credit, The Home Depot will work with the associate and spouse/domestic partner to develop an alternative. This exception requires a letter from the associate s doctor. Associates should contact the Benefits Choice Center at for more information. Did You Know? Every 8 seconds, a life is lost to tobacco use Tobacco use is the #1 cause of preventable death People who smoke are 6 times more likely to have a heart attack Earn your Wellness Champion patch! In the last year Jeni at Store 4010, a single mom, has lost 70 lbs, quit smoking with the help of the Quit for Life Program, has made time to go to the gym 4 times a week and changed her eating habits. She is getting healthy the right way! 3

6 Healthy Living Credits: Health Assessment with Hidden Health Risk Screening Credit The health assessment has been a great way for our associates to identify their risks since It has even saved some lives! 3 out of 4 associates missed their free physical last year & don t know their health risks Do you know yours? Donald, whose wife Claudia works at Store 221, took the health assessment. Based on his results, he received an alert recommending a cardiac stress test, which uncovered that Donald was close to a massive heart attack and needed immediate heart surgery. This is a good example of how completing the health assessment can prevent a potentially catastrophic event. The health assessment will continue to be available to associates and spouses/ domestic partners covered under a Home Depot medical plan. After you complete your enrollment, follow the link to complete your health assessment. You also can find a guide to completing the health assessment for you or your spouse/domestic partner on While the health assessment provides important information, it may not reveal your hidden health risks. Those can only be identified by finding out your hidden risk factors. 5 HIDDEN RISK FACTORS YOU NEED TO KNOW 1 A waistline larger than 40 inches for men/35 inches for women Excess fat in the abdominal area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body. 2 Triglyceride level of 150 or higher Higher than normal triglycerides, the level of fat found in the blood, can lead to hardening of arteries which can cause a heart attack. 3 HDL ( Good ) cholesterol lower than 40 for men/50 for women Lower than normal HDL ( Good ) cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease. 4 Blood pressure of 130 over 85 or higher High blood pressure can lead to heart attack or failure, stroke and kidney failure. 5 Fasting glucose (blood sugar) of 100 or higher Blood sugar level of 100 or greater is an indicator of diabetes. 4

7 Why Should I Get Tested? These 5 hidden risk factors also are known as metabolic risk factors. If you have 3 or more of these risk factors, you have a condition called metabolic syndrome. Did you know those with metabolic syndrome are 2 times as likely to develop cardiovascular disease that can lead to heart attacks and strokes and 5 times more likely to develop diabetes? The Hidden Health Risk Screening consists of blood pressure and waistline measurement, along with a quick blood test. The on-site screening will take less than 10 minutes and will provide you with the knowledge you need YOUR HIDDEN RISK FACTORS. By knowing your risk factors you can get the care and action plan you need to greatly reduce your risk. And like the Health Assessment, your results are for you and you alone. The Company will not have access to your results, and the results will have no effect on your employment. Did You Know? High Blood Pressure is called the Silent Killer because many people don t know they have it Every minute 52 people die of a heart attack in the U.S. 1 in 3 of those with diabetes don t know they have it Willie at Store 1955 is winning his battle with diabetes. Willie was not managing his diabetes with regular care and was not feeling well. He was worried he d end up on dialysis like his sister. He worked with an Aetna nurse to understand how to manage his condition and his extremely high blood sugar. Once Willie began to work on his diet and exercise, he was able to get his blood sugar down to normal and is feeling great! What s Next? By electing this credit, you agree to participate in an on-site screening at your work location in January If this screening reveals that you have risk factors, see your doctor and use the resources available to address them right away. You may be able to eliminate a risk factor by exercising more or changing your diet. In August 2011, you ll participate in another screening to see how your risk has improved. If you still have 3 or more risk factors in August, you will not receive this credit for the remainder of If you have a medical condition where it is medically inadvisable or unreasonably difficult for you to be in range, there is a physician waiver process that can be completed to allow you to continue receiving the credit. The goal of the August screenings is to encourage you to address any health risks you learn about in the January testing. Look for more information to arrive at your home in December 2010 if you elect this credit. 5

8 NEW PPO Medical Administrator Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Each year, The Home Depot reviews the cost efficiency and quality of medical provider networks to ensure they are providing the right care and managing costs to meet our associates needs. For 2011, the Company has selected BCBS as the new administrator for the $550, $750 and $1,000 deductible medical plan options. Your new provider network will be the BlueCard PPO network if you are enrolled in one of these deductible options. TOP 4 MUST-KNOWS ABOUT YOUR TRANSITION TO BCBS 1 What Action Do I Need To Take? During enrollment, you will be defaulted to your current deductible option with BCBS as the new plan administrator. If you would like to change your deductible option or change which dependents you are covering, you can make these changes during your enrollment session. You may also want to visit to ensure your doctors are in the BlueCard PPO network. You will receive a new ID card by January 1 and your prescription drug coverage will continue to be administered through CVS/Caremark. 2 Will My Coverage Change? The coverage for the $550, $750, and $1000 deductible plans under Aetna today will be duplicated under the BCBS plans in 2011 with minor exceptions. For detailed information on how benefits will pay for specific services, visit the Annual Enrollment Guide on or call BCBS customer service team at How Do I Take The Health Assessment? You will still take the Aetna Simple Steps Health Assessment. Follow the link at the end of your enrollment session to access the Health Assessment. In addition, you will still be eligible for the Healthy Body Healthy Weight program and other programs offered through Aetna today. Health Assessment User Guides are also available on 4 What Happens If I m Currently Receiving Treatment For A Medical Condition? Because 98% of the doctors in the Aetna Choice POS II network also participate in the BlueCard PPO network, there is a good chance that you will not need to change doctors. You can search for providers in the BCBS network by visiting and clicking on Find a Provider. If you have questions about the transition of your current care, you can contact BCBS at or visit For more information about your BCBS PPO options for 2011, visit the Annual Enrollment Guide on 6

9 NEW Medical Option High Deductible Health Plan(HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA) The new HDHP offers the lowest payroll deductions among the Company medical plans. HDHP participants also have the option to establish an HSA, an account which allows you to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses with tax-free dollars. If you elect an HDHP and contribute to an HSA you can receive a matching contribution from Home Depot up to $100 ($200 if covering dependents) learn more about the HSA at While the new HDHP has the lowest payroll deduction of the medical options offered by The Home Depot, it s important to understand how the plan works as you consider whether this is a good option for you. You must meet the $2,000 deductible before any benefits are payable for most covered services. This includes office visits, diagnostic tests, outpatient surgery and hospital stays. The New HDHP will be admisitered by Aetna and the new HSA will be admistered by PayFlex. The Aetna provider network for the HDHP will be the Aetna POS II. If you live in an aera that does not have access to this network, the HDHP plan and the HSA will not be available. Visit for complete information on the HDHP and HSA. High-Level Plan Design for HDHP In-Network Out-of-Network Deductible $2,000 1 /$6,000 2 $4,000 1 /$12,000 2 Out-of-Pocket Maximum $5,000 1 /$10,000 2 $10,000 1 /$20,000 2 Coinsurance You pay 20% after deductible You pay 50% after deductible Eligible Preventive Covered at 100% no deductible You pay 50% no deductible Care Services Prescription Drugs 3 You pay 20% after deductible You pay 50% after deductible Eligible Preventive Care You pay 20% no deductible You pay 50% no deductible Prescription Drugs 3 Home Depot Matching Contribution to HSA Up to $100 for associate-only coverage ($200 if covering dependents) 1 For associate-only coverage 2 For associates covering dependents 3 Non-preferred brand, you pay 40% 7

10 New Critical Illness Protection Plan The Home Depot is excited to offer the new Critical Illness Protection (CIP) Plan through Allstate. The CIP Plan pays a lump-sum benefit if you have an unexpected illness such as a heart attack or cancer. This benefit can be used to help pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses, your rent or other bills like your car payment. You have four lump-sum benefit options to choose from: $5,000, $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000. The plan pays either 100% or 25% of your benefit amount, depending on your illness. In addition, you can receive an annual incentive of $75 if you take advantage of certain wellness services (for example, an annual physical or mammogram) for each covered person. Examples of Illnesses Covered Under the CIP Plan Illness Percent of Lump-Sum Benefit Amount Paid Heart Attack 100% Stroke 100% Invasive Cancer 100% Coronary Bypass Surgery 25% For a complete list of covered conditions, go to the Annual Enrollment Guide at New FREE Program: Best Doctors If you enroll in a Home Depot medical plan, Best Doctors can provide you with a free, confidential expert second opinion so you can be more confident you re getting the right diagnosis and the right treatment. When you or your family member is facing a health issue, it s difficult to know exactly what to do especially if you get conflicting advice from different specialists. You need the right answers to tough questions such as: Am I getting the right treatment? Is surgery really my best option? If you enroll in a Home Depot medical plan, additional information about Best Doctors will be mailed to your home. Best Doctors Case Findings! Action Needed: You must enroll to have coverage in the Critical Illness Protection Plan 61% change in treatment 22% change in diagnosis 38% of surgeries avoided 8

11 Additional Changes for 2011 Be sure to visit for a complete listing of changes and 2011 coverage details. Health Care Coverage Eligible children can be covered under medical, dental and vision plans through the last day of the calendar year in which they turn 26, even if they are not full-time students. Spouses/eligible domestic partners are no longer eligible* to be covered under a Home Depot medical plan if they are eligible for coverage under their employer s plan (exceptions apply to those spouses who work for a company with 100 or fewer employees, work part-time, work for Home Depot or are self-employed) The Spouse Medical Credit has been replaced with reduced pricing for eligible spouses/domestic partners. If you are covering three or more children under a Company medical plan, you will pay an additional $25 per biweekly pay period. Health Care Flexible Spending Account Over-the-counter drugs are no longer eligible for reimbursement through the account, unless accompanied with a doctor s prescription this is a requirement of Health Care Reform. Life Insurance and AD&D Plan New administrator Minnesota Life with a reduced cost for most plan options compared to Disability Coverage New administrator Liberty Mutual with a reduced cost for most plan options compared to * If your spouse/domestic partner does not meet the new spouse eligibility rules above and coverage under the spouse/domestic partner s employer is not available effective 1/1/11, contact the Benefits Choice Center. Documentation will be required. 9

12 Health Care Reform in 2011 Impact to Home Depot Medical Plans Extend Coverage for Eligible Children to Age 26 Over-the-counter Drugs No Longer Reimbursable Under The Health Care Flexible Spending Account Unless Accompanied with Doctor s Prescription New Rules for Health Care Watch for more information on Health Care Reform in the coming months Estimated Cost Impacts to Company and Associates 2011* Future Estimated Costs Approximately Will Grow Significantly 10 Million Dollars * Majority of cost due to extending child coverage to age 26; remainder of cost due to indirect impacts Earn a Wellness Champion patch for your apron by setting and meeting a personal health goal in 2011! Talk to your work location s designated Wellness Champion and let them know that you have set and met a personal health goal. Your Wellness Champion can nominate you as a winner for the Wellness Champion patch. For example, quit smoking for at least six months or achieve a weight loss goal. You can find examples of other personal health goals on myapron. Check out the stories of how your fellow associates earned their Wellness Champion patch on 10

13 2011 Biweekly Payroll Deductions Associate Only Associate + Spouse Associate + Child(ren) Associate + Family Full-time Hourly and Salaried Associates Medical & Rx Coverage 1 Medical PPO Plan Options $550 Deductible 2 $92.75 $ $ $ $750 Deductible 2 $80.75 $ $ $ $1,000 Deductible 2 $75.25 $ $ $ Prescription Drug Options (if PPO is elected) Caremark $50 Deductible/Mail Copay $13.25 $27.00 $22.25 $41.75 Caremark $50 Deductible/Coinsurance $9.75 $19.75 $15.75 $31.25 Caremark $100 Deductible/Coinsurance $5.75 $12.25 $8.50 $19.50 High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) Options + Health Savings Account (HSA) Aetna HDHP 3 $74.25 $ $ $ Full-time Hourly and Salaried Associates Valuable Healthy Living Credits Tobacco-Free Credit +$ $ $ $20.00 Health Assessment & Hidden Risk Screening Credit 4 +$ $ $ $50.00 Full-time Hourly and Salaried Associates Dental & Vision Coverage Dental Options MetLife $500 Annual Maximum $5.52 $11.03 $11.16 $16.75 MetLife $1,000 Annual Maximum $11.50 $23.00 $23.28 $34.92 MetLife $2,000 Annual Maximum $14.26 $28.51 $28.86 $43.30 Vision Options EyeMed Select $120 $2.08 $3.64 $3.78 $6.32 EyeMed Select $150 $4.96 $8.87 $9.30 $ Associates covering 3 or more children under the full-time hourly or salaried Home Depot medical plan will pay an additional $25 per biweekly pay period. 2 A separate prescription drug election is required if you elect a PPO medical option. 3 The Company will match an associate s HSA contribution up to $100 for associate-only coverage (up to $200 if covering dependents). 4 Associate must be covered under a full-time hourly or salaried Home Depot medical plan, complete the Health Assessment, and elect to complete the Screening in January to receive the Health Assessment & Hidden Health Risk Screening Credit. A covered spouse or same-sex domestic partner will not be required to complete the screening but will be required to complete the Health Assessment to receive the credit. For weekly rates, take the biweekly rates above, multiply by 26, then divide by 52. In some instances your paycheck may not be enough to cover the entire amount of your benefits premiums. In those cases, the amount of the premium above your paycheck is still owed and will be collected from your future paychecks. For all other benefit premiums log on to Your Benefits Resources at or call the Benefits Choice Center at Earn your Wellness Champion patch! Melvin at Store 2104 added exercise to his daily routine and more fruits and vegetables to his diet to meet the 8 pounds in 8 weeks challenge. His changes paid off he lost 23 pounds and earned a Wellness Champion patch! 11

14 How to Enroll Step 1 Visit and click Enroll Now Step 2 Log on to the Your Benefits Resources web site with your user ID and password and click Enroll under Action Needed. If you don t remember your user ID or password, follow the prompts. Step 3 You will see the enrollment steps, which include helpful tools and resources. Once you are ready to proceed with enrollment, click on Step 5 Enroll In Your Benefits. You Also Can Enroll Through the Benefits Choice Center You can enroll by phone by calling to speak with a representative. Be prepared for wait times. The quickest way to enroll is online. 12

15 Have a question about a Company policy or a workplace concern? You have choices to help answer your questions or get issues resolved The Home Depot has an Open Door Policy Your Management Team Dept. Supervisor, ASM or SM Associate Advice and Counsel Group (AACG) THD HR professionals Anonymous calls accepted. THD Awareline This card contains important benefits contact information and a 2011 calendar. Please carry it in your wallet so that you can easily reference it whenever you need assistance with your benefits. The benefits information in this Annual Enrollment Guide is provided as a service to associates. In the event of a conflict between the information provided in the Annual Enrollment Guide and the Benefits Summary and other plan documents or policies, the plan documents or policies will govern The Home Depot

16 The Benefits Department The Home Depot 2455 Paces Ferry Road, C-18 Atlanta, GA 30339! Action Needed You must take action for your 2011 benefits! USFTSBCBS PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL US POSTAGE PAID MARIETTA GA PERMIT NO. 774