Executive Health Plan

FOREWORD


This handbook is intended to serve as a summary of the benefits and practices and is not a contract. If a discrepancy or conflict should arise between this handbook and the official plan document or policy, the terms of the plan document or policy will prevail.


General Mills, Inc. expressly reserves the right to amend, terminate or replace the benefits, practices or policies at any time and at its sole discretion. This handbook supersedes all previous handbooks.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: This Booklet is an important document and should be kept in a safe place. This Booklet and the Certificate of Coverage made a part of this Booklet forms your Group Insurance Certificate.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


FOREWORD 1 SCHEDULE OF BENEFITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Who is Covered? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Effective Date of These Benefts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 You Should Know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Dental Expense Coverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Orthodontic Expense Coverage Supplement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Major Medical Expense Coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Maximums; Cost of the Insurance; When You Have a Claim ELIGIBIUTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Who is Eligible? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Effective Date of Coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 When Coverage Could Bo Delayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 DENTAL EXPENSE COVERAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Benefits; What is Covered?; Charges Not Covered ORTHODONTIC EXPENSE COVERAGE SUPPLEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Benefits; What is Covered?; Charges Not Covered MAJOR MEDICAL EXPENSE COVERAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Benefits; What is Covered?; Charges Not Covered; Maximum MODIFICATION - WHEN ANOTHER PERSON IS LIABLE FOR YOUR SICKNESS OR INJURY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS COVERED BY MORE THAN ONE PLAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 HOW MEDICARE AFFECTS BENEFITS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Assignment of Coverages to Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 If You Need to Make a Claim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 TERMINATION OF COVERAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Events That Can End Your Insurance; End of Employment


Continuation of Coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Continued Coverage for an Incapacitated Child; When Health Care Insurance May Be Continued (Including Rights Under COBRA) EXTENSION OF HEALTH CARE PROTECTION DURING TOTAL DISABILITY . . . . . . . . .43 CONVERSION PRIVILEGE FOR HEALTH CARE INSURANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44


SCHEDULE OF BENEFITS


Covered Classes: Employees of General Mills, Inc. (and its Affiliates) listed below are eligible for this Plan:


(1) All Employees classified by General Mills, Inc. as Chairman of the Board,
Vice Chairman of the Board, President. Elected Corporate Vice Presidents
and Executive or Senior Vice Presidents who are Company Officers.


(2) All former employees who: (1) are retired from the Company: and (2) were
covered by this Plan on their last day of employment with the Company.


Program Date: January 1, 1996. This Booklet describes the benefits under the Plan as of the Program Date.


You should know...


* The Coverages in this Booklet are available to you if you are included in
the Covered Classes. Only those Coverages for which you become insured will
apply to you. The rules for becoming insured are in the Effective Date of
Coverage section of this Booklet.


* There is a Delay of Effective Date section. The rules of that section may
delay the start of your insurance.


* The Delay of Effective Date section also applies to any change, unless
otherwise stated.


* The Coverages are described more fully on later pages of this Booklet. Be
sure to read these pages carefully. They show when benefits are or are not
payable under the Group Contract. They also outline when your insurance
ends and the conditions, limitations and exclusions that apply to the
Coverages. The benefits otherwise payable under the Group Contract for a
person's health care expenses may be reduced because of benefits from other
sources. See later pages for details.


* A Definitions section is included in this Booklet. Many of the terms used
in this Booklet, such as "Active Work Requirement", are defined in that
section.


* This Booklet and the Certificate of Coverage forms your Group Insurance
Certificate. The Coverages in this Booklet are insured under a Group
Contract issued by Prudential. All benefits are subject in every way to the
entire Group Contract which includes the Group Insurance Certificate. It
alone forms the agreement under which payment of insurance is made.


* The Group Contract referred to in this Booklet, or a copy of it, may be
reviewed by you during regular business hours either at General Mills, Inc.
or at Prudential's Group Operations office in Horsham, Pennsylvania.


* General Mills expects to continue the Group Program indefinitely. But
General Mills reserves the right to amend, terminate or replace the
benefits, practices or policies at anytime at its sole discretion. This
would change or end the terms of the Group Program in effect at that time
for active and retired Employees.


DENTAL EXPENSE COVERAGE


* This Coverage pays benefits for many of the charges incurred for the
preventive and corrective dental care you and your Qualified Dependents
receive. Not all charges are eligible, some are eligible only to a limited
extent. Benefits are based on the Eligible Charges incurred in a Calendar
Year. There are Benefit Maximums. There is also an extension that may apply
after a person ceases to be covered.


If a proposed course of treatment is expected to involve charges of $300.00
or more, Pre-determination of Benefits is recommended. Pre-determination of
Benefits is explained in the Coverage pages.


ORTHODONTIC EXPENSE COVERAGE SUPPLEMENT


* This supplements your Dental Expense Coverage. It pays benefits for some of
the charges incurred for Orthodontic Procedures performed on you and your
Qualified Dependents. Benefits are based on the Eligible Charges incurred
in a Calendar Year. There are Benefit Maximums. Protection is not extended
after the date a person ceases to be a Covered Person for the benefits of
this Coverage Supplement.


MAJOR MEDICAL EXPENSE COVERAGE


* This Coverage pays benefits for many of the charges incurred for care and
treatment of you or your Qualified Dependent's Sicknesses and Injuries. Not
all charges are eligible and some are eligible only to a limited extent.
Benefits are based on the Eligible Charges incurred in a Calendar Year.
There are benefit maximums. There is also an extension that may apply after
a person ceases to be covered.


Some eligible charges under this coverage are subject to certain limits.
Benefit Maximums also apply. These limits and maximums may apply on a
calendar year or lifetime basis.


This coverage may be changed in the future. If it is, any used parts of
this coverage's maximums and limits will reduce any similar maximums and
limits that apply under the changed coverage.


This coverage may be replacing another Prudential Major Medical Expense
coverage previously issued to the Employer. If so, the maximums and limits
of this coverage will be reduced by any used parts of similar benefit
maximums and limits under the replaced coverage.


Another way to state this is that any benefit maximums and limits reduced
by benefits received are not restored for future charges by any changes -
whether to the coverage itself, or from another Major Medical Expense
coverage to this one, except as follows. Any automatic limited restoration
or restoration with evidence of insurability provisions under the coverage
will continue to apply.


OTHER INFORMATION


Contract Holder: GENERAL MILLS, INC.


Group Contract No.: GE-40100


Affiliates: Affiliates are employers who are the Contract Holder's subsidiaries or affiliates and are reported to Prudential in writing by General Mills, Inc. for inclusion under the Group Contract, provided that Prudential has approved such request.


BENEFITS
All Eligible Charges are subject to the Benefit Maximum:


The Amount Payable is 100% of the Eligible Charges.


BENEFIT MAXIMUM: Lifetime Benefit Maximum for all Sicknesses and Injuries: $2,000,000 per each Covered Person.


Cost of the Insurance: The insurance in this Booklet is Non-contributory Insurance. The entire cost of the insurance is being paid by General Mills.


Prudential's Address:


The Prudential Insurance Company of America Central Group Operations P.O. Box 950 Horsham, Pennsylvania 19044-0950


WHEN YOU HAVE A CLAIM


No claim forms are required. Bills for medical and dental expenses can be sent directly to The Prudential by the provider, or submitted by the claimant. All bills or correspondence must be identified with "General Mills Executive Health Plan, Prudential Group Policy GE-40 100."


Claim envelopes are available for your use by contacting the Employee Benefits Department at General Mills.


ALTERNATE BENEFIT PAYMENT


Whenever a law or court order requires payment of health care expense benefits under the Group Contract to be made to a person or facility other than you, the payment will be made to that person or facility.


ELIGIBILITY


FOR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE


You are eligible for Employee Insurance while:*


* You are an Employee of General Mills; and


* You are in a Covered Class.


*If you are retired from General Mills while covered by this Plan, you will continue to be eligible for Insurance as a retiree.


Your class is determined by General Mills. This will be done under its rules, on dates it sets. General Mills must not discriminate among persons in like situations. You cannot belong to more than one class for insurance on each basis, Contributory or Non-contributory Insurance, under a Coverage. "Class" means Covered Class, Benefit Class or anything related to work, such as position or Earnings, which affects the insurance available.


FOR DEPENDENTS INSURANCE


Qualified Dependents:


These are the persons for whom you may obtain Dependents Insurance:


* Your spouse.


* Your unmarried children less than 19 years old or age 25, if a full-time
student.


Your children include your legally adopted children and each of your stepchildren, foster children and children of your Qualified Dependent children who depend on you for support and maintenance.


In the case of health care expense Coverages, your children also include children placed with you for adoption prior to legal adoption. A child placed with you for adoption prior to legal adoption is considered your Qualified Dependent from the date of placement for adoption, and is treated as though the child was a newborn child born to you.


Exceptions:


* The age 19 limit does not apply to a child who:


(a) wholly depends on you for support and maintenance;
(b) is enrolled as a full-time student in a school; and
(c) is less than 25.


* Your spouse or child is not your Qualified Dependent while:


(a) on active duty in the armed forces of any country; or
(b) separately insured for health care expenses under the Group Contract
as an Employee.


A child will not be considered the Qualified Dependent of more than one Employee. If this would otherwise be the case, the child will be considered the Qualified Dependent of the Employee named in a written agreement of all such Employees filed with General Mills. If there is no written agreement, the child will be considered the Qualified Dependent of:


(a) the Employee who became insured under the Group Contract with respect
to the child, while the child was a Qualified Dependent of only that
Employee; and otherwise


(b) the Employee who has the longest continuous service with the Employer,
based on its records.


EFFECTIVE DATE OF COVERAGE


FOR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE


Your Employee Insurance under a Coverage will begin the first day on which:


* You are eligible for Employee Insurance; and


* You are in a Covered Class for that insurance; and


* Your insurance is not being delayed under the Delay of Effective Date
section below; and


* That Coverage is part of the Group Contract.


At anytime, the benefits for which you are insured are those for your class, unless otherwise stated.


FOR DEPENDENTS INSURANCE


Your Dependents Insurance under a Coverage for a person will begin the first day on which:


* The person is your Qualified Dependent; and


* You are in a Covered Class for that insurance; and


* You are insured for the Employee Insurance, if any, under that Coverage;
and


* Your insurance for that Qualified Dependent is not being delayed under the
Delay of Effective Date section below; and


* Dependents Insurance under that Coverage is part of the Group Contract.


Special Dependents Insurance Rules for Newborn Children and Children Placed for Adoption Prior to Legal Adoption: These rules apply only to Dependents Insurance under a health care expense Coverage. They modify the above rules with respect to a child: (a) born to you; or (b) born to your Qualified Dependent child; or (c) placed with you for adoption prior to legal adoption. They modify the above rules with respect to such child when you:


(1) are in a Covered Class for that insurance; and (2) are insured for Employee Insurance under that Coverage; and (3) are not insured for that child under the above rules.


You will become insured for that child from the moment of the child's birth, or in the case of a child placed for adoption, from the date the child is placed with you for adoption prior to legal adoption.


The insurance for the child will end as described in the Termination of Coverage section, except that:


(1) It will not end, by reason of your failure to pay any required contribution
for that insurance, during the 31 day period starting with: (a) the child's
birth; or (b) in the case of a child placed for adoption, the date the
child is placed with you for adoption prior to legal adoption.


(2) Subject to (3) below:


(a) That insurance will not continue beyond the end of that 31 day period.


(b) No benefits will be paid for any service or supply furnished for the
child's health care after that period.


(3) Item (2) above will not apply if, at the end of that 31 day period, you
are insured for the child by complying, as to that child, with the rules
for becoming insured for Dependents Insurance. The Delay of Effective
Date section will not preclude continuing the insurance for the child
beyond that period.


Any exclusion of charges for pre-existing Sickness or Injury will not exclude charges for services and supplies furnished to a child placed with you for adoption prior to legal adoption.


Special Dependents Insurance Rules for Handicapped Dependents: These rules apply only to Dependents Insurance under a health care expense Coverage. They modify the requirements for becoming insured with respect to a Handicapped Dependent.


A "Handicapped Dependent" is a Qualified Dependent who is unable to carry on the regular and customary activities of a person in good health and of the same age and sex due to a bodily or mental disorder.


The same rules apply with respect to becoming insured for Dependents Insurance under a Coverage for a Handicapped Dependent as for any other Qualified Dependent, except as follows:


* The Delay of Effective Date section below will not operate to delay the
date your insurance with respect to your Handicapped Dependent takes
effect.


Any exclusion of charges for pre-existing Sickness or Injury will not exclude charges for services and supplies furnished to a Handicapped Dependent.


You must submit proof, when and as required by General Mills, that the Qualified Dependent is a Handicapped Dependent.


Change in Family Status: It is important that you inform General Mills promptly when you first acquire a Qualified Dependent. You should also inform General Mills if your Dependents Insurance status changes from one to another of these categories:


* No Qualified Dependents.


* Qualified Dependent spouse only.


* Qualified Dependent spouse and children.


* Qualified Dependent children only.


DELAY OF EFFECTIVE DATE (This does not apply to Retired Employees who are in the Covered Classes.)


FOR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE


Your Employee Insurance under a Coverage will be delayed if you do not meet the Active Work Requirement on the day your insurance would otherwise begin. Instead, it will begin on the first day you meet the Active Work Requirement and the other requirements for the insurance. The same delay rule will apply to any change in your insurance that is subject to this section. If you do not meet the Active Work Requirement on the day that change would take effect, it will take effect on the first day you meet that requirement.


FOR DEPENDENTS INSURANCE


A Qualified Dependent may be confined for medical care or treatment, at home or elsewhere. If a Qualified Dependent is so confined on the day that your Dependents Insurance under a Coverage for that Qualified Dependent, or any change in that insurance that is subject to this section, would take effect, it will not then take effect. The insurance or change will take effect upon the Qualified Dependent's final medical release from all such confinement. The other requirements for the insurance or change must also be met.


Exception for Newborn Child and Child Adopted or Placed for Adoption: Under a Coverage, this section does not apply to a child of yours at that child's birth if the child is born to you and either:


(1) is your first Qualified Dependent; or


(2) becomes a Qualified Dependent while you are insured for Dependents
Insurance under that Coverage for any other Qualified Dependent.


Also, if a child is adopted or placed with you for adoption, this section does not apply to such child on the date of such placement or adoption.


DENTAL EXPENSE COVERAGE


FOR YOU AND YOUR DEPENDENTS


This Coverage pays benefits for many of the charges incurred for the preventive and corrective dental care you and your Qualified Dependents receive. Not all charges are eligible; some are


eligible only to a limited extent. Section C has an extension that may apply under this Coverage after the date a person ceases to be a Covered Person.


A person may have benefits under this Coverage pre-determined. "Pre-Determination of Benefits" is a system that allows a person and that person's Dentist to know, in advance, what estimated benefits would be payable under this Coverage for a proposed course of dental treatment.


Under Pre-Determination of Benefits, the Dentist can send Prudential a treatment plan before any Dental Services are performed. That plan should: (a) list the recommended Dental Services; and (b) show the charge for each Dental Service. The plan will be reviewed by Prudential and returned to the Dentist showing estimated benefits. Prudential may request supporting pre-operative x-rays or other diagnostic records in connection with Pre-determination of Benefits.


In computing the estimated benefits, Prudential may consider alternate Dental Services that are suitable for care of a specific condition. This will be done only if those alternate services would produce a professionally acceptable result, as determined by Prudential.


Pre-Determination of Benefits is recommended if a proposed course of treatment is expected to involve charges of $300.00 or more.


Some of the terms used in this Coverage:


* Eligible Charges: These are the charges that may be used as the basis for a
claim. They are the charges for certain services, to the extent the charges
meet the terms of Section B.


* Dental Services: A service in the List of Dental Services.


* Dentist: A person who is either of these:


(a) a licensed dentist acting within the scope of the dental profession.


(b) any other Doctor furnishing dental services that the Doctor is
licensed to perform.


A. BENEFITS.


The benefits are described below.


Benefit Amount. Payable: The benefit amount payable is the applicable Covered Percent of Eligible Charges incurred for a person's dental care. The Benefit Maximum and the Covered Percents are shown in the Schedule of Benefits.


B. ELIGIBLE CHARGES.


A charge is an Eligible Charge if all of these conditions are met:


(1) It is made for a Dental Service furnished to you or your Qualified
Dependent.


(2) The Dental Service applies, or is furnished for treatment of the following:


(a) temporomandibular joint disorders; or
(b) craniomandibular disorder; or
(c) malocclusion involving joints or muscles; or
(d) birth defects known as cleft lip and cleft palate, including orthodontic treatment and oral surgery involved in the management of these defects. Such treatment must be provided before the person attains age 19.


(3) The person is a Covered Person when the charge is incurred. A charge is
considered


incurred on the date the service is furnished.


(4) It is not described in Charges Not Covered below.


With respect to item (3) above, a charge is considered incurred as follows:


(1) For an appliance, or alteration of one: on the date the impression for it
is taken.


(2) For a crown, bridge or gold restoration: on the date the tooth is prepared
for it.


(3) For root canal therapy: on the date the pulp chamber is opened.


(4) For all other Dental Services: on the date the service is provided.


A charge, or part of a charge, for a Dental Service is not an Eligible Charge if excluded. It is excluded to the extent it: (1) falls outside the Charge Limit below for that service; or (2) is described in Charges Not Covered below.


CHARGE LIMIT: This applies if a benefit for a charge for a Dental Service would be provided under both of the following:


(1) this Coverage; and


(2) any other program which is paid for in full or in part, directly or
indirectly, by General Mills. This includes both insured and uninsured
programs. When a program provides benefits in the form of services, the
cash value of each service rendered is considered both a charge incurred
and the benefit provided for that charge.


In that case, the charge for the Dental Service will be eligible only to the extent needed to pay a benefit equal to the amount, if any, by which (a) exceeds (b):


(a) The benefit that would be payable for that charge under this Coverage if
this limit did not apply.


(b) The total benefits for that charge under all other programs described
above.


CHARGES NOT COVERED:


(1) A charge for a service not reasonably necessary, or not customarily
performed, for the dental care of a specific condition of the Covered
Person.


(2) A charge for a service not furnished by a Dentist. This (2) does not apply
if the service: (a) is performed by a licensed dental hygienist under the
direction of a Dentist; or (b) is an x-ray ordered by a Dentist.


(3) A charge for a service:


(a) furnished by or for the federal or any state or local government,
unless payment of the charge is required; or


(b) to the extent that the service, or any benefit for the charge, is
provided by any law or governmental plan under which the person is or
could be covered. This (b) does not apply to a state plan under
Medicaid or to any law or plan when, by law, its benefits are excess
to those of any private insurance program or other non-governmental
program.


(4) A charge for a replacement or modification of a partial or full removable
denture, a removable bridge or fixed bridgework, or for adding teeth to any
of these, or for a replacement or modification of a crown or gold
restoration, within 5 years after that denture, bridge, bridgework, crown
or gold restoration was installed.


(5) A charge for a partial or full removable denture, removable bridge, or
fixed bridgework if it includes replacement of one or more natural teeth
missing before the person became a Covered Person under this Coverage. This
(5) does not apply if the denture, bridge or bridgework also includes
replacement of a natural tooth that:


(a) is removed while the person is a Covered Person; and


(b) was not an abutment to a partial denture, removable bridge or fixed
bridge installed during the prior 5 years.


(6) A charge for any of the following services:


(a) An appliance, or modification of one, if an impression for it was made
before the person became a Covered Person.


(b) A crown, bridge or gold restoration, if a tooth was prepared for it
before the person became a Covered Person.


(c) Root canal therapy, if the pulp chamber for it was opened before the
person became a Covered Person.


(7) A charge in connection with a service furnished for cosmetic purposes.
Facings on crowns, or pontics, that are behind the second bicuspid will
always be considered cosmetic. This (8) does not apply if the service is
needed as a result of accidental injuries sustained while a person is a
Covered Person.


(8) A charge in connection with:


(a) an orthodontic service or procedure, other than one involved in the
management of cleft lip or cleft palate; or


(b) replacement of lost or stolen appliances; or


(c) appliances, restorations or procedures needed to alter vertical
dimensions or restore occlusion, or for the purpose of splinting or
correcting attrition or ...