The Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan is an employee benefit welfare plan as defined by ERISA. The Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan provides medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, healthcare flexible spending account and employee assistance benefits which are further described in this summary plan description. In addition, the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan provides life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance benefits through insurance policies and administrative service agreements. Those benefits are described briefly in this summary plan description. Employees participating in those benefits will receive a certificate of coverage from the insurer describing those fully insured benefits.

The Stryker Adoption Assistance Plan is a fringe benefit plan under the Internal Revenue Code and is not subject to ERISA. The Health Savings Account and Day Care Flexible Spending Account are not subject to ERISA.

This summary plan description is intended to give a simple explanation of the following components of the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan: the UnitedHealthcare PPOs, Basic and Premium HSA medical plans, Out-of-Area plan and prescription drug plans; the Delta Dental plan; the EyeMed vision plan; flexible spending accounts; and the employee assistance benefit.

HMO plans, as well as life and AD&D insurance and short-term and long-term disability insurance are described briefly here and detailed in separate documents. The booklet also explains the Stryker Adoption Assistance Plan. Note that the Plans are set out and operate under the terms of plan documents and related contracts. If there is any conflict between this booklet and the Plan documents and contracts, the Plan documents and contracts will govern.

You or your beneficiary may examine any or all plan documents at the principal office of the Plan administrator or available from your Benefits Representative. Upon written request to the Plan administrator, a copy of a plan document will be sent to any participant or beneficiary.

Stryker Corporation presently intends to continue these plans for employees. However, Stryker Corporation has the right to amend or terminate the Plans at any time. If the Plans were terminated, the rights of covered members to benefits are limited to claims incurred and due up to the date of termination. The benefits under these plans are not vested.

These benefit plans are sponsored and administered by Stryker Corporation (also referred to as "Stryker" or "the Company"). Stryker Corporation has appointed people who are responsible for the Plans' day-to-day operations. You may contact the Plan administrator at:

If legal papers are to be served concerning any aspect of the Plans, the designated agent is Stryker's General Counsel at:

The plan year for the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan and Adoption Assistance Plan begins on January 1 and ends on December 31 each year.

The plans cover eligible employees of Stryker Corporation, the Plan sponsor and plan administrator, as well as eligible employees of its participating subsidiaries. The IRS has assigned the following employer ID numbers for the Company and its participating subsidiaries:

Stryker must use these numbers when corresponding with the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor on any matters related to any of its employee benefit plans. By law, Stryker must also assign plan numbers to each of its ERISA plans. The plan number for the Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan is 501. When referring to this plan in claim appeals or other correspondence, you will receive help more quickly if you identify it fully and accurately. Use the full plan name and number.

The Stryker Corporation Welfare Benefits Plan is funded directly by Stryker from its general assets and with employee contributions. The UnitedHealthcare, Delta Dental and EyeMed plans are not insured. The administrators perform claim administrative functions only.

The HMO plans, the Cigna plan and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans offered to employees in Alabama, California, and Hawaii, are fully insured. Long-term disability is also fully insured.

Flexible spending accounts are funded by employee contributions made through before-tax salary deductions. Flexible spending accounts are not insured. Stryker pays benefits from its general assets. UnitedHealthcare performs claim administrative functions only.

Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage for employees is funded directly by Stryker from its general assets. Supplemental and dependent life insurance coverage are funded entirely by employee contributions made through after-tax salary deductions. Life, short-term disability and accident coverage is not insured.

The Adoption Assistance Plan is funded directly by Stryker from its general assets. The plan is not insured.

Through its claims administrators, Stryker will have the right and opportunity to examine any person when and as often as it may reasonably require while a healthcare claim is pending.

Stryker may change the level of benefits provided under the Plans at any time. If a change is made, benefits for claims incurred after the date the adjustment takes effect will be paid according to the revised plan provisions. In other words, once an adjustment is made, there are no vested rights to benefits based on earlier plan provisions.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires, among other things, that health plans protect the confidentiality and privacy of individually identifiable health information. A description of your privacy rights is found in the Notice of Privacy Practices that has been distributed to you.

The plan and those administering it will use and disclose health information only as allowed by law. If you have a complaint, questions, concerns or need a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices, you may contact: