UNITED STEEL WORKERS
DISTRICT 10
LOCAL UNION 1138
Est. 1942
331 Market Street, Leechburg PA 15656
Phone (724)842-2091 Fax (724)845-6766 Email
UNITED
STEEL WORKERS
DISTRICT 10
LOCAL UNION 1138
Est. 1942
331
Market Street, Leechburg PA 15656
Phone (724)842-2091 Fax (724)845-6766 Email
Insurance
Health, Dental, Vision, S&A
The first Monday of every month is Insurance, Pension & SUB day at the Union Hall.
Ron or Keith will be at the Union Hall on this day to help any employee/retiree who has questions or is having problems with Insurance, Pensions or SUB.
Obama Stimulus Package Information
Obama Stimulus Package: 65% COBRA Premium Reduction Possible Eligible Employees Who Lost Job Only Pay 35% of COBRA Health Insurance Premium Payments By Aly Adair The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 expanded eligibility for COBRA and provides a premium reduction to certain qualified individuals who lost their job on or after September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1986 is a health benefit allowing qualified terminated employees to continue their health care coverage until they find another job that provides employer sponsored health insurance. Under Obama's Stimulus Package, you may be eligible for a 65% reduction in COBRA premiums as soon as March 1, 2009. Your employer should notify you if you are eligible for COBRA and if you are eligible to receive the premium reduction. If your employer does not inform you about the COBRA premium reduction, contact one of the sources at the end of this article. If you are already on COBRA, you will not receive a reduction for premiums already paid, but you can apply for reductions in the remaining COBRA payments you will make after March 1, 2009. COBRA provides certain former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates. Employees that had a reduction in hours leading to loss of benefits may also qualify for COBRA. Once you have been approved for COBRA, you make the premium payments for your health insurance. The length of time you are allowed to receive health benefits under COBRA varies depending on your situation. In this bad economy, individual health insurance coverage can be prohibitive, and for many who just lost their job, even COBRA premiums are beyond reach. Under Obama's Stimulus Package, you might be eligible for reduced premiums in which the federal government will reimburse employers 65% of the COBRA premium and charge you only 35% of the COBRA premium. In many cases, this means the difference of you paying $245 - $280 per month instead of $700 - $800 per month for your health insurance coverage while you are unemployed. This is a huge benefit of Obama's stimulus package that will actually help me since my husband just lost his job and recently had spinal fusion surgery. Despite the controversy surrounding Obama's Stimulus Package, I can only thank God that President Barack Obama and Congress had the wherewithal to include this critical health insurance benefit as part of the economic stimulus for Americans. It will save our lives. How to Get Information about COBRA Premium Reductions Under Stimulus Package The U.S. Department of Labor has more information about COBRA and who qualifies for the reduction in premiums. You can call and speak to a Benefits Advisor at 1-866-444-3272 or visit this web site: FAQs About COBRA. You can also visit the Employee Benefits Security Administration web site to learn more about whether you are eligible to receive the 65% reduction in COBRA premium payments.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Labor
FAQs About COBRA,
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.HTML
Employee Benefits Security Administration COBRA
Hourly Benefit Contact Information
ATI Benefit Center
PO Box 1008, Totowa, NJ 07511-1008
1-866-820-2822 Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
www2.benefitsweb.com/ati.html
Blue PPO
1-800-422-7171
www.highmarkbcbs.com
CAREmark Services
1-877-347-7444
www.pharmacare.com
Vision Benefits of America
300 Weyman Plaza, Pittsburgh PA 15236-1588
1-800-432-4966
www.visionbenefits.com/
Dental
Hourly – Highmark Blue Shield (United Concordia)
1-800-332-366
www.highmarkbcbs.com
Sick & Accident
Contact: Terry Hegeman at 724-226-5180
thegeman@alleghenyludlum.com
National Ear Care Plan
210 St. Paul St., Suite 200, Denver CO 80206 1-800-999-1458
ACTIVE INSURANCE MODIFICATIONS
Managed Care
Prescription Drugs
Effective January 1, 2008 Prescription drug co-payments are increased as follows:
| Prescription Drug Co-Pays | ||
| Prescription Drugs | Retail (30-day supply) | Mail Order (90-day supply) |
| Generic | $7.00 | $10.00 |
| Formulary Brand | $12.00 | $17.00 |
| Non-Formulary Brand | $17.00 | $22.00 |
Effective July 1, 2009, active life insurance currently $20,000 will be increased to $40,000.
AFLAC is coming to USW Local 1138
These benefits will be available through Payroll Deduction with Allegheny Ludlum on a bi-weekly basis (Per Pay). Our AFLAC contact is Jim Zimmerman. You can call toll-free at 1-888-737-9115 with any questions or to schedule an appointment. Why are Supplemental Benefits that AFLAC offers both important and needed? Despite fine medical coverage there are often: • Extra Medical Expenses: Deductibles, co-payments and limitations of coverage. • Non-Medical Expenses: Loss of income due to hospitalization and recovery; child care travel expenses. etc. Two important features of AFLAC benefits are 1. Benefits are paid directly to you, over and above any other insurance coverage you have. 2. The benefits are fully portable – yours to take with you regardless of job change. Below are summaries of the benefits USWA, Local 1138 will be offering along with some examples of rates. A session with an AFLAC representative should take no more than 15-20 minutes. PERSONAL SHORT-TERM DISABILITY Your personal income protection plan, designed to help close the financial gap created by your becoming disabled off the job. This benefit will be in addition to the sickness and accident benefits now in place through Allegheny Ludlum. This is also tax-free income. ACCIDENT EXPENSE Accidents are never planned, but they can happen to anyone. This plan covers you and your family members 24 hours a day, on or off the job. The bi-weekly rates for the Personal Accident Expense Plan are $11.03/individual; $14.22/single parent; $14.08/husband & wife; $17.31/family. LIFE INSURANCE Convertible term and 10-year renewable life insurance available from $12,500 to $100,000 with optional spouse and child riders. PERSONAL CANCER PROTECTOR Any employee that has been tested positive with asbestosis and has not been diagnosed with cancer, will be eligible to get this policy. Bi-weekly rates range anywhere from $6.88 for an individual age 18- 39 to $41.03 for a two-parent family, age 60-70. This policy helps pay for uncovered medical expenses and some of the multitude of indirect expenses always incurred. PERSONAL RECOVERY PLUS Pays a First-Occurrence Benefit as well as Hospital Confinement and Continuing Care Benefits for Heart Attack & Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Stroke. Major Third-Degree Burns, Organ Transplants, Coma and Paralysis. Bi-Weekly rates range from $3.18 for an Individual age 18-35 to $30.88 for a Two-Parent Family age 56-70.
BLUES ON CALL
Research shows that when people get actively involved in making their own health care decisions, they are likely to be more satisfied with the treatment they get. By connecting with Highmark's free BLUES ON CALL program, you can get more involved in your health care.
Highmark members, experience BLUES ON CALL yourself by calling toll-free 1-888-BLUE-428 (1-888-258-3428).
Here is what you get from Blues On Call:
Whether you're trying to lower your cholesterol, decide on surgery for your knee, do something about lower back pain that's been nagging, or take more control of your diabetes, Blues On Call can put you on the path to better health.
Call Blues On Call at 1-888-BLUE-428 (1-888-258-3428). A single phone call can provide lots of health help for you and your family.
OPENING and/or RE-OPENING UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS
Beginning October 15, 2007 the DOL&I will issue debit cards for all new UC claims. The debit card program will replace paper checks for disbursement of UC benefits.
Claimants will still have the option of Direct Deposit of UC benefits. The procedure for opening a new claim or re-opening an existing claim can be done either by phone at:
For those people filing for TAA Benefits you must call toll free 1-888-313-7284 to set up an appointment.