2024 Health, Dental and Vision insurance Information
The health & welfare rate for 2024 is $7.96 per hour.
The Health insurance premium is $1287.00 per month.
Dental and Vision coverage is an added benefit of the plan.
Health Coverage is provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. 1-800-292-8868 www.bcbsal.com
Dental Coverage is provided by Guardian. 1-800-541-7846 www.guardiananytime.com
Vision Coverage is provided by VSP. 1-800-877-7195 www.vsp.com
HRA Coverage is provided by BPAS. 1-866-401-5272 www.u.bpas.com
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama health insurance- There are no changes to copays or deductibles for 2024. All benefits remain the same. Please refer to the BCBS Benefit booklet for complete coverage details. Contact Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama at 1-800-292-8868 or online at www.bcbsal.com. Many services are available on the website; view and file claims, find a doctor, manage prescriptions, compare drug costs and find a pharmacy. Blue Cross now offers an APP for mobile devices that includes many of the online services.
EXPLANATION OF THE HEALTH & WELFARE DOLLAR BANK SYSTEM AND HOW HOURS ARE REPORTED.
A “Dollar Bank” will be established to accumulate Employer contributions credited to each Participant in excess of the initial and continuing eligibility requirements up to a maximum reserve of twelve (12) months. Dollar Bank contributions will be used toward future eligibility when needed. Monthly Insurance Premiums will be deducted from your Dollar Bank and remitted to the appropriate Insurance Carrier.
When Employer contributions in excess of the minimum requirements for initial and continuing eligibility are received, all contributions in excess of the minimum requirements will be credited to your Dour Bank up to a maximum reserve of twelve (12) months. Employer contributions in excess of twelve (12) months will be permanently transferred to a Participant’s HRA Account.
The Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 52 Health & Welfare Plan was created to provide health, dental, vision, death and disability coverage to Employees. While the Plan provides a Dollar Bank to be used by Participants and Employees during times when work is slow or not available, the Dollar Bank is not a vested benefit and use of it is limited to Eligible Employees as provided in the Plan’s governing documents. Under the terms of the Plan, an Employee is an individual who is employed by or seeking employment with an Employer to render services which under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement or other agreement require the Employer to make contributions to this Plan. Upon meeting these guidelines, you are eligible for coverage.
However, should it be determined, that you are no longer employed or seeking employment with an Employer who contributes to the Plan, you are not an Employee or Participant. As such, you would no longer have access to a Dollar Bank to continue coverage under the Plan. Without the Dollar Bank, you would not have sufficient hours for participation in the Health, Dental and Vision Plan. At that time, your coverage under the Plan would terminate and you would receive Notice of Continuation Coverage under COBRA. Any remaining Dollar Bank balance will be forfeited to the Plan. You will also forfeit your HRA Account if you are no longer an Employee, Separated Employee, Retiree or no longer work under a collective bargaining agreement with any AFL-CIO affiliated labor organization.
Dollar Bank and Health Premiums effective January 1, 2024 - The health & welfare benefit rate of $7.96 per hour is based on working 162 hours each month to cover the health premium of $1287.00. Premiums are deducted from your dollar bank on the 1st of each month for the following month (ex: on 01/01/24, premium for 02/01/24 is deducted. Local Contractors are required to remit hours to the Plan by the 15th of the month following the work month (ex: January work hours will be received in February). Premium notices are mailed around the 15th of each month if your dollar bank is depleted. If you receive a premium notice, please do not disregard it…you are receiving the notice because 1) you have been out of work and your dollar bank is depleted or 2) you are working out of town and your hours have not been received. Please call the Benefit Office immediately so we can contact the Contractor or Local to locate your hours. Please note that your health & welfare dollar bank insurance coverage is based on hours received…not hours worked. Therefore, if you are working out of another Local, have not worked enough hours or hours have not been received by the plan… and you receive a premium notice, you must pay the premium for your health insurance coverage to continue.
When working through another Local, it normally 2-3 months, sometimes longer, for the Plan to begin receiving hours worked. The health & welfare rate per hour is different for each Local. Therefore, based on that rate you may need to work more/less hours to cover the premium each month. If the rate for that Local is less, then you would need to work more hours to cover the monthly premium. This lower rate could cause a reduction in your hour bank balance and over time may cause you to owe premium out of your pocket. If the rate for the Local is more, then you would need less hours to cover the monthly premium and this should help increase your dollar bank balance.
Please read the Summary Plan Description for complete details.
