Know your Benefits
Bill McDevitt
Administrator 617-524-1240
The Board of Trustees of the Painters & Allied Trades DC35 Pension Fund is pleased to announce increases in pension accrual rates as of July 1, 2018.
Effective July 1, 2018, the $155 accrual rate for active participants is increased to $165 per pension credit. Active Local 1044 members’ accrual rate for service earned prior to June 30, 1997 is increased from $88 to $98 per pension credit.
Participants must retire after June 30, 2018 and earn at least a quarter of a pension credit (300 hours in one plan year) after June 30, 2018 to be eligible for the increase.
Update Fund Office With Your Current Address
Annual statements are mailed in the fall. Have you moved during the past year? Please give the Fund Office your current address to keep you informed and help lower mailing cost associated with misdirected mail.
Please call the Fund Office at (800) 799-1240 or (617) 524-1240 to update your address or to request new Health, Pension, and Annuity data / beneficiary cards.
Health Statements
Health statements and new eligibility cards for the October 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019 eligibility period will be mailed to participants in mid-September. Look for the health ID cards at the bottom of your health statement.
Newly eligible participants are sent an information package that includes data / beneficiary cards. Complete and return the data cards promptly to complete enrollment for dental, prescription, and vision benefits.
COBRA notices will be mailed the first week of September to those who are losing health coverage. Please note your Board of Trustees are keeping the October 1, 2017 COBRA rates in place until September 30, 2019.
Pension Statements
Annual pension statements showing hours worked July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, your current pension credit, and your total pension credits will also be mailed in September.
If you lost time due to an injury and received worker’s compensation, contact the Fund Office. You could be credited with up to one full pension credit with proper evidence.
Annuity Statements
The Board of Trustees strives to provide participants with accurate information. The diversity and complexity of the Annuity Plan’s investments requires a thorough and complete year-end audit to determine the annual rate of investment return. Statements will be mailed as soon as the audit is complete. Our auditors have advised that this may take until mid to late November. The Board appreciates your patience during this process.
Review your Statements
It is very important to review all your statements for accuracy, and to keep copies of your pay stubs. Your stubs are your proof of discrepancies. The sooner the Fund Office is notified of missing hours, the sooner staff can act on your behalf. Your vigilance ensures you receive the benefits you are entitled to.
Do you know – Premium Reimbursement Eligibility?
To receive Premium Reimbursement benefits, at the time of retirement, you must be actively (non-COBRA) eligible 5 out of the last 10 health eligibility periods including your pension effective date. There is an exception: if you otherwise meet the guidelines, and retire 4/1 with loss of coverage 3/31 or retire 10/1 with loss of coverage 9/30 you still qualify for premium reimbursement eligibility.
Do you know – Pension Application?
The Pension Plan mandates pension applications must be in the Fund Office at least 30 days prior to commencement of benefits. Contact the Fund Office a minimum of 60 days before your intended retirement date to complete the required paperwork.
Annual Notice to Participants Regarding the Plan’s Notice of Privacy Practices
If you would like to see (or obtain a copy of) the Health Benefits Plan’s HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, visit the Plan’s Web site at www.tuftshealthplan.com/carelink/dc35/ – click on the “Privacy Notice” link. The Notice describes how the Health Plan uses and discloses protected health information, and it also discusses important Federal rights. You may also request a copy of the notice from the Fund Office.
Reminder of Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act
In accordance with Federal Law, the Painters & Allied Trades D.C. 35 Health Benefits Plan provides coverage for the following services related to an individual receiving plan benefits in connection with a mastectomy:
• Reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy has been performed;
• Surgery and reconstruction of the breast to produce a symmetrical appearance and;
• Prostheses and physical complications for all stages of a mastectomy, including lymphedemas.
Coverage for breast reconstruction and related services is subject to the plan’s coinsurance amounts and reasonable and customary allowances.
The Fund Office is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM to answer your Health, Pension, and Annuity questions.
Please call: 617-524-1240 or 800-799-1240.
