What are my Welfare Fund benefits?
The UFT Welfare Fund provides:
Prescription Drugs
Dental
Optical
Hearing Aid
Disability
Death Benefit
Continuation of Coverage
SLOAC and
Supplemental benefits (benefits which add to the
HIP/PRIME, HIP PRIME POS and GHICBP - DME
plans.)
Refer to the applicable chapter(s) in this Red Apple for the benefits
listed above.
All eligible members are covered by a City basic health plan of their choice.
For detailed descriptions of these benefits refer to the NYC Health Benefits
Program Summary Program Description booklet. Additionally, members may contact
the different plans listed in that booklet for further information. This
booklet is available at the UFT Welfare website www.uftwf.org.
Must I enroll to obtain my Welfare Fund benefits?
Yes. Enrollment with the Welfare Fund is required before members can access
their benefits.
In order for new employees to access benefits provided by the United Federation
of Teachers Welfare Fund, new employees must complete and file an enrollment
form with the Welfare Fund. See the following section entitled “How
do I enroll and update information?” for information on how to enroll.
Members have the opportunity to select one of the dental programs within
sixty (60) days of employment. (See Dental Chapter for particulars.)
How do I enroll and update information?
All new members must:
1. complete a UFT Welfare Fund Enrollment Form. (This
enrollment is separate from any UFT Membership and Department of Education
Health Plan Applications.) This enrollment form is available from the Fund
office or can been done on-line at www.uftwf.org.
2. attach applicable documentation (e.g. birth certificate,
marriage certificate or domestic partnership registration) to the enrollment
form.
All members must notify the
Fund Office of a change in
marital status, dependent status or beneficiary by filing a
Change of Status Form. When enrolling or changing
dependents, the member must attach or submit photocopies
of necessary documentation to the Enrollment
Form or Change of Status Form which is also available
on the website. The Fund reserves the right to request additional documentation
verifying the bona fide relationship of any dependent to a member.
Please note that upon divorce or termination of domestic partnership a Change of Status Form, which is also available on the website, must be completed with applicable documentation attached or submitted to delete a spouse or domestic partner.
COVERAGE RULES
When does coverage begin?
Coverage for eligible members begins on their first day of employment,
provided the member has enrolled in a timely manner.
Dependents become eligible on the same date as the member, or on the date
they first become eligible dependents.
Access to benefits by either the member and/or his/her eligible dependents
is effective on the first day of full-time employment provided the member
and dependents have
enrolled with the Welfare Fund. Benefits will not be paid until enrollment
has been completed.
Coverage of a member’s spouse, domestic partner and/or eligible dependent
is effective upon the enrollment of the spouse, domestic partner and/or
eligible dependent by providing the necessary information on the enrollment
form and filing it with the Fund Office. A spouse, domestic partner and/or
eligible dependent may access benefits effective with the date of marriage,
effective date of domestic partnership registration with the City of New
York or the date of birth or adoption of an eligible dependent, provided
the employee enrolls the spouse, domestic partner and/or eligible dependent
in the calendar year in which the spouse, domestic partner or eligible for
coverage under the rules of the plan.
In the event the covered employee does not enroll his/her spouse, domestic
partner and/or eligible dependent in the calendar year in which eligibility
for coverage occurred, then eligibility for coverage will be effective January
1st of the calendar year in which enrollment has taken place. For example,
covered employee John Doe marries Jane on October 1, 2006. However, John
Doe does not enroll Jane as his spouse until March 1, 2007. In this case,
Jane’s effective
date of coverage by the Fund will be January 1, 2007. Therefore, she may
claim Fund benefits for covered services rendered to her on or after January
1, 2007.
Please Note: F-Status and spring term substitutes with a start date after
January 15th and no prior continuous service are not eligible for August
coverage.
Both health plan and Welfare Fund benefits can be purchased for the month
of August through COBRA. Please refer to the COBRA chapter of this booklet
for additional information