Retired Teachers Chapter News
Keep your NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs if retiring or leaving the bargaining unit
May 8, 2008 4:21 PM
If you are retiring, you must maintain your NYSUT membership as a retiree in order to continue participating in NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs. To do this, you must continue membership with the UFT as a retiree.
Retiree membership with the UFT automatically provides you with prepaid retiree membership in NYSUT and one of its national affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers.
What happens to your payroll deduction of NYSUT Member Benefits Trust?
If you’re retiring and you’ve purchased Member Benefits-endorsed programs through payroll deduction, notify the Member Benefits department as soon as possible. During the transition from payroll to pension deduction, policies need to temporarily switch to individual home billing with the appropriate company. You are responsible for notifying the administrator(s) of the plan(s) in which you participate of any change of address.
Any discounts you had on payroll deduction will continue during the transition, up to one year. Pension deduction of Member Benefits yields the same discounts and additional coverages as payroll deduction.
To be eligible for pension deduction of Member Benefits-endorsed programs, you must already be receiving your regular retirement allowance payments from the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System. (The city TRS issues advance payments prior to sending your regular retirement allowance payments. Deductions cannot be taken from advance payments.)
Upon receipt of the first premium renewal notice after you’ve started receiving your regular retirement allowance payments, you’ll be responsible for making payment directly to the program’s administrator. After you receive a subsequent renewal notice for the next billing period, a pension deduction authorization form should be included and you can convert from individual home billing to pension deduction at this time. Return your premium renewal bill along with the signed pension deduction authorization card to the appropriate company. Do not enclose payment. Member Benefits will notify the city TRS of the correct deduction amount.
Leaving the bargaining unit
If you are leaving the bargaining unit of the UFT at the end of the school year and you are participating in any Member Benefits-endorsed programs, you must join NYSUT as an Associate Member-Continuing NYSUT Member Benefits Trust Coverage if you want those programs to continue. However, payroll deduction would no longer be a payment option available to you as an associate member.
Questions?
For questions about continuing membership with the UFT as a retiree, contact UFT membership at 1-212-598-6855.
For questions about continuing your Member Benefits-endorsed programs or payroll/pension deduction, contact Member Benefits at 1-800-626-8101.
For information about contractual expense reimbursement/endorsement arrangements with providers of endorsed programs, please call NYSUT Member Benefits Trust at 1-800-626-8101, e-mail benefits@nysutmail.org, visit www.memberbenefits.nysut.org or refer to your NYSUT Member Benefits Trust Summary Plan Description.
Agency fee payers to NYSUT are eligible to participate in NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed programs.
