July 2018 Welfare Notes

July, 2018

Pensioners Annual Allowance

Pensioners will soon be receiving a notice on the increase in the Pensioners Annual Allowance. The Special Pensioners Medical Benefit currently provides up to $5,000.00 in total benefits for pensioners and their spouses.

The new Benefit Year Maximum for expenses incurred on or after August 1, 2018 will be:
Medical Premiums $4,000.00 ($1,000.00 increase)
Prescription Drugs $1,000.00 (no change)
All other Expenses (medical,dental,vision) $1.500.00 ($500.00 increase)

The fiscal year for the Pensioners Annual Allowance runs from August 1 through July 31, of the following year.

A medical, dental, or vision expense is considered to be incurred on the date you receive treatment or the date of the visit giving rise to the expense. For prescription drugs, the incurred date is the date you paid for the prescription drug. For medical premiums, the expense is incurred on the due date for the premium being paid, not the date of your premium payment.

Claims for reimbursement must be submitted to the Plan office within 90 days of the date of incurring the charge or within 90 days of Medicare processing the claim. The patient’s name, dates of service, a description of the services, and the amount charged for services must be indicated by the provider of services on the statement submitted for reimbursement.

Medicare has issued and begun mailing new Medicare ID cards. The new ID cards do not indicate your social security number. This is being done to help prevent theft of your identity. Please follow the instructions from Medicare enclosed with your new ID cards.
If you have any questions, please contact the Plan office.