Welfare Notes - August 2009

August, 2009

Constructed Drug Screens

The Seafarers’ Medical Center staff would like to remind seamen of the importance of using the constructed drug screen program to keep their drug screens updated.

To construct a drug screen, 60 days of employment are needed with the active random drug screen program. The 60 days are counted over a 6-month period. The 60 days are not required to be in consecutive employment over the 6-months period.

To get a constructed drug screen, you need to bring in your discharges or pay check stubs to the Clinic. The date on the drug screen card goes forward 4 months and 5 days from the last discharge date. You can rollover the expiration date on the constructed drug screen with each new discharge for another 4 months and 5 days unless you are off work for a 6-month period.

If you are unemployed for 6 months, then you are required to start over and would need 60 days of employment for the constructed drug screen. A complete drug screen should be taken at that time.

The constructed drug screen is a very cost effective procedure as it allows the Seafarers’ Medical Center to save the cost of laboratory testing for a complete drug screen.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Seafarers’ Medical Center directly at 415-392-3611.

Michelle Chang, Administrator  
Patty Martin  
Virginia Briggs, Claims   
Michael Jacyna, Eligibility