BENEFITS

Summary Plan Description of all Retiree Benefits

ELIGIBILITY

Click here for eligibility for retired members

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MEDICARE PART D

  • Notice of Creditable Coverage.  An important notice about your prescription drug coverage and Medicare.

  • MEDICARE PART D (Effective 1/1/06)
     [You may choose this instead of MEDCO]

    Basics

    The Federal government recently enacted a limited, catastrophic drug program for qualified retirees, over age 65 who are covered under Medicare Part A (hospital) and [at least eligible for] Part B (medical). It is commonly referred to as Medicare Part D.

    The Part D program is privately administered by insurance companies who offer a variety of policies featuring: 1) a formulary of covered drugs, 2) a "front-end" deductible, 3) a range of annual costs where the enrollee pays a moderate percentage co-pay, 4) a range of annual costs where the enrollee pays all costs - 100% co-pay - also known as the "doughnut hole" and 5) a range of annual costs where the enrollee pays minimal percentage co-payment toward drug costs. For this coverage, the Medicare Part D enrollee payss a premium.

    The prototype on which the program is based applies a $250 deductible, a 25% co-payment on the next $2,000 of annual drug spending, no coverage between $2,250 and $5,100 annually and a 5% co-payment on annual expenses exceeding $5,100.

    The monthly premium estimated on that model was to have been approximately $37 in the first year (2006). Many areas around the country had 40 to 50 competing plans in the first year of operation, with wide variances on premium, deductibles, copayments and formularies.

    The PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund Drug Benefit

    Eligible plan participants may chose a Medicare Part D plan instead of the Welfare Fund retiree drug plan. Those who do so would relinquish Welfare Fund drug coverage. It is often not advisable to do so.

    Analysis of average drug utilization among covered retirees has determined that most retirees would be financially better off with the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund Medco program. The exception would be those individuals who incur high annual costs. If annual costs exceed $13,800, the Part D program might be beneficial.

    The Fund actuaries have calculated that on the average the Welfare Fund drug coverage is equal to or better than the Medicare Part D program. This "Actuarial Equivalence" enables the Welfare Fund to issue a Notice of Creditable Coverage to its eligible retired members. This Notice assures that a future decision by a participant to enroll directly in Part D (e.g., by a spouse if a retiree dies) is not met with a substantial premium surcharge.

    Fund office staff is unable to personally advise on choice of coverage. More information is available on-line at www.medicare.gov.

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NEW TO RETIREMENT

Are you new to retirement? 

Checkpoints: Click here for a list of important checkpoints about your retirement and continuing Welfare Fund Benefits.

FAQs.  Click here for answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) for prospective retirees.

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SURVIVOR INFORMATION

Retiree Survivor Planning  

Do you have an envelope in your desk or top dresser drawer (or a file on your PC hard drive) that tells your spouse, your partner or adult children what to do in case you die? If not, you should create a document that includes account numbers, personal ID numbers, passwords and phone numbers that are necessary to access your financial, pension and benefits information. Many spouses are unaware of the things they need to know. 

It’s also a good idea to collect your important documents in one place—one desk drawer or file cabinet folder—and tell your spouse/ partner or adult children where it is. This is the place for copies of all insurance policies, your marriage license, children’s birth certificates, veteran’s discharge papers, property titles and your will. 

Here are some important phone numbers your survivors will need: 

    Your Pension System. Make a note of the number that applies to your pension info: 

    • NYC Teachers' Retirement System, Death Benefit Division 1-888-8NYCTRS, 55 Water St. NYC 10041
    • NYC Employees Retirement System Pensioner' Survivor Benefits Division 1-347-643-3800 335 Adams St. Brooklyn 11201
    • TIAA-CREF 1-800-842-2252

    Your school’s Human Resources department. 

      A list of CUNY campus HR office phone numbers is provided here.

    The PSC/CUNY - Membership Office

      212-354-1252 

    The PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund

      212-354-5230 

Welfare Fund Survivor Benefits

It is the responsibility of your spouse/domestic partner/covered dependent to notify the Welfare Fund office of your death.  They have 30 days from the date of notification to decide to purchase benefits. 

A description of the benefit plans available for purchase by your spouse and/or dependents of an eligible retiree who dies can be found here.

Click here for more information for survivor coverage for a spouse or eligible dependent of a retiree.

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