Eligibility Rules - Retiree Eligibility
When you decide to retire from covered employment, you should contact Eligibility Department of the Fund Office to determine your eligibility to participate in the Retiree Medical Plan or the Retiree Basic Medical Plan. Retiree medical coverage options will only be offered to you at the time you apply for a Pension. These coverage choices are only offered once.
Effective January 1, 2005, these eligibility rules replace those on Page 4 of the Summary Plan Description for Retired Participants.
You are eligible for retiree coverage if you:
- Are at least age fifty (50), and
- Are receiving benefits from the Chicago Laborers’ Pension Fund or from the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Industrial Pension Fund, and
- Have at least fifteen (15) years of participation with the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund. (A year of participation is defined as having at least 800 hours reported to the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund for each of fifteen (15) fiscal years. A fiscal year begins June 1 and ends May 31), and;
- Have at least 500 hours reported to the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund in three (3) of the last five (5) fiscal years immediately preceding your pension retirement effective date.
If you are retired on a Disability Pension from the Chicago Laborers’ Pension Fund or from the LIUNA Pension Fund before age 50 but you meet all of the other eligibility requirements outlined above, you are eligible for retiree coverage under the Retiree Basic Medical Coverage Plan. However, you are not eligible for coverage under the Retiree Basic Medical Coverage Plan if you are not age 50 or older when you become eligible for a Disability Pension.
If you die after age 50 and before your retirement date, your surviving spouse may elect coverage under the Retiree Medical Plan or Retiree Basic Medical Coverage Plan if:
- Prior to your death, you met the eligibility requirements for retiree medical coverage, and
- Your surviving spouse is receiving a pension from the Laborers’ Pension Fund or LIUNA Pension Fund.
If you are receiving a Pension from the LIUNA Pension Fund, you will be required to provide a copy of the Pension Award Letter issued by LIUNA to the Fund Office.
Chicago Laborers’ Retiree Medical Plan Premiums
The chart below outlines the current premium rates for the Retiree Medical Plan coverage in effect as of January 1, 2005. Premiums are automatically deducted each month from your pension benefit. Retirees receiving a pension from the LIUNA Industrial Pension Fund who are eligible for retiree benefits are required to make monthly premium payments directly to the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you may elect coverage for your eligible dependents and pay an additional monthly premium.
Your premium rate is based on your years of participation in the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund. A year of participation is measured as 800 hours reported to the Chicago Laborer’s Welfare Fund during any fiscal year. A fiscal year begins June 1 and ends May 31.
Premium rates are reviewed every year and are subject to change by the Board of Trustees.
In the Welfare Fund
If you qualify for the Retiree Medical Plan and fail to enroll at the time you retire, decline coverage at the time you retire or fail to make the monthly premium payment if you are a LIUNA retiree or terminate coverage, you will be covered under the Retiree Basic Medical Plan, if you are eligible. Coverage under the Retiree Basic Medical Plan is only available until age 65.
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