In order to be eligible for benefits provided by the Fund, you must first complete a Group Enrollment Form and return it to the Fund Office. Failure to enroll for benefits and return the completed form in a timely manner may result in a delay in your eligibility for benefits until the next Open Enrollment Period.  

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD

Employees may make changes to their group enrollment during Open Enrollment from May 1-June 1st of each calendar year with benefits becoming effective June 1st. During Open Enrollment you may add eligible dependents not previously enrolled under your group benefits. Information for Open Enrollment is sent to the Shop Steward to post on the bulletin board at the shops generally during the month of May.

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Health & Welfare Fund, if an individual declines enrollment for himself or herself, as well as dependents (including spouses) because of other health insurance coverage or other reasons, you must wait until the next Open Enrollment Period, which is May 1 - June 1, 2020, unless they qualify for enrollment under a Special Enrollment Period as outlined in Section 2.5 of the Summary Plan Description Booklet Page 4.

It is only during this window of opportunity known as Open Enrollment that you will have the opportunity to add or delete eligible dependents to your group benefits provided by the Fund.

In the event of divorce or if a dependent child loses eligibility for coverage for vision, hearing or dental as a dependent child (for example exceeds age limitations), or

if after COBRA coverage is elected a qualified beneficiary becomes covered under another group health plan, the participant and his spouse have an obligation to notify the Plan Administrator of such event within 60 days after this qualifying event occurs. This notice must include: the name of the participant, the social security number of the participant, the name of the qualified beneficiaries (for example, a former spouse after divorce or a child no longer eligible for coverage as a dependent), the qualifying event (for example, the date of a divorce), and the date on which the qualifying event occurred.

If you do not timely provide this notice, you forfeit your right to COBRA coverage.  If you are divorced or a dependent child loses eligibility for coverage as a dependent child (for example, exceeds age limitations), you must notify the Benefits Administrator. After COBRA coverage is elected, you must also notify the Benefits Administrator within 30 days if a qualified beneficiary becomes covered under another group health plan.

Further, failure to timely notify the Fund Office notice of a divorce or a child losing eligibility gives the Fund the right to hold the employee and his/her spouse separately and fully liable for any benefits paid by the Fund which would not have been paid had the Fund received timely notification of such event. At its sole election, the Fund may suspend the payment of future benefits until such amount has been recovered.

(Section 6.4 of the Shopmen’s Local 508 Health & Welfare Fund Summary Plan Description Booklet Page 12)

SPECIAL ENROLLMENT:

If you are declining enrollment for yourself or your dependents (including your spouse) because of other health insurance or group health plan coverage, you may be able to enroll yourself and your dependents in this plan if you or your dependents lose eligibility for that other coverage (or if the employer stops contributing toward you or your dependents' other coverage). However, you must request enrollment within 30 days after you or your dependents other coverage ends (or after the employer stops contributing toward the other coverage).

In addition, if you have a new dependent as a result of marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption, you may be able to enroll yourself and your dependents. However, you must request enrollment within 30 days after the marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption. To request Special Enrollment or obtain more information, contact:

Linda Brooks, Fund Administrator

Shopmen's Local Union No. 508

2000 Town Center, Suite 1900

Southfield, MI  48075

(248) 945-7374

Email:  benefits508@ameritech.net

NEED A GROUP ENROLLMENT FORM?

Forms are available from your Shop Steward or you may call the Fund Office at (248) 945-7374 and request one to be mailed to you.