The UPS Health and Welfare Package - Summary Plan Description (SPD) is one of the most important documents that you will receive from UPS. The SPD spells out your rights and obligations to the UPS Health and Welfare Package. Understanding the SPD will streamline your ability to get the benefits UPSers work so hard to earn. Unfortunately, many UPSers don't read or fully understand their SPD.
Optional Long Term Disability (Offered In Many Plans)
One of the features of the optional LTD plan is that "you and your eligible family members will continue to receive comprehensive basic coverage from the Plan for as long as you remain an eligible LTD participant (up to 5 years)." Keeping your family insured while you are unable to work is just as important as continued wages.
If you are injured on-the-job or an off-the-job injury or illness medical coverage ends after 12 months (6 months in some plans). After 12 months, you can elect COBRA coverage (at a substancial cost) for an additional 18 months. For example, even if you are injured on the job and disabled for more than a year your's and your family's coverage ends, unless you have LTD. Or if you have cancer and may never work again, your's and family's coverage ends after 12 months.... unless you have LTD. This is definately something to consider (if your plan offers this optional coverage). Check your SPD for eligibility and further details. ADDED 7/18/2005.
Changes for 2004
Local 705 - Plan #524 & #525
Even though the NEW SPD © 2004 is substantially the same as the SPD © 2002, NABER has found some noteworthy changes. NABER compared the SPD for Local 705 but it should be indicative of changes to other Locals' SPD. The most important changes are in the Dental Coverage. Some common procedures have changed classifications from Basic services to Major Services. Major Services are covered at a lower rate than Basic Services both in-network and out-of-network. For instance, if you were having oral surgury under the old SPD it would be covered at 100% in or out of network. Now, the same surgury would be cover at 80% in-network and only 50% out-of-network.
Dental work now classified as Major Services (partial listing-see the SPD)
*Oral surgery -includes local anesthetics
--extractions
--impacted teeth
--alveolar
--odontogenic cyst and neoplasms
--other surgical procedures
*anesthetics
--general
*periodontics
--subgingival curettage
--gingivectomy per quadrant
--gingivectomy, treatment per tooth
--osseous or muco-gingival surgery (including post-surgical visits)
--crown lengthening
Drugs Excluded by the Prescription Program
Levitra added to list
Short Term Disability
"Kemper determines if your disability is caused by an illness or an injury."
Retired Employee Health Care Coverage
When Coverage Ends
"Coverage ends when you become eligible for Medicare (except as a result of a disability, see below). Coverage for your spouse ends at the earlier of either your divorce or legal separation or your spouse becoming eligible for Medicare (except as a result of a disability, see below).
You become eligible for Medicare at the beginning of the month in which you reach age 65 unless your birthday falls on the first day of the month, in which case your' re eligible for Medicare at the beginning of the month prior to your birthday."
The Summary of Material Modification (SMM) is supposed to inform UPSers of any substantial changes. However, the SMM that BROWN is sending out makes no mention of any of these changes. The SMM instead includes insurance quotes. The 2004 SMM also included a " Woman's Health and Cancer Rights Notice" that was not changed from the 2002 SPD.
Local 554 - Plan #607497-C
It's been reported that PAP Smears and Mammograms are no longer covered.
If your 2004 SPD has changed in other ways, PLEASE tell N.A.B.E.R.
We will post other Locals' changes to help UPSers.
