COVID-19 COBRA SUBSIDY BENEFIT

 The Board of Trustee have recently adopted temporary relief to Plan Participants who may lose medical coverage under the Plan due to the impact of COVID-19.  This relief is in the form of a COBRA Subsidy.  The Trustees have authorized funding in the amount of $500,000 to be used for this COBRA Subsidy, whereby the Plan will subsidize (or pay) 50% of the applicable monthly COBRA premium (the "COBRA Subsidy") for up to two calendar months for those who qualify.  In order to qualify for the COBRA Subsidy, you must be a bargaining unit Participant who is reported by a signatory Employer(s), lose coverage from May 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, and are eligible for COBRA.  In addition to complying with all requirements necessary under COBRA, a member will also need to attest that they lost or will lose eligibility for medical benefits due to a layoff, loss of work, or reduction in hours caused by the COVID-19 crisis.  The benefit under COBRA as well as the COBRA Subsidy will only become available once the applying Participant has exhausted their Hour Bank for coverage under the Plan.  The length of this Subsidy is limited and on a first come, first serve basis for a full description and pertinent information, please use the Documents Tab, Health & Welfare navigation above, and look under Related Information COVID-19 for both the COVID-19 Subsidy Benefit Notification and Attestation Form.

IMPORTANT  PLAN CHANGES COVID - 19 TESTING BENEFITS

The Employee Painters’ Trust Health and Welfare Fund’s Board of Trustees wants you and your family to remain healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want you to be aware of recent benefit changes related to testing and diagnosis of the COVID-19 virus. We also want to be sure that you know about other important benefits available under your Plan and additional resources that may be available to you to help keep you and your family safe. Please use the Documents Tab, Health & Welfare navigation above, and look under Related Information COVID-19.

Virtual Care Access During COVID-19 Emergency

With the COVID-19 virus spreading through our communities, one of the top concerns is to not overwhelm our health care systems and saving space for the folks that are most vulnerable and who will be hit hardest by this virus. Per the CDC guidelines, if you are feeling sick, please call your doctor or urgent care center first. Another way we can help is to use a service like Teladoc. This also saves you and the Plan money as there is no cost to you for using Teladoc and a reduced cost to the plan compared with an urgent care or ER visit. For more detailed information on how to get started with Teledoc and to read the Teledoc FAQ, please use the Documents Tab, Health & Welfare, and look under Related Information - COVID-19 or you can click on the link below:

 https://www.teladoc.com/resources/2020/03/02/coronavirus-covid-19-frequently-asked-questions

Register today!  Quickly and securely register using our improved website registration process! Have your personal information at your fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!  Click on “Create an Account” above to get started. You will need to know your name, date of birth, SSN or Alternate ID, and zip code as they are recorded in the Trust Office.  Problems? Click on Contact Us.