May-June 2012 - The International Organization of Masters, Mates ...

Masters, Mates & Pilots Plans
Administrator’s Column
Patrick McCullough
Health & Benefit Plan
PMR/CNW Group
Stop-Loss Insurance
The Segal Company, the Health & Benefit Plan’s
consultant, has recommended to the Trustees
that the PMR/CNW Group purchase stop-loss
insurance to minimize the impact of future
catastrophic and unforeseen medical claims on
the Group’s rates. The insurance would help
minimize potential future rate increases by
stabilizing the Group’s claims experience. The Chairman and the
Secretary, in consultation with the United Inland Group Vice
President, have agreed to this recommendation.
The Segal Company is obtaining bids from insurance carriers
through a Request for Proposal (RFP) to determine what options
for this type of insurance coverage are available. It is estimated
that the Plan will be able to have this insurance in place for an
effective date of July 1, 2012, and that the policy period will be for
one year. Segal has estimated that the cost of coverage will be $30
to $40 per participant per month and that all individuals (members
and dependents) will be covered. The estimated premium
amount was included in the April 1 rate increase.
When the coverage is in place, the Plan will be required to
report monthly to the insurance carrier all individuals on whose
behalf the Plan has paid claims in the amount of at least $50,000
during the policy period. When claims for an individual meet
the $150,000 or $200,000 deductible for the stop-loss coverage
(depending on what insurance is purchased), the insurance
company will reimburse the Plan any amount above that dollar
amount.
The Plan will handle all the premium payments and filings
required by the insurance company. The participant or dependent
should carefully review all charges on every Explanation of
Benefits (EOB) statement to make sure that all the medical care
billed has actually been received. If you notice any discrepancy,
please contact your provider and question the charges. If the
charges are not correct, please notify the Plan Office.
CIGNA Website
Participants who would like to find a medical provider in their
area who is part of the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Program should follow these simple steps.
Go to: www.cignasharedadministration.com.
1. Click on “For Taft-Hartley Plan Members.”
2. Click on “Medical Shared Administration.”
The screen that appears will be titled
“Medical Shared Administration Plans.”
3. Go to the middle of that page.
4. Click on “Shared Administration PPO
Provider Directory.”
5. Provide the information requested to find a
CIGNA network provider.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Open Enrollment Ended
Prudential, the Plan’s long-term care insurance provider, offered
an open enrollment period from Feb. 1 through April 30. If you
are an active Health & Benefit Plan participant and missed the
open enrollment period, you may still enroll but you will have
to provide evidence of good health satisfactory to Prudential.
Prudential will also allow family members to enroll after they
provide evidence of good health. If you want more information
about this insurance plan, please contact Prudential at 800-732-
0416, visit www.prudential.com/gltcweb/mmp or send an e-mail
to ltc4me@prudential.com
Disability Insurance
Active participants who are interested in purchasing Voluntary
Disability Insurance can contact the Plan’s insurance broker,
Willis, for information. You can review disability insurance information
by going to www.bridgedeck.org and clicking on MM&P
Plans, then on H&B forms, and then on “Disability Insurance.”
You can contact Angela Mitchell at Willis toll free at (800) 456-
3162 ext. 3032 or (301) 692-3032. She can be reached between
9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDST.
Offshore Scholarship Program
The 2013-14 Offshore Scholarship Program applications are now
available for eligible dependent children of eligible Offshore
members and co-pay pensioners in good standing. Applicants
must be high school seniors during the 2012-13 school year.
Completed applications must be returned to the Plan Office by
Nov. 30, 2012, in order for them to be submitted for review and
processing by the Scholarship Recognition Award Program in
The Master, Mate & Pilot - 11 - May - June 2012