Eligibility (Retiree) - Spouse's Eligibility / Back/
  1. Your spouse is eligible for self-payment coverage under the Plan as long as he or she is married to you under a legally recognized marriage in the state where you live.

  2. If you are married when you enroll in the Plan and intend to cover your spouse, you must both enroll at the same time and pay the required monthly contributions. (Your spouse must be enrolled in the same medical option you choose for yourself.)

    If, however, when you first become eligible to enroll, your spouse is covered under an employer-sponsored group medical plan or COBRA, you may add your spouse to the Plan at a later date as long as you do so within 60 days of the date when your spouse’s employer-paid medical coverage or COBRA coverage ends. Proof of your spouse’s prior coverage is required for this delayed enrollment.

    Except as described above, if you do not enroll your spouse when you enroll, your spouse will not be eligible for coverage at any time in the future.

  3. If you marry after you enroll in the Plan, your spouse becomes eligible for coverage on your marriage date. You may add your spouse at that time by sending in a completed TBT Retiree Enrollment Form, a copy of your marriage certificate and the required self-payment for your spouse within 60 days of your marriage date. If you don’t add your spouse within 60 days, your spouse will not be eligible for coverage at any time in the future.

    You should phone or write the Plan Administration Office within 30 days after your marriage date or coverage may be delayed especially if you are covered under an HMO. Once you notify the Plan Administration Office, all enrollment materials will be mailed to you, including a new TBT Retiree Enrollment Form (and HMO Change of Status Form if you are covered under an HMO).

  4. In the event of your death, your surviving spouse may continue coverage by continuing to make monthly self-payments.

    If you die before you complete timely enrollment in the Plan, your surviving spouse may apply for coverage as long as you were fully eligible to participate in the Plan at the time of your death and all the required application forms, eligibility documents and self-payments are received in a timely manner following your death.

  5. Your surviving spouse may not add a dependent (new spouse) to the Plan.

DOMESTIC PARTNERS If your former Employer is required by local ordinance or state law to provide coverage to domestic partners, the Plan covers a domestic partner in the same way that it covers a legal spouse. Upon request, the Plan Administration Office will provide a written explanation of the Plan’s domestic partner coverage requirements.

Self-Payments are Required

To participate in the Plan, monthly self-payments (payable to the Teamsters Benefit Trust) are required for you and your covered spouse. Since there can be no gap in coverage, self-payments must begin the first month after your coverage as an active employee ends (unless you first choose COBRA continuation coverage (explained on page 8-9 of the Guide To Your Benefits).

All self-payments are due on the first day of each month. If self-payments are not received by the Plan Administration Office by the last day of the month, coverage for you and your covered spouse permanently ends (effective on the first day of that same month). No benefits will be paid for any month when self-payments are not received. See page 8 of the Guide To Your Benefits for information about When Coverage Ends.

Copyright © 2000 Teamsters Benefits Trust, All rights reserved.