EXTENDED COVERAGE IN THE EVENT OF YOUR DEATH
If You Had Active Coverage Upon Your Death
If at the time of your death you had active coverage under the Family Health Plan based on your covered earnings, your dependents will continue to be covered for the remaining time for which you qualified for active Family Health Plan coverage prior to your death, subject to timely payment of premiums.
Eligible for Senior Citizen Coverage Upon Your Death
If you die and you and your spouse are covered by the active Health Plan immediately before your death, your spouse may also be eligible for additional extended coverage if you had completed enough Qualifying Years to be eligible for Senior Citizen Program coverage. While your surviving spouse is receiving this extended coverage, the coverage may also apply to surviving dependent children who were covered by the Health Plan at the time of your death, provided that they continue to meet the definition of dependent children.
If you had enough Qualifying Years for family coverage under the Senior Citizen Program (at least 20 Qualifying Years, including 15 Family Qualifying Years) at the time of your death, this coverage will be available if your spouse pays the spousal premium, as well as the child dependent premium for any children to receive this coverage. If you had enough Qualifying Years for individual coverage at the time of your death, but not family coverage, under the Senior Citizen Program, then your surviving spouse will be required to pay the full buy-up cost in order to receive this coverage.
The coverage cannot begin before the date you would have reached age 65. That means that, for some surviving spouses and dependents, active coverage will terminate before they are entitled to this extended coverage. Those individuals may elect to remain covered during this “gap” period (until the date you would have reached age 65) by paying the full buy-up cost for coverage, but only if at least one of these two conditions were met at the time of your death:
As with all coverage under the Plan, the Trustees may modify or discontinue extended coverage to a spouse and dependents at any time at the Trustees’ sole discretion. Plan benefits do not become vested or non-forfeitable for any person.
If You Had Active Coverage Upon Your Death
If at the time of your death you had active coverage under the Family Health Plan based on your covered earnings, your dependents will continue to be covered for the remaining time for which you qualified for active Family Health Plan coverage prior to your death, subject to timely payment of premiums.
Eligible for Senior Citizen Coverage Upon Your Death
If you die and you and your spouse are covered by the active Health Plan immediately before your death, your spouse may also be eligible for additional extended coverage if you had completed enough Qualifying Years to be eligible for Senior Citizen Program coverage. While your surviving spouse is receiving this extended coverage, the coverage may also apply to surviving dependent children who were covered by the Health Plan at the time of your death, provided that they continue to meet the definition of dependent children.
If you had enough Qualifying Years for family coverage under the Senior Citizen Program (at least 20 Qualifying Years, including 15 Family Qualifying Years) at the time of your death, this coverage will be available if your spouse pays the spousal premium, as well as the child dependent premium for any children to receive this coverage. If you had enough Qualifying Years for individual coverage at the time of your death, but not family coverage, under the Senior Citizen Program, then your surviving spouse will be required to pay the full buy-up cost in order to receive this coverage.
The coverage cannot begin before the date you would have reached age 65. That means that, for some surviving spouses and dependents, active coverage will terminate before they are entitled to this extended coverage. Those individuals may elect to remain covered during this “gap” period (until the date you would have reached age 65) by paying the full buy-up cost for coverage, but only if at least one of these two conditions were met at the time of your death:
- You reached age 55 and were eligible for benefits based on covered earnings; or
- You were covered under the Family Plan Early Retiree Program.
- You were enrolled in the Family Plan Senior Citizen Program prior to January 1, 2003; or
- As of January 1, 2003, you had reached age 60 and, prior to that date, you had a sufficient number of Qualifying Years to be eligible for Senior Citizen Program coverage.
- the date of your death;
- the date your coverage as an active would have ended; or
- the date you would have reached age 65.
As with all coverage under the Plan, the Trustees may modify or discontinue extended coverage to a spouse and dependents at any time at the Trustees’ sole discretion. Plan benefits do not become vested or non-forfeitable for any person.
