The Voice

I have some very exciting news for our members who participate in the Empire Plan.

I would like introduce you to a new, voluntary program called the Half Tablet Program (HTP). It is part of your Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program benefits.

Under the HTP, you get the same medication and dosage for half the cost. How does it work? It’s simple, really.

The HTP offers the opportunity for you to reduce your prescription medication co-payments by using double-strength tablets and splitting them in half.

Members are urged to check with their physicians to see if it is appropriate to take part in the program. If your doctor agrees that the HTP is for you, your doctor can phone in or fax a new prescription to your preferred retail or mail-order pharmacy.

Your doctor will write your prescription for twice the dosage (strength) and half the quantity of your current prescription. The dosing instructions will advise you to take a half tablet at your regularly scheduled time. This will automatically enable you to participate in the HTP, and you will only be responsible for half the usual co-pay amount.

Doreen M. Bango, Manager Member Benefits & Services

UUP understands the importance of a good education.

Through the negotiations process, UUP was able to enhance the Benefit Trust Fund scholarship program by $250 a semester, beginning this fall, to $750 per semester. We urge our members’ eligible dependents to take advantage of this great benefit.

Who is eligible: The UUP Benefit Trust Fund scholarship program is for eligible dependent children of actively employed UUP members who are eligible for Fund benefits. Dependent children of UUP retiree members, COBRA participants and Direct Pay participants are not eligible.

In 1983, New York State United Teachers created NYSUT Member Benefits Trust as a separate, not-for-profit trust fund for the purpose of providing members access to quality, competitive insurance plans and benefit programs.

No NYSUT dues dollars are used to support Member Benefits or its programs in any way. Member Benefits receives funds to cover expenses from negotiated expense reimbursement/ endorsement arrangements with some of the carriers that provide endorsed programs to members.

These funds are used solely to defray the costs of administering endorsed programs including compensation; rent; office expenses; and the cost of retaining consultants, auditors, and attorneys to advise the trustees and staff. Where appropriate, Member Benefits’ revenue is used to enhance benefit programs for participants.

The Legal Service Plan endorsed by NYSUT Member Benefits Trust was enhanced as of Sept. 1. These enhancements will be provided to bargaining unit members who enroll in the plan on or after that date and to current participants who renew their plan on or after that date.

In addition to the free Simple Will, the plan now provides a Health Care Proxy, Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney. These forms make up the Legal Security Package, which previously was only available with the purchase of the Elder Law rider.

The plan has other new benefits: advice on identity theft prevention and for identity theft victims, assistance with debt consolidation, and assistance with mortgage foreclosure.

The Retiree Legal Service Plan is being phased out, as the enhanced Legal Service Plan now includes special pricing for retirees. The retiree plan included a coupon for a 30-minute office consultation and a free Power of Attorney and Simple Will. With the enhanced plan, retirees will now receive two, hour-long office consultation coupons and a free Living Will and Health Care Proxy in addition to the Power of Attorney and Simple Will.

Doreen M. Bango, Manager Member Benefits & Services

It’s that time of year when the UUP Benefit Trust Fund (BTF) welcomes our new and returning members. It is very exciting when the fall semester begins and we see our membership continue to grow.

The BTF staff spent the summer revising the Welcome and New Hire kits that contain all the necessary information for the upcoming year. In these packets, you will find a BTF enrollment card. If you have not already filled one out, please do so and mail it back to us.

I am happy to tell you about some of the new Empire Plan benefits that were negotiated as part of the 2007–2011 agreement between UUP and the state.

Here are some of the highlights:

Bargaining unit members are encouraged to take advantage of the discount programs endorsed by NYSUT Member Benefits Trust. For information about these programs and how to receive member-only discounts, contact NYSUT Member Benefits at at www.memberbenefits.nysut.org, at (800) 626-8101 or by e-mail at benefits@nysutmail.org.

Note: Programs accompanied by an asterisk* require a special discount code or ID number — contact NYSUT Member Benefits for information.

Bose — Special pricing on Bose consumer products, including music systems, computer speakers and home theater systems. Receive the discount by ordering from Bose toll-free at (877) 709-2073.

Dell Computers* — Receive discounts from 2 percent to 6 percent when making system purchases. The discount applies to new purchases of select computers and laptops and from discounted bundled selected systems preconfigured by Dell.

The officers are pleased to announce that as of April 1, active part-time UUP members who are currently ineligible for dental and vision benefits will be able to purchase these benefits through our new UUP Part-Time Dental and Vision plans. These plans are administered through the UUP Member Services Trust Fund.

Members interested in one or both of these plans should go to the UUP Web site "www.uupinfo.org" select Benefits and then select Part Timers. There you will find all the information you need: program details and rates; highlights of the dental and vision plans; and enrollment and claim forms.

This is an exciting opportunity for UUP part-timers.

For more information, call a UUP Benefit Trust Fund representative at (800) 887-3863.

Also, I'd like to remind you that the retiree dental plan has switched to Delta Dental, effective April 1.

Please note that there will be no change in the actual benefit just a change of administrators, from CIGNA Dental to Delta Dental.

If you need to rent a truck, be sure to contact Budget Truck Rental. The trustees of NYSUT Member Benefits Trust recently endorsed a discount program with Budget Truck Rental, through which bargaining unit members can save 20 percent.

The discount applies to any local or one-way rentals. The Member Benefits discount number is 56000070789.

The discount is only valid when making a reservation through the Budget Truck Reservations Center, which can be accessed by phone or online. The toll-free number is (800) 566-8422. To access the Center online, members must link to it from the Member Benefits Web site, www.memberbenefits.nysut.org. The link brings members to a special Budget site for NYSUT members, where the discount is automatically included.

Budget Truck Rental has more than 2,800 locations nationwide and provides roadside assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As you may know by now, Delta Dental is the new dental provider for UUP.
For your convenience, I put together a list of FADQs — Frequently Asked Dental Questions!

When will UUP make the switch to Delta Dental? April 1, 2008.

How will our dental benefits change with Delta Dental? Only for the better. We have added coverage for TMJ, an additional annual cleaning during pregnancy, and we have streamlined the orthodontic reimbursement process. And remember, you continue to be eligible for two cleanings per calendar year at any time during that year.

Will we still be able to visit the dentist of our choice? Yes, the Delta Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) program allows you the freedom to visit any dentist — in or out of the Delta Dental PPO network. However, you should be able to find an in-network dentist with the large number of dentists that participate in the Delta Dental PPO program.