Important Information for DC 37 Members About to Retire
For Medicare-eligible* retirees who are eligible
to receive a pension from NYCERS/ BERS/ TRS/NYSERS
/CIRS
* Medicare-eligible = age 65 and/or disability
Eligibility
You
must be a DC 37 member, Medicare eligible, and be pension eligible under
NYCERS/BERS/TRS/NYSERS/CIRS.
City Health Insurance
You may wish to refer to the City of
Complete a Health Benefits Application form.
Apply for Medicare Parts A and B at your nearest Social Security office. If you
are retiring before or at the age of 65, ` apply for Medicare Parts A and B in
the three months before your 65th birthday. You will not be eligible for
Medicare Parts A and B until you reach your 65th
birthday.
When you retire and are age 65 or over, you must have
Medicare Parts A and B to continue your City health insurance. The
premium cost of Medicare Part B will be taken out of your Social Security
check. When you retire, you and your eligible dependents will be reimbursed for
the cost of Medicare Part B once a year.
In order to be
reimbursed, you must apply to the
City of
Health Benefits Program
212-513-0470
Medicare
is the primary health insurance for retirees age 65 or over (unless covered by
a working spouse, in which case Medicare is secondary). City health insurance
is the secondary health insurance. If you are retired and receiving Medicare
Parts A and B, you may choose a supplement to Medicare or a Medicare + Choice
(formerly Medicare Risk) health insurance plan.
a. Medicare Supplemental Plans
You
must switch to a Medicare supplemental plan when eligible. When enrolled in a Medicare
supplemental plan, you may go to any healthcare provider who accepts Medicare
as payment in full throughout the U.S.
If you go to healthcare providers who accept Medicare and you receive services
that are covered by Medicare and/or your Medicare supplemental plan, you will
be charged the first $100 of the provider’s charges each calendar year. You
must pay $200 for each hospitalization, up to $500 per individual each calendar
year.
You may go to providers who do not accept Medicare and pay the difference
between what providers charge and what Medicare allows – according to the
Health Care Financing Administration guidelines (generally, 15% more than the
Medicare-approved amount).
b. Medicare + Choice Plans (formerly
Medicare Risk)
These plans are similar to the managed care plans members have
before retiring and receiving Medicare Parts A and B, but there may be
important differences. You must switch to a Medicare + Choice plan when
eligible. You can receive full information about the Medicare + Choice benefits
by contacting the health plans directly. If you do not automatically receive
the forms to switch, you should contact the City of
The
transfer period for retirees to change City health insurance plans occurs
during the open enrollment period of even-numbered years. There are exceptions
to this rule. There is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to switch City health insurance plans, which you may use after
being retired at least one year. If you move out of your City health insurance
plan’s service area, you may switch health plans within 31 days of the move.
The cost for the City health insurance and any riders will be deducted from
your monthly pension check.
For DC 37 members who are employed by the State, please contact your Health
Benefits Administrator/Payroll Department for up-to-date information on your
New York State Health Insurance Program or you may contact the Employee
Benefits Division, Department of Civil Service, State of New York, The State
Campus, Albany, NY 12239; Call 518-457-5754 (Albany area) or 800-833-4344
(outside Albany).
Social Security
a. Social Security Benefits for Working
Members 65 Years of Age or Over
If you continue to work beyond your 65th birthday, you are
eligible to receive Social Security without a reduction in your Social Security
benefit, regardless of income.
If you choose to receive your Social Security benefit at your 65th birthday and
continue to work, you do not have to apply for Medicare Part B.
To waive your Medicare Part B benefit, advise your
Social Security Office that you are working and covered under an employer
health insurance plan.
For additional information pertaining to this benefit, contact your Social
Security Office three to six months prior to your 65th birthday. Call the
Social Security Administration at 1-800- 772-1213.
b. Social Security Disability Benefits
If you are under age 65, receive a City pension check in addition
to a Social Security benefit, and are notified by the Social Security
Administration that you are eligible for Medicare Parts A and B, do the
following:
- In order to continue your coverage
under the City Health Benefits Pro-gram, you must accept your Medicare
benefit and notify the Office of Labor Relations.
- Make a copy of your pension stub,
a copy of your Medicare card, and write a note requesting that your
information be updated and send them to:
City of
Office of Labor Relations
The
Office of Labor Relations will notify your health plan.
Pensions
Once you have vested in your respective Retirement Plan (i.e.,
NYCERS/BERS/TRS/ NYSERS/CIRS), you may retire.
You may contact the District Council 37 Health and Pension Services Unit not
more than 6 months prior to retirement at 125 Barclay Street, 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10007. Call 212-815-1200.
DC 37 Health and
Security Plan Benefits
Send a copy of the stub from your first pension check and a copy
of the Health Benefits Application form (ERB2000) to District Council 37, Attn:
EEU–8th Floor, 125 Barclay Street, New York, NY 10007 or fax the information to
212-815-1218. This will ensure that you receive the DC 37 Health & Security
Plan benefits available to retirees.
DC 37 Annuity
Fund
To find out whether you are eligible for the DC 37 Annuity Fund, how and when
you can withdraw the money or to ask any questions about the Annuity Fund, call
the Annuity Plan Administrator at 212-815-1888.
The Annuity Fund is a tax-deferred savings plan. Most members covered by the
1995 Municipal Coalition Economic Agreement, who were on active payroll from
June 1, 1996 through May 31, 1997 and who were on active pay status on June 1,
1999, are eligible for an Annuity Fund benefit.
When you retire, you have three options: 1) you may receive a cash
distribution, 2) you may request a direct rollover to another tax- qualified
plan, or 3) you may leave your money in the Annuity Fund for later withdrawal.
Deferred Compensation
Plan
If you participate in the City’s Deferred Compensation Plan, you must contact
the City of New York Health Benefits Program, 40 Rector Street, 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10006, or call the Deferred Compensation Plan at 212-306-7760 to
obtain a distribution packet. The distribution packet must be returned to the
Deferred Compensation Plan within 60 days after you retire.
Change of Address or Dependents
If you have a change of address or change of dependents, it is important
to notify the City of New York Health Benefits Program, 40 Rector Street, 3rd
Floor, New York, NY 10006. Also notify the DC 37 Health & Security Plan,
For More Information
For information about the DC 37 Health & Security Plan benefits, contact
the Inquiry Unit, DC 37, 125 Barclay Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10007 or
call 212-815-1234.
For pension or health insurance information, contact the DC 37 Health and
Pension Services Unit, DC 37,
For information about the Retirees Association of DC 37, call 212-815-1781 or
visit them in Room 980,
You may have other issues and/or policies
(e.g., Long Term Care) under
