Retiree Eligibility

You are eligible for the Retiree Health Plan if you are a pensioner who has retired and receives benefits from the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Plan, and if you meet the health eligibility requirements as of your original pension effective date. Dependent children are not covered.

Important: There is no vested right to receive Plan benefits. The Trustees may change, modify, reduce or terminate the Plan benefits at any time as a result of conditions or events requiring such action.

Important: Enrollment in the Retiree Health Plan is not automatic. You must complete an application, agree to pay a portion of the monthly medical cost and enroll in the Plan. You will have only one election period, at your initial retirement, to enroll in the Plan provided you meet the eligibility requirements of the Retiree Health Plan.

To become eligible, the Age & Service, Hours, and Election & Payment requirements must all be met:

Age & Service

1. Age/Pension and Service Requirements:
   
   Early Retirees who have attained age 56 and are awarded an unreduced early retirement benefit from the Southern California IBEW-NECA Defined Benefit Plan, have had at least 44,500 hours worked under a collective bargaining agreement requiring Retiree Health Plan contributions to this Plan (includes Health hours credited through reciprocity), and of those hours 10,500 hours must have been worked in 7 of the 10 years prior to retirement.
   
   Normal Retirees retiring on and after age 62 under the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Trust Fund, Retiree Health Plan eligibility is limited to such individuals who have at least 10 years of credited service under the Pension Plan and have had 10,500 health hours under a Collective Bargaining Agreement requiring Retiree Health Plan contributions (includes Health hours credited through reciprocity) in 7 of the 10 years immediately preceding the date of retirement.
   
   
2. Timely Application and Payments
   In addition to each of the requirements stated above, you must request and complete an application, enroll by no later than the later of the date your first pension check was issued or your loss of eligibility under the Active Health Plan, and pay the monthly medical premium. The monthly medical premium may be deducted from your monthly Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Plan benefit OR monthly self-payments may be made to the Southern California IBEW-NECA Health Trust Fund.
   
   
3. Delayed Enrollments
   An individual who has retired under the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Plan and meets all of the eligibility requirements under this Retiree Health Plan may delay enrollment in this Retiree Health Plan until the later of the exhaustion of the Hours Bank Reserve and/or COBRA coverage under the Active Plan. If during this permitted delay in enrollment such an individual shall die, his or her spouse may enroll in this Retiree Health Plan no later than the exhaustion of the Hours Bank Reserve and/or COBRA coverage under the Active Plan.

Eligible Spouse

Your legal spouse is eligible for coverage and must be enrolled during your election period. If you remarry after a divorce or the death of a spouse, your new spouse may be covered provided that the spouse is enrolled within sixty (60) days of the date of marriage. Your spouse's eligibility will cease if you become divorced or legally separated. You should notify the Administrative office immediately if this occurs as you will have to refund any unauthorized benefits received by an ineligible spouse. COBRA extension of coverage may be available for your ex-spouse.

Return to Work

If you return to covered employment, obtain coverage under the Active Plan, and then subsequently retire again, you may be eligible to resume Retiree coverage, provided you make the appropriate election within the time limit.

If you work in Non-Covered Electrical Employment at any time after becoming eligible for coverage on the Active Plan, your eligibility to participate is terminated. However, you and your spouse may reinstate eligibility for coverage in the Retiree Health Plan if you return to Covered Employment and earn (5) five years of credited service in the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Plan before retiring again.

Working in Non-Covered Electrical Employment has severe consequences, therefore please refer to the Eligibility and Termination sections of the Summary Plan Document for a complete description of the impact of Non-Covered Electrical Employment. Please contact the Administrative Office if you have any questions.