Member benefits: Good news, great news ...

As a result of legislation (that passed months ago), New York state is now offering a long-term care policy that state employees can purchase. The program — New York State Public Employee and Retiree Long-term Care Insurance Plan (NYPERL) — is about to be rolled out. It is a good policy and the vendor selected was MedAmerica.

The plan is available to employees eligible for the New York State Health Insurance Program. The great news is the program will have an open-enrollment period without medical underwriting for employees. This means that employees with a pre-existing condition who apply for coverage cannot be turned down.

UUP took this opportunity to request that NYSUT have its long-term care company, MetLife, also offer an open-enrollment period without medical underwriting for those in active employment. MetLife has agreed. In fact, MetLife will do a mailing to UUP members advising them of this special enrollment period. The NYSUT program compares very well, in benefits and price, to the new state plan.

This means UUP members have two options available to them. In addition to long-term coverage for the member, both plans offer coverage (subject to medical underwriting) for spouses or domestic partners, parents and parent in-laws. The NYSUT plan also offers coverage for grandparents and grandparents-in-law. Eligible employees can purchase either plan using payroll deduction.

If you are interested in a long-term care program, now is the time to review your options. You can obtain full kits, including rates, by calling each of the following:

• NYSUT — (800) 638-0133 (specify “UUP/ NYSUT member”) or at http://www.NYSUT.org
• NYPERL — (866) 474-5824 or on the Web at http://www.NYPERL.net

— Gail Maloy, director of Member Benefits and Services