FAQs

Yes.  The Plan offers a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois. Contact BCBSIL at 1-800-810-BLUE (2583) or at www.bcbsil.com to find a participating provider.

Contact Blue Cross Blue Shield at 800-810-2583 or log onto www.bcbsil.com.

Once you meet the eligibility requirements, the Health & Welfare Plan will cover your qualified dependents at no additional charge to you.

Contact the Fund Office at 312-738-2811 to add a dependent. You will be required to complete an Enrollment/Dependent card and provide the required documents.

In most situations, the person that holds the insurance is primary.

The Plan that covers the parent whose date of birth occurs earlier in the calendar year, excluding the year of birth, is primary.

The divorce decree would usually indicate that information.

Yes. You or your physician must notify BCBSIL for Precertification. Please call BCBSIL Customer Service at 1-800-572-3089.

A chiropractic benefit is available for the Participant and Dependent Spouse only.  The Plan allows up to $100.00 per visit for active or corrective therapy. Maintenance care is not covered.

For mental health or substance abuse care services, call BCBSIL Customer Service at 1-800-572-3089 or ComPsych at 1-800-890-1213.

The Plan offers a disease management program through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois (BCBSIL) to provide extra support for you and your covered family members for certain complex health issues.  A BCBSIL health advisor may call you if you’ve had a serious illness, injury, surgery or hospitalization.

Medical claims must be sent by the provider to Blue Cross Blue Shield.  Dental and Vision claims may be sent directly to the Health & Welfare Fund Office.

You may fill a short-term prescription using your prescription drug card at most major chain pharmacies with the exception of Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club.  Maintenance (long-term) medication must be filled at a CVS Pharmacy or through the CVS/Caremark Mail Order Service.

No.  Mail order is an option, not a requirement. The Fund allows you to receive refills of up to a 90 day supply at your local CVS Pharmacy.

You may go to any dentist.  However, to receive discounted rates for your dental care, contact the Dental Network of America at 866-522-6758 or log onto www.dnoa.com to find a participating provider near you.

The Plan allows for one routine oral exam and cleaning every 6 months.  Please note that the time in-between your routine exam and cleaning must be at least exactly 6 months, otherwise the claim will not be payable under the Plan.

Yes. Oral surgery is paid as General Dental Services subject to the dental deductible.

Yes. Dentures are considered a Major Dental Service.

You may go to any vision service provider with the exception of Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club.

The Plan covers eligible expenses up to $300 per person each year for the participant and any dependent over the age of 18.  For dependents 18 and under, the Plan covers one complete vision exam per calendar year, plus either glasses or an annual supply of contact lenses.

You must send your original, detailed, itemized bill and paid receipt to the Fund Office for reimbursement.

Many vision service providers require payment at the time services are rendered.  However, if your vision provider is able to bill the Fund, the Fund will reimburse your provider directly.

You become eligible for benefits on the first day of the month immediately following the receipt of one full month of employer contributions on your behalf.

Generally, your dependents (spouse and children) become eligible for coverage on the date you become eligible, or, if later, on the date you acquire a covered dependent (through marriage, birth, adoption, etc.).

Once you are covered under the Plan, you and your eligible dependents will be eligible until the end of the month in which less than a full month of contributions are made on your behalf.

Your children are eligible for coverage until the age of 26.

When your coverage ends, you may be able to continue coverage by making self-payments or by electing COBRA Continuation Coverage.

Effective January 1, 2023, the Level I rate for COBRA Continuation Coverage is $1,704 per month for medical and prescription coverage and $1,845 per month for medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage.  Effective January 1, 2023, the US Foods’ rate for COBRA Continuation Coverage is $1,816 per month for medical and prescription coverage and $1,957 per month for medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage.

Yes.  Generally, you are eligible for retiree coverage under the Plan at any age (before you are eligible for Medicare) if when you retire from industry employment you:

• Have been in covered employment under the Local 705 IBT Health & Welfare Plan for the three-consecutive-month-period immediately before retiring; and
• Have at least:
  • 20 years of benefit service and are receiving a pension from the Local 705 IBT Pension Plan; or
  • 20 years of covered employment under the Health & Welfare Plan.

Effective July 1, 2013, the cost for retiree medical coverage is $386 per month for the participant and $193 per month for each additional dependent.

1. Age 65.
2. When you become eligible for Medicare for any reason, including disability (you must notify the Fund Office immediately upon becoming Medicare eligible or you will be liable to reimburse the Fund any medical and prescription monies paid out on your behalf).
3. The last day of the month for which the Retired Employee makes the required Self-Payment.
4. The date the Trustees discontinue this Plan of Benefits.
5. The date of the Retired Employee’s death.

You earn one year of future benefit service for each calendar year in which you complete at least 50 weeks of covered employment. You may earn a partial year of future benefit service if you complete at least 22 weeks and less than 50 weeks of covered employment in a plan year.

As of January 1, 1997, you become vested once you complete five years of vesting service. You earn one year of vesting service after you complete at least 22 weeks in a plan year. If you are no longer a participant, you are subject to the vesting provisions in effect at the time you left covered employment.

No more than six (6) months before your pension eligibility date, you should contact the Pension Fund office for an Application to Commence Payment of Pension Benefits.

There are six types of pensions.  They are Service Pensions, Normal Pensions, Early Pensions, Deferred Vested Pensions, Disability Pensions and Reciprocal Pensions which are described in the Pension Plan’s Summary Plan Description.

Generally, if you are unmarried when you retire, you will receive a life only pension.  A life only pension pays a monthly pension to you for your lifetime. When you die, your pension stops.

If you are married when you retire, your benefit will be paid in the 50% Joint and Survivor basis unless you elect one of the following payment options with your spouse’s consent:

• Life only pension (if you have less than 20 years of benefit service)
• 50% joint and survivor pension
• 50% joint and survivor pension with pop-up
• 75% joint and survivor pension with pop-up
• 100% joint and survivor pension with pop-up
• Life only with post-retirement death benefit (not available for deferred vested pensions or normal or early pensions if you have less than 20 years of benefit service)

These options are described in the Pension Plan’s Summary Plan Description.

Electronic Funds Transfer (“EFT”) direct deposit of your monthly pension payments is a method of payment of your pension benefit.  It deposits funds to your bank account via computer, eliminating postal service delays and the potential for lost checks. EFT is recognized as the most secure and convenient means of receiving recurring monthly benefit payments.

Yes, you are able to work after retirement as long as you are not engaged in Industry Related Employment. Under Pension Plan provisions, a participant must notify the Administrator if he or she returns to work for determination of whether a specific contemplated employment would be considered prohibited Industry Employment.

A Plan year in which you have less than 11 weeks of covered employment is considered a break year.

If your break in service occurred prior to 1976, your prior vesting service and benefit service are canceled if you were not vested in the Plan before your break if you have two or more consecutive break years.  If your break in service occurred after 1976, your prior vesting service and benefit service are canceled if you were not vested in the Plan before your break and your consecutive break years equal or exceed your prior years of vesting service.  There are some exceptions which are explained in the Pension Plan’s Summary Plan Description.

In the event of your death after you are vested for a pension benefit, your eligible spouse may be eligible to receive a monthly pension. Your spouse would receive the 50% joint and survivor form of payment that he/she would have received if this form was elected. See the Pension Plan’s Summary Plan Description for more details.

The Plan may provide a $1,000 death benefit that will be payable upon your death if you meet the eligibility requirements.  These are explained in the Pension Plan’s Summary Plan Description.

If you become totally and permanently disabled, you may qualify for a Disability Pension as long as you have at least 15 years of benefit service before your disability begins, your disability continues for at least 26 weeks after your covered employment ends and, you apply for a disability pension in writing within seven months of your disability.  You must have become disabled while in covered employment and apply for Social Security Disability.  See the Pension Plan’s Summary Plan Description for more information.

If you divorce before or after retirement, your spouse may be entitled to receive a portion of your pension benefit in accordance with the terms of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (“QDRO”).  A QDRO may affect the amount of pension benefit you will receive or are receiving.

A Qualified Domestic Relations Order is a domestic relations order that creates or recognizes the existence of an alternate payee’s right to receive, or assigns to an alternate payee the right to receive, all or a portion of the benefits payable with respect to a participant under a pension plan, and that includes certain information and meets certain other requirements.

A domestic relations order is a judgment, decree, or order (including the approval of a property settlement) that is made pursuant to state domestic relations law (including community property law) and that relates to the provision of child support, alimony payments, or marital property rights for the benefit of a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of a participant.

A state authority, generally a court, must actually issue a judgment, order, or decree or otherwise formally approve a property settlement agreement before it can be a domestic relations order under ERISA. The mere fact that a property settlement is agreed to and signed by the parties will not, in and of itself, cause the agreement to be a domestic relations order.

For information on QDRO preparation and for a model QDRO, contact the Fund Office.