We have three(3) CWA Health Care Benefits Coordinator positions negotiated by the union to assist you with benefit problems. John Petrini, is available for questions/problems which may arise concerning the Managed Care Network, Medical Expense Plan, Dental Expense Plan and Vision Care Plan. His telephone number is 1-800-627-0200. (If you have problems with your HMO, he cannot help since we do not negotiate HMO coverage.) Bill Sonnec and Victoria Kintzer are available to help you with CORE/FMLA issues. Their telephone number is 1-888-571-7218.

Below is a sampling of some benefits negotiated through Contract Bargaining and the time at which they become effective. For more specific information on each, refer to either your Benefits Book, Union Contract or by calling the Benefits Hotline number 1-877-BELL ITC if appropriate

Savings & Security Plan - company will match 82%. SIGN UP NOW!!!! Call 1-877-Bell ITC to enroll.

Anticipated Disability Leave - allows you to take unpaid time off work immediately prior to an expected period of disability.

Paid Absence Due to Illness - you are entitled to sick pay benefits from day 1 of employment. See contract under Section A4 or Benefits Book for further details on pay treatment. (If you are met with regarding your absence or put onto a Step of the Regional Attendance Policy, notify your Chief Steward immediately.)

Advantage Insurance Program- Employees can voluntarily purchase at their own expense, insurance products with group discounts from two major national insurance companies. Programs include homeowners, auto and umbrella liability policies.

Care of Newborn Child Leave - allows new mothers and fathers to take a leave to care for their newborn natural or just adopted children up to one year of age for up to 12 months.

Gradual Return to Work from Care of Newborn Child Leave- Effective 1/1/2001, an employee on Care of Newborn Child Leave or a Disability Absence Leave as a result of the birth or adoption of a child shall be permitted to return to work on a reduced schedule. The combination of CNC Leave and/or Disability Absence Leave, and GRW shall not exceed the 12 month period currently in effect for CNC Leave. 

LifeBalance- You’ve got a lot going on in your life. EnterLifeBalance-your employee work-life program. Designed with your unique needs in mind, LifeBalance delivers practical solutions, information, advise and support.
Free, confidential assistance with all the issues of daily living - anytime. Such as Parenting and Child Care, Education, Financial, Legal and Older Adult issues.
Preparing for College, looking for a college, grants, moving and looking for schools, pet sitting, day care locations...................... Call 1-800-791-6679 - 24 hours a day, every day or log on to www.lifebalance.net
Provide the User name: Bellatlantic, Password: 10000

Employee Assistance Program - provides short term counseling, referral to additional professional help, if necessary, and/or post referral follow-up services. Call 1-800-845-0632

Tuition Assistance Plan - company reimbursed classes with no caps for regular full-time and regular full-time term associates. Call Future Link @1-800-497-LINK or call JESS the Facts @1-888-ASK-Jess and request document #5400 for a listing of forms.

Future Link email address is: www.ba-futurelink.net

Enter user name: bellatlantic Password is 1000

(Education & Career Advising, Home Study Courses, PM Education Classes, Library Resources, Tuition Assistance information and forms available at this site.)

JESS the Fax - information available via fax for multitude of subjects. Fax # 888-ASK-JESS or call 703-974-3775

FutureLink - program to help enhance your career planning strategy. Call 1-800-497-5465 X178; Home Study Department - 1-800-497-LINK

RAMP - system which provides information on jobs available in Bell Atlantic. A PED Form must be on file and you may need to meet a time and title requirement in your current position. This is a unilateral plan designed by the company, not negotiated with the union. See RAMP Book for further information.

Medical Expense Plan - paid by the company. You should have already enrolled. If not, you need to contact 1-877-BellITC for enrollment.

OR

Managed Care Network - call 1-800-243-2406 (depends on area you are located in), or see options under HMOs Prescription Drug Plan

Experience personalized pharmacy and health information online, anytime. http://www.merckmedco.com

Assisted Reproduction & Fertility Treatments (effective 1/1/2001)) Up to $10,000 per 12-month period, subject to a $20,000 lifetime maximum per family. Certain conditions and restrictions apply for MCN or MCN.

Chiropractic Care Without Referral(effective 1/1/2001 Under the MCN, MEP plans, no requirement for a referral by a primary care physician in order to be eligible for coverage - for up to $750 annual maximum by a chiropractor.

Obesity Treatments(effective 1/1/2001) Under the MCN, MEP plans, shall cover medically necessary treatment of clinical obesity, subject to prior authorization from the benefit administrator.

Hearing Aids- Under the MCN and MEP plans, purchase of one or more hearing aids with a maximum reimbursement of $1,000 for any such hearing aids over 24 months. ($1,000 coverage effective 1/1/2001)

Accident Disability Benefit - provides benefits for the entire time you are totally disabled due to a job related accidental injury.

Dental Expense Plan - provided by the company.

DMO - dental coverage similar to an HMO. Before enrolling, verify with your dentist that they are part of this network.

Davis Vision Care - you pay only a $10 copayment for a vision examination. There is no additional fee for a contact lens examination. No claim forms are needed. Once every two years, you and your eligible, enrolled dependents can receive:a comprehensive eye examination, a new eyeglass frame and a new prescription eyeglass lenses or prescription contact lenses.

Lasik eye surgery providers(effective 1/1/2001) Under the MCN, MEP or HMO option, the applicable medical plan will be supplemented by a program which provides access, on an employee-paid basis, to a discounted network of LASIK eye surgery providers. 

 AT SIX(6) MONTHS OF SERVICE, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THE FOLLOWING:

Long Term Care Insurance Plan - based on medical necessity and inability to perform certain activities.

Sickness Disability - enrollment is automatic. Refer to your benefits book for details.

Long Term Disability - enrollment is automatic. Pays monthly benefits for a disability resulting from a non job related accidental injury or sickness that lasts longer than 53 weeks. See Benefits Book for details.

Basic Life Insurance - pays benefits to your beneficiary in the event of your death for any reason. See your Benefits Book under "Insurance Plans" for more details.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance - provides benefits if you die, lose your limbs, or totally and permanently lose your sight due to accidental causes due to the result of several circumstances. See your Benefits Book under "Insurance Plans" for more details.

Dependent Accidental Death & Dismemberment - pays if your eligible dependent dies in an accident or suffers certain severe accidental injuries. See Benefits Book under "Insurance Plans" for more details.

Supplementary Life Insurance - term insurance of no cash value. Only available in addition to your basic coverage. See Benefits Book under "Insurance Plans" for more details.

Dependent Group Life Insurance - able to purchase through the Verizon insurance plan to insure the lives of your eligible dependents. See Benefits Book under "Insurance Plans" for more details.

Deferred Vested Pension - should you leave the company before you are eligible for a Service Pension, you may be eligible for a Deferred Vested Pension.

Disability Pension - if you are an active employee and become totally disabled and are not eligible for a Service Pension, you will be eligible for a Disability Pension under certain conditions. See Benefits Book under "Pension Plan" for more details.

Mileage Reimbursement - the distance from the point of departure to destination, reduced, where applicable, by the mileage from the employee’s home to the employee’s normal work location. See Contract Book for more details. (If you are assigned to a different office other than your home office - this would apply. i.e. travel from home to normal work location is 10 miles. Travel from home to training location is 60 miles. You would therefore be reimbursed for 50 miles.)

Service Pension - when you meet one of the required combinations of age and net credited service; these range from retirement at any age with 30 years of net credited service to retirement at age 65 with 10 or more years of net credited service;

Disability Pension - when you terminate employment because of a total disability caused by illness or an off-the-job accident and you have at least 15 years of net credited service; and

Vested Pension - when you have at least five years of vesting service and your employment terminates but you are not eligible for a service or disability pension.

Pension Cashout - currently negotiated until 12/31/2003 Allows cashout of pension money. Restrictions with cashout if subsequently rehired. Discuss Cashout Agreement with your Union Office as well as financial advisor for details.

Wage Credit - when going through the hiring process, the HR employee "should have" discussed with you previous experience that could warrant a higher starting wage. There are specific guidelines available to you through your Chief Steward that you can review and confirm that you were treated appropriately.

For Verizon Members.....

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	Aetna U.S. Healthcare Claims and Appeals Administrator 1-800-884-1467 TTY-1-800-325-5976 www.aetnaushc.com
	Member Services 1-800-247-5482 TTY-1-800-325-5976

	Merck-Medco Claims and Appeals Administrator 1-800-455-6903 1-800-759-1089 www.merckmedco.com
	Member Services 1-800-770-2811 1-800-759-1089

	Employee Assistance Program Value Options 1-800-845-0632
	Disease Discount Information Health Management Corporation 1-800-523-9279
	Lasik Discount Information Davis Vision, Inc. Claims Administrator 1-877-999-7006 TTY-1-800-523-2847 www.davisvision.com
	Provider Order Directory Line 1-800-559-9848
	Qualified Order Team Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) 1-800-569-6963
	COBRA ADP COBRA Services 1-800-891-0535

	PDP or Out of Area Option Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Claims and Appeals Administrator, Benefits Administrator and Member Services 1-800-988-8331 www.metlife.com/dental
	Standard Option  Aetna USHC Claims and Appeals Administrator, Benefits Administrator and Member Services 1-800-523-6282 www.aetnaushc.com
	DMO Option Aetna USHC Claims and Appeals Administrator, Benefits Administrator and Member Services 1-800-843-3661 www.aetnaushc.com

	Qualified Order Team Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) 1-800-569-6963
	COBRA ADP COBRA Services 1-800-891-0535

	Qualified Order Team Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) 1-800-569-6963
	COBRA ADP COBRA Services 1-800-891-0535

	Qualified Order Team Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) 1-800-569-6963
	COBRA ADP COBRA Services 1-800-891-0535
	Survivor Benefits Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Claims and Appeals Administrator, Benefits Administrator and Member Services 1-800-638-4228 TTY-1-800-984-8652

	Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Plan Insurance 1-202-326-4000
	Qualified Order Team Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) 1-800-569-6963