Carpenters Care Volume 23, Number 1 NEWSLETTER May 2008 A/R
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Carpenters Care Volume 23, Number 1 NEWSLETTER May 2008 A/R neuropsychological assessments or tests received under the Carpenters Health Employed Plan and the Retired Plan. Effective January 1, 2008, the $600 annual maximum and Security Plan restriction was removed. Medical Case Management Benefit Improvements Expanded he Board of Trustees Restriction For Chemical For most cases, participation in made several important Dependency Treatment Removed the case management program improvements to the is voluntary. However, in certain T Effective January 1, 2008, the Carpenters Health and Security circumstances, participation Plan of Western Washington. restriction of $5,000 paid in in case management may be These improvements were any 24 month period under the required. The Board of Trustees effective for dates of services on Employed Plan was removed. As may direct the medical review and after January 1, 2008. you may know, the Carpenters agency and the plan’s medical Health and Security Plan has a consultant to examine medical New Annual Maximum Is $10,000 lifetime maximum for records to determine if an $325,000 the treatment of chemical depen- individual’s use of medical dency. This lifetime maximum The annual maximum was services and medications is applies to the Employed Plan increased from $225,000 to unsafe, potentially harmful, and the Retired Plan, meaning an $325,000 effective January 1, excessive, or medically individual is limited to $10,000 2008. This increase applies to inappropriate. Based on this for all chemical dependency all individuals covered under review and determination, the treatment under the Employed the Employed Plan and the plan may require an individual to Plan and the Retired Plan. Retired Plan, and includes Self- Contribution Coverage and Neuropsychological COBRA Continuation Coverage. Assessments or Tests In This Issue New $10,000 Annual Skilled The Carpenters Health and Nursing Maximum In Retired Plan Security Plan has a $1,200 • Benefit Improvements lifetime maximum for neuro- The annual maximum for covered psychological tests required • Taking the Mayo Clinic skilled nursing care under the to prescribe an appropriate Health Risk Assessment Retired Plan was increased treatment plan. The lifetime from $5,000 to $10,000 effective maximum applies to the • HRA First Year Results January 1, 2008. The Employed Employed Plan and the Retired Plan annual maximum is already Plan, meaning an individual • New Benefit Statements $10,000. is limited to $1,200 for all • New Pension Estimator Carpenters Care participate in and comply with not be limited to, designating a The plan has the right to deny the medical case management primary physician (MD or DO) payment for any services received program as a condition of to coordinate care, and desig- outside of the required case continued payment for services nating a single hospital and management program. under the plan. Mandatory case pharmacy to provide covered management may include, but services and medications. Taking the 2008 Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Deadline Extended To June 1st Time is running out to take the Personal Health Report Important: As an incentive to online Mayo Clinic Health Risk take the online Mayo Clinic When you complete the online Assessment or HRA. When HRA, a $75 gift certificate is Mayo Clinic HRA, you’ll receive you complete the HRA, it can available. This is up from $50 last your own Personal Health Report help you better understand year and is $25 more than will that gives you an in-depth look your health risks and take steps be provided to those of you who at your health strengths, health to ensure a healthier future. It take the written HRA (please see risks and how to take action to only takes about fifteen minutes below). stay healthy. Your connection and, if you complete it by June with the website and your HRA is 1, 2008 you can receive a gift strictly private. certificate for $75 for a merchant of your choice. Just go to www. CarpentersHealth.org and log in. The HRA page is the first thing you will find. There are many reasons to take the HRA. Here are two: Written Health Risk Mayo Clinic Expertise Assessments Mayo Clinic is one of the top health care providers in the Because not all carpenter families When you complete the HRA, world. The Mayo Clinic Health can connect to the internet, you’ll receive your Insight Health Risk Assessment is a tool, created the Trustees of the Carpenter Risk Assessment within twenty by Mayo Clinic experts, which Health and Security Plan will business days. You may also assesses your health risk factors be providing a written Health receive a gift certificate for $50 for based on currently recognized Care Assessment. The written a merchant of your choice. The medical guidelines. In fact, you version is sent to families who Trustees welcome and encourage may be at risk and not know it. haven’t completed the online your participation. Mayo Clinic HRA. Look for it to arrive in mid-June. Your responses The Health Risk Assessment is The Health Risk Assessment is are analyzed by an independent available to all non-Medicare available to all non-Medicare company specializing in Health participants, spouses and eligible participants, spouses and eligible Risk Assessments and are privacy children age 18 and older. protected. children age 18 and older. Carpenters Care Health Risk Assessment First Year Results Over 1,600 carpenters and Cholesterol On the Bright Side spouses completed Health 22% of respondents reported Over 80% of respondents said Risk Assessment (HRA) cholesterol levels above 200 mg/ their overall health was good, questionnaires last year, either dl. According to the American very good, or excellent. Survey online at our Mayo Clinic website Heart Association, levels participants reported that they www.CarpentersHealth.org or between 200 and 239 mg/dl are were ready to change in the areas through the mail. To encourage considered borderline high, while of weight, diet, and tobacco use. participation, participants were levels of 240 mg/dl or above are rewarded with $50 gift certificates considered high. The Board of Trustees has for merchants of their choice. engaged Mayo Clinic to The Board of Trustees and Trust Other Factors provide you with up to date, staff receive a group report that accurate health information anonymously summarizes the High on the list of lifestyle risk and the tools you need to membership’s responses to the factors were lack of exercise and better understand and manage HRA. Here are some of the key poor nutritional habits. Mental your health concerns. Take the findings: health issues such as depression and anxiety are of concern as HRA. Go to the website www. Weight well. The carpenter population CarpentersHealth.org and continues to have a higher than browse. Become engaged in Being overweight was the most average number of tobacco users. health improvement. A good prevalent health risk factor place to start is to “know your among respondents. Over 42% Find Out More About These numbers.” Your physician can of all respondents were classified Topics give you your most recent blood as overweight. Being overweight sugar levels, blood pressure, means having a Body Mass Index If you would like to learn about and cholesterol levels. Knowing (BMI) of 25 or higher. Body Mass blood pressure or cholesterol, or your numbers is fundamental to Index is a statistic that compares if you want to calculate your own deciding how to improve your weight and height and is useful Body Mass Index (BMI), just go health. across a population, but an to www.CarpentersHealth.org. There individual’s appropriate weight is a search window on the home may vary from the averages. page. Just type in BMI, or blood pressure, or cholesterol and click on the search button and you Blood Pressure will be linked to calculators, the The second most common most recent Mayo Clinic research health risk factor reported was articles on these topics and other high blood pressure. 29% of all helpful links within the site. participants in the HRA reported high blood pressure. Weight and blood pressure are often related. Carpenters Care New Benefit Statements Beginning in June of 2008, from this employer will also be was provided on separate Carpenters Trusts will mail listed. benefit statements. The new new and improved quarterly ■ Your Vacation Plan hours and benefit statement will list the benefit statements. The new contributions will be listed. total contributions for each benefit statements will provide The date these contributions subaccount and the combined much of the information you were transmitted to Qualstar total for all three subaccounts. are used to seeing on previous Credit Union will also be The account total will also benefit statements but with some listed. be listed in “units.” This is an important improvements. accounting method that allows ■ Contributions made to the trust to provide interest ■ Each employer you worked the Carpenters Individual to contributions based on the for during the calendar quarter Account Pension Plan’s three month the hours were worked will be listed. The dates you subaccounts – the Regular instead of the month the worked for this employer, the Subaccount, the 401(a) contributions were received number of hours reported by Supplemental Contribution by the trust. Those of you who this employer, and the fringe Subaccount and the Rollover have 401(a) supplemental benefit contributions received Subaccount – will be listed contributions are already on your behalf for each plan on a single benefit statement. familiar with this accounting Previously, this information method. Carpenters Trusts of Western Washington Benefit Statement – January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009 n n n n n n n Name Street Address City, State, Zip Employers and Plan Contributions Employer Date Hours CHSP CRP CIAPP 401(a) Vacation Apprentice Total our website www.ctww.org.