Benefits

Eligibility

For information concerning your eligibility for DC 37 Health & Security Plan benefits, call the Inquiry Unit at (212) 815-1234. The current hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 8am to 5:30pm. The lines are very busy on Mondays and Tuesdays. The best time to call is later in the week, between 8 am and 9:30 am.

Enrollment

A completed Benefits Enrollment and Change Form must be on file with the Health & Security Plan before you can access your Health and Security Plan benefits.

• If you are a new employee enrolling a spouse (including a domestic partner or partner in a civil union) or dependent child(ren) in the Plan for the first time, you must attach copies of the following documents to your enrollment form, as applicable:
  • – Marriage certificate
  • – Domestic partnership or civil union documentation
  • – Birth certificate(s)
  • – Guardianship papers for your child(ren)

You may obtain a Benefits Enrollment and Change Form from the Plan’s office, or click here to download the form and instructions.

• If you are a long-standing member who has recently married, added a domestic partner, or recently became a parent, you must complete the relevant sections of the Benefits Enrollment and Change Form to add your new family members to your DC 37 Health & Security Plan profile. Be sure to attach copies of the appropriate supporting documents before returning the form to the Plan. You may request a Benefits Enrollment and Change Form from the Plan office, or click here to download one.
• If a change in dependent status is due to a death, separation, divorce, or dissolution of a domestic partnership, you must notify the Plan office by completing a Benefits Enrollment and Change Form. Supporting documents are not required in these cases.
• If you are changing your status, please consider updating your beneficiary information You may request a Change of Beneficiary Form from the Plan office or click here to download the beneficiary form.

Most of these benefits also cover your legal spouse (including domestic partner or partner in a civil union) and children (called dependents).

Your “children” are all your natural or adopted children, no matter where they live (if you are responsible for their support), the children of your spouse (including domestic partner or partner in a civil union) who are living with you, and children for whom you have a legal order of guardianship or custody.

These health-related benefits will be available to your dependent children up to the end of the month in which he/she reaches the age of 26; regardless of whether or not: he/she lives at home, is declared as a dependent on your tax return, is in school, is employed, or is married or unmarried. For dependents age 19-23, who wish to use the MELS benefit or the PSU benefit, they must have a letter from the Registrar’s office indicating the dependents current full-time status at the time these benefits are sought. Dependents are not eligible for the MELS and PSU benefits after age 23.

A totally disabled child is covered regardless of age, as long as the disability, physical or mental, began before the child reached age 26 and the dependent is residing with the covered member. If the disabled dependent is at any point no longer totally disabled after his/her 26th birthday, as the case may be, he/she will thereafter be ineligible as a covered dependent even if a subsequent disability is a recurrence of a prior condition. In order to establish eligibility for a totally disabled child, medical records and/or clinical evaluation(s) must be submitted to the Plan office. You must apply for coverage for a disabled dependent within 6 months of the child reaching the age of 26.

In order to facilitate enrollment, it is necessary that all forms and documents received in this unit have the member’s name, social security number or PID number on it.

• All enrollment forms must be completed and signed by the member.
• Change of beneficiary forms must be signed and notarized.
• All change of status requests must have proper documentation attached (i.e., copy of birth certificate).

Change of Status

For a change of status, complete the relevant sections of the Benefits Enrollment and Change Form and submit it—along with any required supporting documents—to the Health & Security Plan whenever any of the following changes occur:

– Marriage certificate: Submit a copy of the marriage certificate along with a completed Benefits Enrollment and Change Form.
– Separation/Divorce: Only a completed Benefits Enrollment and Change Form is required.
– Registration of Domestic Partners: To register domestic partners with the Health & Security Plan, the following documents must be submitted:
– Certificate of Domestic Partnership from the Office of the City Clerk, or “civil union” certificate.
– Benefits Enrollment and Change Form.
– Domestic Partners who are retired and are Non-Residents of N.Y.S., must submit the following:
– Alternative Affidavit, notarized and in compliance with state law.
– Benefits Enrollment and Change Form.
– Separation/Termination of Domestic Partners
Once a Domestic Partner severs its partnership, the member cannot re-register with another partner until after six (6) months have passed.
– Widowed
If a member becomes widowed, only a Benefits Enrollment and Change Form is required, indicating month and year of spouse’s death or call the Eligibility Enrollment Unit at 212-815-1620 to notify the Plan.
– Adding a Dependent
If the member or their spouse (including a domestic partner or partner in a civil union) gives birth, adopts a child, is granted guardianship, or marries someone with dependent children, the Plan requires submission of the child’s birth certificate, adoption papers, or guardianship documents.
Change of Beneficiary
When a member completes a Benefits Enrollment and Change Form, they must designate at least one beneficiary for the Plan’s Death Benefit. If the member experiences a status change (as outlined above), or if a previously named beneficiary has passed away, it is recommended that they update their beneficiary information with the Plan.

Your beneficiary designation becomes effective on the date the Benefits Enrollment and Change Form or Change of Beneficiary Form is received by the DC 37 Health & Security Plan office.

Please note: A divorce from your spouse or domestic partner does not automatically revoke your existing beneficiary designation. If you no longer wish for your former spouse or partner to receive your death benefit, you must submit a new Change of Beneficiary Form to the Plan.

Please note: The Plan cannot release the name of your designated beneficiary to you by phone or in writing. However, you may contact the Plan office to request a Change of Beneficiary Form. This form must be completed by naming your current beneficiary of choice, signed, notarized, and returned to the Plan office. Once received, the new form will replace all previously submitted beneficiary designations.

Retirement and Health & Security Plan Benefits

When you retire, your employment status changes, which may affect your Health & Security Plan benefits. However, you may be eligible to continue coverage as a retiree.

If You Are Pension-Eligible:

You must submit the following documents to the Plan:

• A copy of your pension check stub (partial or full), and
• A completed and signed Health Insurance Benefits Application from your agency.

Please send these documents to:
DC 37 Health & Security Plan
125 Barclay Street
New York, NY 10007
Attn: EEU
You may also fax them to 212-298-9880 or email them to eeu@dc37.net.
Important: Failure to contact the Plan or submit the required documentation could result in a disruption of your benefits.

If You Are Not Pension-Eligible:
If you are a former:

• Hourly Department of Education employee
• School Crossing Guard
• College Assistant

You may still qualify for a non-pensionable benefit package. Please contact the Plan office at 212-815-1234 for more information.