AEA BENEFITS SUMMARY
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Dental Care
You are covered by Delta Dental which is honored by virtually every dentist in
California. You may make three cleaning appointments a year. You have $1,500 of
coverage a year, per person, for dental work. A deductible of $25 per person per year
will apply, but not for preventive work, e.g., cleanings, fluoride treatments, and x-rays. If
this is your first year with Delta Dental, then only 70% of incurred cost will be covered
this year. If you use your dental plan between now and December 31, your coverage
will increase to 80% in January. It will increase another ten percent each year for each
person in your family who visits the dentist for a cleaning twice a year. (You may go up
to three times yearly). For each person who does so consistently will be 100% covered
in three years. So it is to your advantage to go two times yearly. In addition, there is a
$1000 lifetime orthodontia benefit for dependents, not for you.
Vision
You are covered by Vision Service Plan which is honored by most optometrists. You will
need to receive authorization before seeing your optometrist. To obtain authorization,
call 800-622-7444. Vision Service plan will electronically authorize your visit(s). At your
visit, tell your optometrist you have VSP coverage, and that is it. Our coverage is one
check-up a year, $100 for new frames, and one new pair of lenses a year. For
contacts, 50% of the cost is covered for one pair each year. If you lose them, you must
pay the full amount for the next pair.
Health Care
We have several health plans to choose from. Please check the Health Plan Decision
Guide from CalPers. If you have already chosen a provider, keep up with the programs,
because benefits change and so you might wish to change to another provider when
the opportunity arises. Once you choose a program and a medical group within it, you
cannot change providers until the following September. Each plan is different, so
choose the best for you.
California public school teachers are part of CalPERS, The California Public
Employees' Retirement System. There are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
and Preferred Providers (PPOs). PPO's offer the freedom to choose your doctors
without getting permission from a primary care physician, and you are not limited to a
medical group area. However, with PPO's there are deductibles and additional
co-payments. If you have dependents an HMO, such as Kaiser, is more cost effective
than a PPO. Whomever you choose, be assertive with your providers to receive the
service you need.
If you already have health care from your spouse, you can opt not to have Acalanes
coverage and receive $200 in a Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) to place in a 403B plan
of your choice. The money will only be given in a retirement fund, not in your salary.
125 Plan
A Section 125 plan is not a direct benefit, but is an administrative system which
implements a section of the Internal Revenue Code (Section 125) which provides for
pre-tax payment of employee dollars for additional medical insurance, child care, and
some medical expenses not covered by insurance. In this way you can save money,
paying for such benefits without tax.
Historical Note: Thirty-two years ago the teachers of the Acalanes district had no
medical or dental coverage. It was through collective bargaining that the teachers first
acquired medical insurance and then in 1970 they attained dental coverage. Over the
years the union added vision care and improved medical and dental care coverage for
its members.
CTA Benefits
Automatic Benefits
Your membership dues to the National Educators Association and the California
Teachers Association includes a variety of benefits which you may not be aware. As a
CTA benefit, you or your benefactor may receive up to $50,000 if you are
dismembered or die at work. With ten continuous years of CTA membership you are
eligible for the maximum benefit. Please fill out a registration form and designate a
beneficiary. Call 650-697-1400 to ask questions or to obtain a form.
You have liability coverage for legal defense costs in civil suits up to $1,000,000 and a
limited amount of coverage for criminal proceedings. Call the CTA Legal Department at
650-697-1400 for more information.
Voluntary Benefits
Through CTA you may buy life insurance and disability insurance through Provident
Life Insurance. The disability insurance includes but is not limited to pregnancy, injury
that prevents you from working and long-term illness. For information about the plans
call 800-282-4049.
Call the Teachers Service Association at 800-540-2373 for information about discounts
on museums, hotels, rental cars, amusement parks, and movie tickets. The
auto-purchasing program offers discounts on new and used cars.
You are also eligible to join the First Financial Credit Union which offers low rate VISA
cards, auto, home and personal loans. They also have competitive rates on saving
accounts.
You may contact them at 800-537-8491.
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Acalanes Education Association
web contact: bdoherty@acalanesteachers.org
Updated: Wednesday, September 19, 2007
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