Regarding your VCPFA Health benefits and VCPFA Benefit Trust benefits
- Retirees are eligible for Medical Insurance Coverage providing they have had ten years total in a VCPFA medical plan including the year of retirement or five consecutive years directly prior to retirement including the year of retirement. If a retiree has other group health coverage (i.e. through a spouses employer or another employer of the member) they can provide that proof of group health insurance at retirement and can opt-out of VCPFA medical insurance and opt back into the plan at a later date should they lose group health coverage. In order to do this, they need to provide proof of group health insurance each year at our Open Enrollment and no later than January 20th for that plan year.
- Retirees that drop VCPFA group medical insurance cannot opt back in at a later date unless they meet the situation above criteria and follow the directions regarding proof of other medical insurance (providing that information yearly).
- Retired Members and their dependents that are Medicare eligible are not eligible for VCPFA retiree medical insurance. Members and or their dependents are required to notify the VCPFA when they become Medicare Eligible and request cancellation of our group health insurance. At this point these retirees are eligible for Medicare and supplemental benefits under individual plans.
- As of 2013 Retirees are eligible for Retiree Dental and Vision Insurance Enrollment on a yearly basis. Non-enrolled retirees eligibility to enroll during an open enrollment period could change at some later date, but as of 2013 there is no currently enrollment requirement for eligibility during a future open enrollment for these two Health Benefit Plans.
- VCPFA Benefit Trust (Medical Reimbursement Trust) is available to retirees if they meet the eligibility requirements of the Trust as follows as per the Plan Document governing the VCPFA Benefit Trust: (Note: This information does not take the place of the Plan Document, which can be found in its entirety as a PDF document on this website as well as a hard copy located at the VCPFA offices or can be e-mailed or mailed to you upon request.)
ARTICLE II
ENTITLEMENT TO BENEFITS
2.1 Eligibility. An Employee shall become an Eligible Retiree when he or she meets the following conditions:
(a) The Employee ceases employment with the District and is eligible to receive retirement benefits from the District;
(b) The Employee has earned ten years of Active Service, at least five of which are earned as a VCPFA bargaining unit Employee;
(c) Contributions have been made to the Plan on behalf of the Employee for all periods of Active Service after the Effective Date (subject to Article 2.1(e)); and
(d) The Employee attains age 55.
(e) A minimum of five years’ worth of contributions is required to become an Eligible Retiree.
(1) Required self-payments for retirements prior to July 21, 2001. An Employee who retires prior to July 21, 2001, shall be required to make a lump sum contribution to the Trust, within thirty (30) days of his or her retirement, in an amount equal to the difference between what the District would have paid on behalf of the Employee over the period of July 1, 1996, to July 1, 2001, pursuant to the MOA, and the amount the District already paid on behalf of the Employee at the time of his or her retirement.
(2) Forfeiture if no payment. Failure to make the required contribution, as described in subparagraph (1) hereof and determined by the Trustees, on a timely basis, will result in permanent forfeiture of all Active Service in, and benefits from, the Plan, including Active Service and benefits earned prior to retirement.
Members that are considering retirement or are retiring should call the Association to ask any questions they might have pertaining to health benefit continuation or administrative questions related to the VCPFA Benefit Trust (Retiree Medical Reimbursement Trust.)
Helpful Links:
VCPFA Benefit Trust
