Employee Benefits Fund

Benefit Fund News

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FIREFIGHTERS BENEFITS FUND

OPEN ENROLLMENT

For coverage beginning January 1, 2019

MEDICAL & DENTAL INSURANCES

WHEN: NOVEMBER 1, 2018 - NOVEMBER 30, 2018

All employees of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue are eligible to participate in the Palm Beach County Firefighters Employee Benefits Plan. Once a year the Board of Trustee's set a period of time during which any eligible person may elect to start, end or change coverage's and which dependents shall be covered under the plan without the need of a qualifying event. A qualifying event is defined as marriage, divorce, birth, and certain changes to coverage through a spouse's employer or death. Changes to enrollment status in the plan may take place at any time during the year with a qualifying event, but only during Open Enrollment without a qualifying event.

The reason that changes to coverage without a qualifying event are limited to one specific time period per year is to maintain our IRS cafeteria plan status (pre-tax premium status). During Open Enrollment participants of the Fund, or eligible participants, may make changes to enrollment status in either the Medical or Dental Plans or both.

Changes for Active Fire Rescue Employees:

ALL Open Enrollment changes to benefits will be done online thru the My Benefits portal on the County system. Fire Rescue will be doing a Target Solutions training in October on how to make your Open Enrollment changes. Any questions you may have about benefits you can call the number below.

**** All Fire Rescue employees must login to People Soft and verify benefits during November open enrollment even if there are no changes****

Retirees Only:

Forms necessary to make any Open Enrollment changes are located online at www.myffbenefits.com. It is important that you take your time and complete the form carefully. Please make sure to include your cell phone number and email address so that we may contact you in the event that we need additional information or forms. Once the forms are completed you may fax or email them to the fund.

Like October is the month that everyone should check their smoke detectors, November is the month when everyone should confirm their beneficiaries on their Life Insurance policies. If you haven't confirmed lately who is your beneficiary take a moment to e-mail us or call and let's check on that for you.

Life Insurance is provided for all bargaining unit employees (whether covered for medical or not) and all other employees that are participants in the Benefits Fund. Coverage's provided are $100,000 for active employees, $50,000 for retirees, and $25,000 for retirees over the age of 70.

*** Retirees: If nothing has changed with you or your dependents, then no actions are required of you, the existing coverage will remain the same***

2019 Rates

2019 Retiree Status Change Form

Should you have any questions please call: 561-969-6663

Rick Rhodes, Tamara Fitzpatrick or Ed Morejon at the fund office

Mon - Fri 8-4:30 pm.

Calling all Newborns………

And all pediatric patients. We are very excited about our pediatric program established by Dr. Dhrupa Desai; it has been widely accepted and supported by all of our new and experienced parents. Our program is a first of its kind, of all the concierge practices out there none focus on our younger populations like we do. Personalized care with longer patient/provider interaction time, we will provide personal quality care for your child from the day they are born, starting with the very first visit the day after you leave the hospital. We will provide for all of your child’s well visit needs including tracking growth and all the recommended vaccines right here in the comfort of your own private facility.

If you haven’t tried us for your child’s health care needs please make an appointment with Dr Desai to see what we can do for you and your child. Be sure to bring your child with you as there is nothing more important than both the parents and the children being comfortable with their health care provider. If you are planning on starting a family or just have a new bundle of joy on the way, again, come meet with Dr. Desai and learn how your little ones can experience the world of concierge health care.

What's New at Benefits Fund

History of Employer Contributions

History of Employer Contributions Several facts of life exist in the insurance industry and certainly our Fund is no exception. Medical trend, the cost of providing/receiving medical care rises much quicker than any other inflationary indicator. The annual average medical trend for our insurance Fund over the last 14 years was 9.64%. Read More...

Financial Update of the Fund

Financial Update As we approach the halfway mark for the year the Fund is on track to perform as projected. If everything stays on course we can expect to add slightly to our growing reserves. Reserves are used to smooth out the rough times when claims spike in order to keep premiums and benefits steady. Read More...

Annual Board of Trustees Workshop

Annual Board of Trustees Workshop Every August the Board of Trustees meets with staff to review the current year’s budget and staff’s proposal for the following year’s budget. Before the following year’s budget is approved the Board must decide what, if any, changes must be made to the premium structure or the benefits offered. Read More...

Pediatrics

Calling all Newborns……… And all pediatric patients. We are very excited about our pediatric program established by Dr. Dhrupa Desai; it has been widely accepted and supported by all of our new and experienced parents. Our program is a first of its kind, of all the concierge practices out there none focus on our younger populations like we do. Read More...

Trustee #6 Election

Armand Nault is the winner of the Trustee #6 race. Read More...

EXPECTING?

If you are currently expecting a new baby in your life don’t forget about the Benefits Fund Cord Blood harvesting and cryogenic storage program. For only $100 out of your pocket you can protect your newborn from numerous health issue’s. The Fund will pick up the balance of the cost for harvesting the stem cells and storing them for 18 years…….. It’s well worth the small investment on your part.

Call the Fund office to get a brochure and contact information for the Stem Cell Cryobank located at the Bethesda Health City on Hagen Ranch Road in Boynton Beach.

We will also cover your future storage fees if you had your child's cord blood stored with another vendor prior to the Fund implementing the program in January 2011, call the Fund office for more details.

UMR.COM Access

We hope that you have had an opportunity to experience the enhanced services on umr.com and will find that the new features increase the productivity of your day-to-day benefit-related tasks.

Please remember to use your new login information to access umr.com.

Click here for a flyer that you can use as a reminder to set up your new access to umr.com.