For all participants who are eligible for retiree coverage and enter the retiree health plan on or after January 1, 2018, the previous maximum of 30 total service credits will not apply. The total number of potential service credits will now be unlimited. These credits are used to calculate your contribution allowance which reduces your self-pay premium when you retire. Elimination of the 30 total service credit cap for those who retire on or after January 1, 2018 may give rise to situations where a participant’s contribution allowance exceeds their self-pay premium rate. In that situation, those participants will not have a monthly premium due, however in no event will a retiree receive additional credit for unused or excess contribution allowances.

In addition, Bargaining Premium participants who enter the retiree health plan on or after January 1, 2018, will be credited with 1.2 service credits for each calendar year he or she was covered by the Health and Welfare Fund.

Please see the example of both these changes in the Summary of Material Modification.

Click to view the Summary of Material Modification.

All Medicare participants should have received a new 2018 Blue Cross Blue Shield medical ID card(s). An error has caused some confusion following distribution of the new ID cards and we would like to provide clarity on a few important items. Below you will find additional information on these errors based on the Medicare plan that you have.

Medicare Platinum Blue Plan

Error: All Medicare Platinum Blue participants mistakenly received an Active Participant ID card labeled Operating Engineers Local 49 Health and Welfare Fund. Please disregard this ID card and discard it immediately.

Clarification: All Medicare Platinum Blue participants will continue to use the same Medicare BlueRx card for prescription drugs. If you mistakenly threw away your Medicare BlueRx card, you will need to order a new card by contacting Medicare BlueRx at 1-877-838-3827.
Clarification: You may have noticed the “Civic Smiles Senior Network” on your new 2018 BCBS Platinum Blue medical ID card. To clarify, Civic Smiles Senior Network is not a dental plan. If you previously elected dental coverage through Delta Dental you will continue to use the same Delta Dental card.
The Civic Smiles Senior Network is a network of oral surgeons for medical purposes only and covered by Medicare under your plan.

If you have any questions, please contact the Platinum Blue customer service number at 1-866-340-8654. If you need to order a new Medicare BlueRx card for your prescription drugs please contact Medicare Blue Rx at 1-877-838-3827. To view the letter you should have received explaining these errors click here.

Medicare Senior Gold Plan

Error: All Medicare Senior Gold participants mistakenly received an Active Participant ID card labeled Operating Engineers Local 49 Health and Welfare Fund. Please disregard this ID card and discard it immediately.

Clarification: All Medicare Senior Gold participants will continue to use the same Medicare BlueRx card for prescription drugs. If you mistakenly threw away your Medicare BlueRx card, you will need to order a new card by contacting Medicare BlueRx at 1-877-838-3827.

If you have any questions, please contact the Senior Gold customer service number at 1-800-531- 6686. If you need to order a new Medicare BlueRx card for your prescription drugs please contact Medicare Blue Rx at 1-877-838-3827. To view the letter you should have received explaining these errors click here.

All Active, Pre-Medicare Retiree and Medicare Retiree Participants will be receiving new medical/prescription ID cards in December, 2017 that will take effect January 1, 2018. You may also be receiving a new Delta Dental ID card. View your plan below to find out what cards you and your family will be receiving.

Active/Pre-Medicare Retiree Participants: You and your covered dependents will each be receiving two new ID cards that will replace your existing medical/prescription AND Dental ID cards. Click here for more information!

Platinum Blue Medicare Retiree Participant: All Platinum Blue Medicare Retiree Participants will only be receiving a new medical ID card from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Click here for more information!

Senior Gold Medicare Retiree Participant: All Senior Gold Medicare Retiree Participants will only be receiving a new medical ID card from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Click here for more information!

Effective January 1, 2018, your deductible will increase! Your single/individual deductible will increase to $500 and the family deductible will increase to $1,000.

You and/or your spouse have a way to get your deductible waived.

You and/ or your spouse can get your deductible waived by taking a Health Dynamics Physical. The Plan covers this physical at 100%. When you and/or your spouse take a Health Dynamics Physical before December 1, 2017, the Plan will waive your 2018 deductible! Just think, if both you and your spouse take the physical, your family deductible could be waived for 2018!

Call now to get started! Schedule your Health Dynamics Physical by calling 1-866-443-0164.

If you and/or your spouse have already taken a Health Dynamics Physical in 2017, then your 2018 deductible will already be waived.

Click to view the Summary of Material Modification (SMM) or Postcard detailing this change and other changes effective January 1, 2018.

New Health Dynamics Location:

Altru Health System
4401 S 11th Street
Grand Forks, ND 58201
Call 1-866-443-0164 to schedule your Health Dynamics Physical today!

The new employee health portal allows you to access information about your hours and eligibility, Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) balance, and claims history.

This portal is for employees only, spouses and dependents do not have portal access.

Click here to register.

Effective January 1, 2017, diagnostic and preventive Dental services will be covered under the Dental plan at 100%. Diagnostic and preventive services include:

• - Six-month preventive oral examinations.
• - Topical applications of sodium or stannous fluoride, once in each period of 12 consecutive months, but only if the Covered Dependent is less than 15 years old.
• - Dental X-rays.
• - Space maintainers.

Click here for more information.

Medicare Part B Enrollment Reminder.

The transition from active employment to retired status can present challenges. One of these challenges is deciding when to enroll for Medicare Part B coverage.

This notice is intended to assist participants as they transition from an active employee covered by the 49ers Plan, to an early retiree covered under the Retiree portion of that Plan, and finally, to a Medicare enrollee also covered by a supplemental plan offered through the 49ers Plan. The notice serves as a reminder of the requirements of the Plan, as well as Medicare, during this transition process.

In general, you should enroll in Medicare Part B when you are first entitled to do so. Click here for more information.

The Medicare Part B Enrollment also applies to those participants who are on Medicare due to a disability.

New Health Dynamics Physical Option

Effective January 1, 2017, participants and spouses who prefer to see their own physician for their annual physical examination versus participating in the Health Dynamics Comprehensive physical program may participate in the Health Dynamics Primary MD program!

Participants and spouses utilizing the Primary MD program are eligible for EITHER:

• - A $20 per month gym/health club membership reimbursement for up to 12 months ($240 for the participant and an additional $240 for their spouse if each participates); or
• - Reimbursement for copayments, deductibles and coinsurance out-of-pocket expenses incurred under the medical plan up to $240 per participant and an additional $240 for their spouse if each participates.

Call Health Dynamics at 1-866-443-0164
Click here for more information.
Click here to watch a short video about the Health Dynamics Primary MD Program.