The office is currently closed | Wed March 10, 2010 01:17 AM
Members have asked the Fund staff about finding a network dentist on the Dental Network of America's (DNOA) website, www.dnoa.com.To navigate the DNOA website, click on the blue box at the left of their home page labeled "Looking for a Network Dentist" - enter your zip code and click on "Labor" on the drop down box right beside your zip code and enter "Go." This will take you to a pop-up to find a PRO dentist. Enter your state and click on the "Search" button - this will give you a list of participating dentists in your area.
CVS Caremark has asked the PIBF staff to inform those Fund participants that need to order their prescription refills before the end of the year, to not wait past the middle of the month of December as there could be a 10-day turnaround time and CVS wants to make sure participants receive their medications timely in order to have them billed in 2009.
The
Board of Trustees of Pipeline Industry Benefit Fund and Pipeline Industry
Pension Fund met
on September 9, 2009 and approved the plan changes summarized below. These
important plan
changes will affect retirees and active participants earning pension credits in
the Pipeline Industry
Pension Fund. Increase the accrual rate retroactive for all journeyman
participants' past years that are $75 to $100 and increase the helper rate for all helper participants! past years that
are $50 to $67.
Future year accrual rates will be $100 for journeymen and $67 for helpers. This
benefit increase
is retroactive for anyone retiring January 1, 2009 or later.
If the participant dies before December 1, 2009, his designated beneficiary will get a 13th check based on their beneficiary amount. Anyone receiving a 13th check will receive a 10% increase effective January 1, 2010, not to exceed $200 per month. Anyone who retired on or after January 1, 2000, will have an automatic pop-up benefit included in their retirement at no cost. Any member that chose or in the future chooses a Joint and Survivor option will not have to pay for the pop-up option. Any participant that previously chose the pop-up option will have the cost eliminated and their pension benefit will be increased for the cost of the pop-up effective October 1, 2009. In the event of a death of a participant before the participant has elected to retire, the default joint and survivor option was J&S-50%. Effective January 1, 2009, the default joint and survivor will become J&S-75%. (Clarification - The date refers to widows with a retirement date on or after January 1, 2009 even if the member died prior to January 1, 2009.) The 1 1/2 year credit for 1,800 or more hours is extended for an additional 3 future years beginning January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012. In the past anyone who retired had to separate from service at least 30 days in order to draw a pension if working. Effective October 1, 2009, any Participant age 62 or older can retire and receive their pension check without separating from employment in the industry.