Termination of Retiree Benefits

Retirees - You will cease to be eligible for the applicable benefits provided under the Plan for retirees on the first to occur of the following dates:

  1. The date the Trustees terminate this Plan of Benefits;
  2. The date the Trustees terminate Plan benefits for retirees;
  3. The last day of the benefit month preceding the benefit month for which you fail to make a proper and on-time self-payment;
  4. If you go to work for an employer in the electrical industry who is not required to make contributions on your behalf to an IBEW-NECA-sponsored health and welfare fund, on the last day of the month that precedes the month that your electrical industry employment begins; or
  5. The date of your death.

    Note - Retirees maintaining their eligibility by self-payments are not affected by the 31-Day Termination Rule (starting on page 24) as long as they make self-payments in accordance with the retiree self-payment rules.

Dependents - A dependent of yours will cease to be eligible for benefit coverage under the Plan on the first to occur of the following dates:

  1. The date your eligibility for Plan coverage terminates for any reason other than your death;
  2. The date the Trustees terminate Plan benefits for dependents of retirees;
  3. The date the dependent enters the armed forces of any country on a full-time basis;
  4. The date on which the dependent ceases to meet this Plan's definition of a dependent;
  5. In the event of your death while you are making self-payments for Retiree Benefits:
    1. At the end of the last day of the last benefit month for which you had made a self-payment before your death unless self-payments are made by or on behalf of the dependent according to the rules governing Benefits for Surviving Dependents (page 33); or
    2. If your surviving spouse is making self-payments to continue Retiree Benefits for herself and any dependent children:
      • If a correct and on-time self-payment fails to be made by or on behalf of the dependent, at the end of the last day of the last benefit month for which a correct and on-time self-payment was made by or on behalf of the dependent;
      • The date the dependent fails to meet the definition of a dependent;
      • With respect to the surviving spouse, the date on which she remarries or dies, whichever occurs first; or
      • With respect to a dependent child in the event of the surviving spouse's death, at the end of the last day of the benefit month in which the spouse's death occurs unless self-payments are made by or on behalf of the child;
    3. If Retiree Benefits for a dependent child are being continued by self-payments by or on behalf of a dependent child because there is no surviving spouse or because of the surviving spouse's death:
      • If a correct and on-time self-payment fails to be made by or on behalf of the child, at the end of the last day of the last benefit month for which a correct and on-time self-payment was made by or on behalf of the child;
      • The date the child fails to meet the definition of a dependent; or
      • At the end of the last day of the last month of the allowable maximum coverage period to which the child was entitled and for which correct and timely self-payments have been made according to the rules governing Benefits for Surviving Dependents.