3.1 Eligibility for Coverage

You are not automatically enrolled in the Retiree Health Plan. You must also complete an application, return the completed Enrollment packet and pay the monthly medical premium, provided you meet the eligibility requirements of the Retiree Health Plan. For more information regarding the enrollment requirements, please see Article 3.3: Enrolling in Coverage on page 17.

3.1.1 Early Retirees

Early Retirees who have attained age 56 and are awarded an unreduced early retirement benefit from the Southern California IBEW-NECA Defined Benefit Plan, have had at least 44,500 hours worked under a collective bargaining agreement requiring Retiree Health Plan contributions to this Plan (includes Health hours credited through reciprocity), and of those hours 10,500 hours must have been worked in 7 of the 10 Plan years immediately preceding your original pension effective date.

3.1.2 Normal Retirees

Normal Retirees retiring on and after age 62 under the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Trust Fund, Retiree Health Plan eligibility is limited to such individuals who have at least 10 years of credited service under the Pension Plan and have had 10,500 health hours under a Collective Bargaining Agreement requiring Retiree Health Plan contributions (includes Health hours credited through reciprocity) in 7 of the 10 Plan years immediately preceding your original pension effective date.

3.1.3 Delayed Enrollments

An individual who has retired under the Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Plan and meets all of the eligibility requirements under this Retiree Health Plan may delay enrollment in this Retiree Health Plan until the later of the exhaustion of the Hours Bank Reserve and/or COBRA coverage under the Active Plan. If during this permitted delay in enrollment such an individual shall die, his or her spouse may enroll in this Retiree Health Plan no later than the exhaustion of the Hours Bank Reserve and/or COBRA coverage under the Active Plan.

3.1.4 Total Disability and/or Partial Disability Benefits

Total Disability and/or Partial Disability Benefits and Crediting of Disability Hours for Retiree Health Plan eligibility are not available to individuals retiring on or after April 1, 2017. Initial eligibility for Retiree Health Plan benefits through the Maintenance Agreement after retirement is no longer available effective April 1, 2017.

NOTE: Information as to the prior initial enrollment of eligibility requirements for disabled retirees is available upon request.