Effective January 1, 2023: NYCDCC Welfare Fund’s Third-Party Administrator for Medical/Hospital Coverage to Change from Empire BCBS to Independence Administrators

November 3, 2022

Currently, the third-party administrator for the medical/hospital coverage provided by the New York City District Council of Carpenters Welfare Fund (the “Fund”) is Empire BlueCross BlueShield (“Empire”). Please be advised that, effective January 1, 2023, Independence Administrators (“IA”), a BlueCross/BlueShield Affiliate, will become the third-party administrator for the Fund’s medical/hospital coverage. Please note that, although the third-party administrator is changing, no changes are being made to your coverage.

You will receive a new card in the mail before January 1, 2023. The new card will have your new Identification Number and IA’s name. Please present the new card to your providers for any services on and after January 1, 2023. Please begin using the IA Card for all services beginning on January 1, 2023.

You will receive a card for yourself and separate cards for every eligible family member on file. Digital copies of the cards will be available on IA member portal after the effective date (you will need to register and create a username and password once the change occurs).

On the back of the card, you will find all relevant information, including contact numbers for IA’s Customer Service. On the front of the card, you will find a sticker with a different phone number for IA’s Text Messaging Service, which is called “The Wire.” You can use this number to Opt-In to IA’s text messaging service to stay up-to-date on your coverage, preventative care information, and the latest news about your plan.

No action on your behalf needs to be taken to continue your coverage. This will occur automatically.

More information on this change will be posted on the Benefit Funds’ website at www.nyccbf.org in the near future. In the interim, please continue to use your current Empire card for medical/health coverage purposes for all services received through December 31, 2022.

Click HERE for Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) related to this change.