News
News
The Importance of Properly Disposing of Prescription Medications
Although you may not think about it often, properly disposing of your unused or unwanted prescription medications is very important. Disposing of prescription drugs goes a long way toward eliminating the possibility of family members or others from removing your drugs from a medicine cabinet with the intent to misuse… read more...
Vision Benefit through GVS: $50 Gift Card and New Access to Safety Glasses
The Fund Office just received some new information and materials from General Vision Services ("GVS") relating to your vision benefit, and we would like to share them with you. Please see below for more details: Effective now until the end of 2017, GVS is offering a $50 Gift Card that… read more...
Lasik Eye Surgery Discounts Now Available to NYCDCC Welfare Fund Participants
Like most health plans, the New York City District Council of Carpenters Welfare Fund (the “Welfare Fund”) does not cover Lasik eye surgery as a benefit. However, there are discounts available as a result of being a Welfare Fund participant. These discounts are available through Empire BlueCross BlueShield (“Empire”) and… read more...
Google Crackdown on Treatment Facility Ads Highlights Importance of NYCDCC Members Using MEND Program for Substance Abuse Issues
A recent article in the New York Times, revealed that Google is cracking down on advertisements for treatment facilities that appear when users search for help with substance abuse. According to Google, the company has taken this step because “many online searches are leading addicts to click on ads for… read more...
Board of Trustees Approves Improvement to Dental Plan Effective January 1, 2018
We have great news for participants in the NYCDCC Welfare Fund! The Trustees have listened to and heard your concerns about having broader access to dental care. In response to your concerns, the Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2018, the Welfare Fund’s dental program… read more...
Registration to Receive December Vacation Payments via Direct Deposit is Now Open
Now that your September vacation benefits have been paid out, registration to receive December (and all future) vacation benefits via direct deposit is now open as of September 12th. Regardless of whether you received your September vacation payment through a rapid! PayCard, or you attempted to sign up for direct… read more...
Beware of Scam Phone Calls and Emails Disguised as Vendors
The Fund Office has recently received some reports of scammers calling and/or emailing members pretending to be vendors such as BlueCross BlueShield. In these phone calls or emails, the scammers have attempted to extract personal information from members by asking questions that are allegedly related to their coverage. They often… read more...
Vacation Payments to be sent September 1st
Please be advised that your September vacation payments, regardless of whether you are being paid via rapid! PayCard or direct deposit, will be sent on September 1st. You should check your balance by the end of the day to confirm receipt of your payment in the following ways: rapid! PayCard-… read more...
MEND Corner: Recognizing and Treating Alcoholism
What do we mean by Alcoholism? Alcoholism, clinically referred to as Alcohol Use Disorder, is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as job jeopardy. What are the four main characteristics of Alcohol Use Disorder? Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink… read more...
Sign Ups for September Vacation Payments via Direct Deposit are Now Closed
As of Tuesday, August 1st, sign ups for September vacation payments via direct deposit are now closed. This means that if you are eligible for a September vacation payment, but have not yet provided us your direct deposit information, you will automatically be sent a rapid! PayCard Debit Mastercard within… read more...
Reviewing your Explanation of Benefits (“EOB”) to Prevent Improper Charges and Health Care Fraud
When you (or a covered dependent) receive health care services from a doctor or other health care provider/facility, a claim is generally submitted on your (or your covered dependent's) behalf to your insurance company (For the NYCDCC Welfare Fund, these companies include Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Express Scripts, and Aetna.) Once… read more...
REMINDER: All those Wishing to Receive Vacation Payments via Direct Deposit for September must Provide Banking Information by End of July
As many of you have seen or heard by now, the NYCDCC Welfare Fund is providing members an opportunity to receive vacation payments via direct deposit beginning in September. This is part of the Fund Office’s paperless vacation payments initiative. Members who do not sign up for direct deposit will… read more...
MEND Program Peer Support Group: Reminder and Time Change for July
Due to the Independence Day holiday, the July Peer Support Group meeting is being moved from the first Wednesday of the month, July 5th, to Wednesday, July 12th. As always, the meeting will take place at 395 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 on the 5th floor. As a reminder,… read more...
2017-18 Scholarship Winners Honored at Luncheon in Manhattan
On Friday, June 9th, 2017, winners of the Charles Johnson Jr. Memorial Scholarship were honored in Manhattan. For those who may not be aware, the NYCDCC Welfare Fund offers a Scholarship Program (known as the “Charles Johnson Jr. Memorial Scholarship”) for unmarried, dependent, biological, or adopted children of eligible members.… read more...
Instructions for Entering Direct Deposit Information for Vacation Payments and Viewing Vacation Pay Stubs
Last month, an announcement was made that the New York City District Council of Carpenters Welfare Fund (the “Welfare Fund”) was postponing the implementation of its paperless vacation benefits program until September 2017 in order to add an option for direct deposit payments to be made via your personal checking… read more...
June 2017- Vacation Payments Update
Some participants have recently contacted the Benefit Funds to inquire about June vacation payments. To help answer your questions, we have prepared the following update: The vacation checks (covering the 1st quarter of 2017), will be mailed out during the first full week in June. If you wish to… read more...
How Pensioners and Future Pensioners can Access Personal Benefits Information through the Member Log-In Area of the NYCDCC Benefit Funds’ Website
Regardless of whether you are already a pensioner or you are vested and eligible to eventually receive a pension upon retirement through the New York City District Council of Carpenters (“NYCDCC”) Pension Fund, you have the ability to access important personal benefits information through the Member Log-In area of the… read more...
Direct Deposit Option to be Added for Future Vacation Payments, Debit Card Program Postponed until September as a Result
Following the Fund Office announcing plans to move toward vacation payments via debit card in lieu of paper checks beginning in June 2017, we heard feedback from the membership asking if we could also provide an option for payments to be made by direct deposit. The Fund Office, along with… read more...
May is National Stroke Awareness Month
Since May is National Stroke Awareness Month, we thought it would be a good time to provide you some useful resources concerning the main causes of strokes, general ways to prevent strokes, and early warning signs of having a stroke. Considering that, according to the American Stroke Association, someone in… read more...
NYCDCC Training Center (“CTC”) Hosts 48th Annual 4th Year Graduating Apprentice Open House/Exhibit
On Wednesday, April 12th, the NYCDCC Training Center ("CTC") hosted its 48th Annual 4th Year Graduating Apprentice Open House/Exhibit. The event, which is highly anticipated each year, once again served to not only showcase the skills apprentices have learned during their last four years at the CTC, but it also… read more...
