News
News
Empire BlueCross BlueShield to Send out New ID Cards in Coming Weeks
Beginning in the last week of December and extending into early January of 2017, Empire BlueCross BlueShield will be sending out new ID cards to Active participants/dependents and Non-Medicare Eligible Retiree participants/dependents in the New York City District Council of Carpenters (“NYCDCC”) Welfare Fund. These new cards are being produced… read more...
REMINDER: Be Sure to Elect a Beneficiary for your NYCDCC Annuity Account
REMINDER: It is important to elect a beneficiary for your NYCDCC Annuity Fund account with Prudential and to update your beneficiary any time your financial situation changes. Updating your beneficiary ensures that should you die, your plan assets will go exactly where you want. If you don’t have a current… read more...
MEND Program’s Holiday Gathering & Open House
Please join us for the MEND Program’s Holiday Gathering & Open House. The MEND Program is an exclusive program for active members of the New York City District Council of Carpenters Welfare Fund and their eligible dependents who are facing substance abuse issues and other related problems. Please join us… read more...
December Vacation Checks Update
Some participants have recently contacted the Benefit Funds to inquire about December vacation checks. To help answer your questions, we have prepared the following update: The vacation checks (covering the 3rd quarter of 2016), were mailed on Thursday, December 1, 2016. If you wish to know how much you will… read more...
Maintaining Happiness During the Holiday Season
The holiday season is a time to celebrate and spread feelings of happiness and joy to all those around you. Holidays represent a chance to take a break from work, see the world, reconnect with family and friends, and ultimately enjoy time with your loved ones. Given the nature of… read more...
MEND Program: Peer Support Group Launch Meeting
The Members Education and Network for Dependency (“MEND”) Program will soon be holding an initial meeting to launch a Peer Support Group for all New York City District Council of Carpenters (“NYCDCC”) members who are either currently in recovery or are considering entering recovery. This unique group will feature union members in long term recovery,… read more...
Take Advantage of Empire’s Complimentary Health & Wellness Programs
As an eligible participant in the NYCDCC Welfare Fund (the “Welfare Fund”), you have access to health coverage administered by Empire BlueCross BlueShield (“Empire”). However, it’s important for you to know that the programs you can take advantage of as a result of being eligible for Welfare Fund coverage administered… read more...
The Worst Autumn Health Habits
Autumn is the time of year when colder weather approaches and days become shorter. It’s also the time of year when people pick up the worst health habits. It’s easy to feel the need to stay bundled up in your house when the temperature goes down, but before you know… read more...
NYCDCC Welfare Fund to Reduce Annual Deductibles by Fifty Percent
The Board of Trustees of the NYCDCC Welfare Fund (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2017, annual deductibles for all In-Network services provided by Empire BlueCross BlueShield will be reduced by fifty percent (50%) for active and retired participants and their eligible dependents. This reduction will… read more...
The Importance of Vision and Dental Health
Staying healthy isn’t just about making sure you eat right, take vitamins, and exercise daily. As a matter of fact, many people seem to forget about two of the most important aspects of their health. That is, vision and dental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention… read more...
The NYCDCC Benefit Funds Expands its Social Media Presence to Twitter
[caption id="attachment_7152" align="alignright" width="295"] Click to Visit Twitter Page[/caption] In a continued effort to connect and communicate with members in as many ways as possible, the New York City District Council of Carpenters (“NYCDCC”) Benefit Funds has now expanded its social media presence to the world of Twitter! Just as… read more...
Be Sure to Always Use the Most Current ID Cards Issued by your Vendors
There are times when new ID cards are issued to you and/or your spouse by the various service providers retained by the NYCDCC Welfare Fund (e.g. Empire BlueCross, BlueShield, Express Scripts, Aetna, etc.). If you receive a new ID card, it is very important that you immediately destroy the expiring… read more...
September is Healthy Aging Month
As we get older, we tend to become less motivated and forget about the importance of staying healthy… not only physically, but more importantly, mentally and emotionally. Healthy Aging Month is an annual health observance that was founded by Carolyn Worthington over 20 years ago to help spread awareness and… read more...
NYCDCC Benefit Funds Launches Members Education and Network for Dependency (“MEND”) Program
As a part of its focus on fostering a healthy work and life-balance for its members and their dependents, the New York City District Council of Carpenters Benefit Funds has launched the Member Education and Network for Dependency (“MEND”) Program, which gives participants and their dependents access to confidential treatment… read more...
Introducing: The Empire Anywhere App
In today’s world, many of us are forced to be on the go 24/7. Unfortunately though, whether you enjoy this fast-paced environment or not, there’s no doubt that living this kind of hectic lifestyle can make it difficult for you to find time to manage your health. Luckily for you,… read more...
Introducing LiveHealth Online: A New Way to Visit a Doctor without even going to the Doctor’s Office
We have great news for NYCDCC members who are eligible participants in the Welfare Fund. Effective September 1, 2016, you will have the ability to “visit” a doctor without even going to a doctor’s office! This new Pilot Program, which will be made available via Empire BlueCross BlueShield through LiveHealth… read more...
Save the Date: Picnic, Charity Softball Tournament, and Benefits Fair September 17th at Cunningham Park!
On Saturday, September 17th, the New York City District Council of Carpenters will be hosting a family picnic and charity softball tournament at Cunningham Park in Queens from 9:30AM-6:00PM. Additionally, the NYCDCC Benefit Funds will have a Benefits Fair available for you and your family from 10:00AM-2:00PM. Please join us… read more...
Coming Soon: Launch of Members Education and Network for Dependency (“MEND”) Program
The New York City District Council of Carpenters Benefit Funds will soon be offering an exclusive substance abuse program for active participants and their eligible dependents who are facing substance abuse issues and other related problems. This program, which will be called the Members Education and Network for Dependency (“MEND”),… read more...
The Dangers of Heat Exposure
Heat is one of the top weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. In fact, in an average year, studies show that approximately 175 Americans die from extreme heat. [1] Additionally, many more people also suffer from a variety of non-fatal heat-related illnesses, especially… read more...
Deciding Between Urgent Care Centers and Emergency Rooms
In the past, we have written articles for you about when it is appropriate to use an Emergency Room (“ER”) versus other options such as Urgent Care Centers or Clinics. Our ultimate goal was to save you the time and money it costs to go to an ER. We made… read more...
