Identify the Plan

The full, official name of the Plan is "The Steamfitters’ Industry Welfare Fund," but many participants simply refer to it as the "Welfare Fund," “Health Plan,” or the “Plan.” The Plan is administered by a joint Board of Trustees composed of Employee and Employer Trustees.

Name, Address, Telephone Number, and Email Address of the Board of Trustees, the Plan Administrator and the Plan Sponsor:

Board of Trustees The Steamfitters’ Industry Welfare Fund
27-08 40th Ave, 2nd Floor 
Long Island City, NY 11101-3725 
(212) 465-8888

The Trustees as of the printing of this booklet are: Shane McMorrow, Edward English, Anthony Saporito, Roberts J. Bartels, Jr., Dave Johnson and Brian Kearney, Jr.

Type of Plan:

This Plan is multiemployer group health plan that includes hospital expense benefits, medical expense benefits, prescription drug benefits, dental benefits, vision care and hearing aid benefits, life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment benefits, and a health reimbursement account fund. 

Employer Identification Number of the Board of Trustees:

13-1545680

Plan Number:

502

Plan Year Ends:

December 31

Type of Administration:

Self-Administered

Agent for Service of Legal Process:

William J. Turnbull, Executive Administrator

The Steamfitters’ Industry Welfare Fund
27-08 40th Ave, 2nd Floor 
Long Island City, New York 11101-3725 
(212)465-8888

Service of legal process may also be made on any of the Trustees.

Collective Bargaining Agreement:

The Fund is maintained pursuant to collective bargaining agreements between the Enterprise Association of Steam, Hot Water, Hydraulic, Sprinkler, Pneumatic Tube, Ice Machine and General Pipe Fitters of New York and Vicinity, Local Union 638 of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada “Union” and the Mechanical Contractors Association of New York, Inc., “MCA” and other employers. Copies of these agreements may be obtained upon written request to the Fund Executive Administrator and may be examined at the Fund Office or Union Office. The Fund will provide information as to whether an employer is a contributing employer and, if it is, its address, once a written request for this information is made to the Executive Administrator. Upon written request to the Executive Administrator, a complete list of sponsoring employers and employee organizations will be provided. 

Source of Financing:

The Fund is financed by contributions received from employers who employ steamfitter participants covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The amount of this contribution is determined by the agreement.

Benefits are provided from the Fund’s assets, which are accumulated under the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements and the Trust Agreement and are held in a Trust Fund for the purpose of providing benefits to covered participants and eligible beneficiaries and for defraying reasonable administrative expenses. Some of the benefits are provided through insurance policies with vendors.

Plan assets are invested under the direction of the Trustees of the Welfare Fund.  

Plan Text:

This booklet provides you with the provisions and benefits of the Welfare Plan. This SPD is not a substitute for the Plan Document that governs the Welfare Plan, insurance policies that the Fund has with benefit providers or insured certificates or insurance contracts. In the event of any actual or perceived conflict between the Plan Document, contracts with benefit providers or insured certificates or insurance contracts and this booklet, the terms and conditions of the Plan Document, contracts with benefit providers or insured certificates or insurance contracts will control. 

Amendment and Termination:

The Trustees reserve the right to amend or terminate the Plan at any time for any reason. No amendment or termination will deprive a Participant, Beneficiary or Qualifying Dependent of any benefit which has already become payable under the Plan, but it could deprive them of future benefits.

Trustee Discretion:

In carrying out their respective responsibilities under the Plan, the Trustees or any sub-committee or designee(s) appointed by the Trustees, the Executive Administrator, and other Plan fiduciaries and individuals to whom responsibility for the administration of the Plan has been delegated, will have discretionary authority to interpret the terms of the Plan and to determine eligibility and entitlement to Plan benefits in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Any interpretation or determination under such discretionary authority will be given full force and effect unless it can be shown that the interpretation or determination was arbitrary and capricious.

No Liability for the Practice of Medicine:

The Plan, the Trustees, or any sub-committee or designee(s) appointed by the Trustees, the Executive Administrator, and other Plan fiduciaries and individuals to whom responsibility for the administration of the Plan has been delegated are not engaged in the practice of medicine, nor do any of them have any control over any diagnosis, treatment, care or lack of care, or any health care services provided or delivered to you by any health care provider. Neither the Plan, the Trustees nor any sub-committee or designee(s) appointed by the Trustees, the Executive Administrator or other Plan fiduciaries and individuals to whom responsibility for the administration of the Plan has been delegated will have any liability whosoever for any loss or injury caused to you by any health care provider by reason of negligence, by failure to provide care or treatment, or otherwise. 

Plan Amendments and Termination of the Plan:

No amendment or termination will deprive a Participant, Beneficiary or Qualifying Dependent of any benefit which has already become payable under the Plan, but it could deprive them of future benefits. The Fund reserves the right to terminate coverage for you and/or your dependent(s) if you and/or your dependent(s) are otherwise determined to be ineligible for coverage. Pursuant to the Affordable Care Act, the coverage will not be rescinded retroactively (as opposed to prospectively) except in certain instances, such as you or your covered dependent(s) commits fraud or intentional misrepresentation (for example, in enrollment materials, a claim or appeal for benefits or in response to a question from the Executive Administrator or his designee(s)). In such cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentation, your coverage may be rescinded retroactively upon 30 days’ notice. Failure to inform the Fund Office that you or your dependent is covered under another group health plan or knowingly provide false information to obtain coverage for an ineligible dependent are examples of actions that constitute fraud or intentional misrepresentation. Coverage may also be eliminated retroactively (without notice) in cases in which it would not be considered rescission under the Affordable Care Act, such as failure to pay a required premium or contribution toward the cost of coverage including COBRA. 

Welfare benefits do not vest, and the Trustees reserve the right to amend or terminate the Plan, or any part of it, at any time for any reason without advance notice to participants. This includes the discretionary right to interpret, revise, supplement or rescind any or all portions of the Plan.

• The Board of Trustees may amend the terms of the Plan by adopting a written amendment to the Plan Document, effective as of the date specified in the document amending the Plan Document.
  
  
• The Plan or any coverage under it may be terminated by the Board of Trustees, and new coverage(s) may be added by the Board of Trustees.

Allocation and Disposition of Assets Upon Termination:

In order for the Fund to carry out its obligation to provide the maximum possible benefits to all Participants within the limits of its resources, the Board of Trustees has the right to take any of the following actions, even if claims that have already accrued are affected:

• To terminate any benefits provided by the Welfare Plan.
  
  
• To alter or postpone the method of payment of any benefit.
  
  
• To amend or rescind any provision of the Plan Document.

In addition, the Plan may be terminated by the Board of Trustees, provided that the termination is not effective until 60 days after the mailing of such notice. In the event the Plan terminates, the Trustees, by unanimous agreement and in their full discretion, will determine the disposition of any assets remaining after all expenses of the Plan and Trust have been paid; provided that any such distribution will be made only for the benefit of former participants and for the purposes set forth in the Plan. Upon termination of the Plan, the Trustees (with full power) will continue in such capacity for the purpose of dissolution of the Plan.

For Information or Assistance:  If you require any information or assistance, please contact the Fund Office at (212) 465-8888 or by email at FundOffice@steamny.com.

Information on the Steamfitters’ Industry Welfare Fund, and all your employee benefit programs, can be found on the Fund Office website www.steamfitters.com. You may view your personal benefit information at any time by accessing your member login account on the website.

By accessing your member account, you may also: track employer contributions, view work history, review benefit payments, view Cash Fund balances, check eligibility status, view all Fund Office correspondence and documents, update dependent and beneficiary information, upload important documents (marriage and birth certificates, social security cards, etc.), instantly update your address and contact information, file and submit disbursement forms digitally, message the Fund Office and more. 

Providers of Benefits:

General Plan Information and Eligibility

• Eligibility
• Information about USERRA, FMLA, QMCSOs and your Rights under the Plan
• Request documents or other Plan related information
• General questions about Plan coverage

COBRA Information
HIPAA Privacy Information

*Vendor providing benefits listed with each service.

Life Insurance & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

Benefits Provided by: MetLife
Submit Application To: Steamfitters' Industry Welfare Fund

Medical and Hospital Benefits [Active & Non-Medicare Eligible Retirees]

Empire BlueCross BlueShield EPO 

Medical, Hospital and Prescription Drug Benefits [Medicare Eligible Retirees Only] 

Empire MediBlue Freedom Plan PPO 

Prescription Drug Program:

Express Scripts, Inc.

Dental Benefits:

MetLife

Vision Care & Hearing Aid Benefits

Steamfitters’ Industry Welfare Fund

Health Reimbursement Account

Steamfitters’ Industry Welfare Fund