SPRING 2004
This Issue
2 Medi-Assist 2 The Safety Triangle 3 So…what is a “Spouse”? 3 …and a “Child”? 4 Helpful hints from Hilary
Welcome to the Spring 2004 edition of your newsletter!
In this edition, we focus on areas of the Plan which caused problems for some of you. In addition, we bring you our regular “Helpful Hints from Hilary” feature and an interesting article on workplace safety provided by Kevin Nichol of Kalesnikoff Lumber.
month, case misunderstands Almost everyqualifiesthe astaff at theorBenefit Group office see aunder in which aInPlan memberwe’ll supply a who actually as Spouse as a Child for coverage the Plan. this issue, few basic rules to prevent confusion in the future. Another area many members do not understand is the Medi-Assist card that is provided when you enroll, and was included with your new benefits booklet in February of this year. Of the changes made to extended health and dental benefits on January 1, 2004, the one we have received the most feedback on is the prescription drug card. And everything we have heard is very positive. You have told us you appreciate the convenience, and the fact that you only pay your portion of the cost with no paperwork or waiting to receive repayment of the Plan’s portion of the cost. Another item that was mentioned in the Fall Newsletter that has attracted some positive attention is medical travel insurance and the discount Plan members get from Pacific Blue Cross. Many people have already taken advantage of the 20% discount that is available to members of the Plan, and with Summer travel season almost here, it’s something that you should think about if you are traveling outside Canada. For a relatively small cost, you can avoid the financial disaster that a serious illness or injury can be if you’re traveling in the States. To inquire about rates and to book travel insurance, call Pacific Blue Cross at 1-800-873-2583.
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If you would like us to send the newsletter to you electronically rather than by regular mail, let us know and we would be happy to oblige—just send us a brief e-mail at hwadmin@iflra.com. We’ll add you to our electronic distribution list and the next edition will come direct to your in-box.
Interior Lumbermen’s Benefit Group
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Medi-Assist
The Medi-Assist card that is provided to all members through our association with Pacific Blue Cross probably causes more confusion than any other benefit offered by the Plan.
The most common misconception is that the Medi-Assist card is a form of payment card. It is not! It’s actually your best friend if you are unlucky enough to have a medical emergency while traveling outside of BC. Along with travel insurance, your card is an absolute must when you are packing for a trip. And if you have a medical emergency outside of BC, the number on the back of your card should be your first phone call. Once you have contacted them, the Medi-Assist experts will ensure you are treated at the best local hospital, arrange emergency transportation, and provide the best local physician to supervise your care. They will also take charge of notifying your family and physician at home, and if necessary coordinate medical evacuation and payment arrangements. If you are planning a trip, make sure you have your card. If you can’t locate it, call the Benefit Group and we will send you a new one.
The Safety Triangle
Whether you’re working in a mill or in the woods, taking a long look at why the near-misses occurred can save you from a more serious accident in the future.
Fatalities Serious Injuries Minor Injuries Near-misses
Our thanks to Kevin Nichol for this interesting article on how taking care of the little things can lead to great results on the big things.
Often I find myself speaking about the “Safety Triangle” when I do crew talks in the mill and planer. Several years ago, and not long 330 after our mill experienced a fatal accident, I came across a statistical triangle developed by the U.S. Armed Forces. 3,500 The story is told that the U.S. Army did a study of all their 35,000 near-misses, injuries, medical visits and fatalities. They determined statistically how each group related to the next and how many near-misses it would take before a fatality was imminent. It became clear how important it is to learn from near-misses and to make recommendations and improvements before someone is hurt. Using this approach, minor injuries receive that much more attention and, knock on wood, if we do get a serious injury, it would receive even more attention. This philosophy has led our company to develop a mandatory reporting policy for all injuries, including near-misses. Using our handy dandy four-part form in the first aid room, all injuries are investigated, monitored and reviewed by the first aid department, the Safety Committee, and Management. All recommendations are then put into print in the monthly safety minutes. From those minutes, new policies are implemented and evaluated. As a result, injuries that may have otherwise happened, never do. Our Safety Boards have never been so high!
Kevin Nichol; HR Manager (Safety) Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd.
Interior Lumbermen’s Benefit Group 2
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So…what is a “Spouse”?
The term “Spouse” has a very specific meaning in the Interior Lumbermen’s Health & Welfare Plan, and by keeping a few simple rules in mind, you shouldn’t run into any problems.
Legally married or common law, your spouse must be living with you at the time a claim is made. Your spouse can either be legally married to you, or living in a common law relationship with you. There are some conditions that are the same in both situations, and some rules that differ for common law versus legally married. In either type of relationship, the person you are enrolling as your Spouse for benefits under the Plan MUST be living with you. Any type of separation which results in your Spouse no longer living with you means they have to be taken off your coverage. Even if a court orders you to provide benefits to your ex-spouse in a divorce, those benefits can’t be provided from the Interior Lumbermen’s Plan. When you become legally married, your new husband or wife can come onto the Plan as of the date of your wedding. But in a common law situation, you must live together for six months before your common law (and his or her children) can be enrolled.
…and a “Child”?
Save yourself from hassles—make sure your family members are eligible before you make a claim The term “Child” under the Plan covers a member’s natural children, legally adopted children, stepchildren, and any child who is in the legal guardianship of the member. Any child in one of these categories can be enrolled as a Dependent on the Plan, as long as they are under age 21, financially dependent on the Plan member, and living with the member. There are two exceptions to this general rule. A member’s natural children can stay on the Plan as dependents even if they are no longer living with the member, if they are still financially dependent. Also, a Dependent Child can stay on the Plan from age 21 to 25 if they are going to school full time. Over the years, we’ve had cases of people who did not follow these rules, and unfortunately, they have ended up owing the Plan money for dental and extended health claims made on behalf of people who were not eligible.
Interior Lumbermen’s Benefit Group
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Helpful hints from Hilary
Support systems Over the past 18 months, I have spoken to many members of the Plan who are applying for disability. How much help and support does an individual need to draw upon in difficult times?
I always ask members about the social supports in their lives and am often met with a confused silence. I ask not to be nosey but to determine how much help and support an individual has to draw upon in difficult times. Going on disability is a stressful time. Not only does one have to deal with the illness that is not allowing work but also it is usually a time of financial and social stress. It can be very healthy to have an honest look at your supports to see who is really there for you if you should ever need to reach out for some help. When things are going well an individual can usually just carry on with life. They have social contacts at work, maybe have some leisure activities that involve them with people and have friends. Even those who are married may not get a lot of social support from their spouse. When times get tough the superficial contacts drop away. If your injury stops you from participating in leisure activities, you lose the contact with others you would normally have. This problem is magnified when you are suffering pain or depression. Only those who really care about you want to be with you at those times. It can be very healthy to have an honest look at your supports to see who is really out there for you. • Do you have a partner you can be yourself with and talk to honestly? • Does your family take time to notice when things are not going well for you and do they take the time to listen to what is going on? • How real are your friendships? • Is there someone in your life who really listens to you? • Do you have a source of spiritual support that can provide comfort to you? Spend a couple of minutes and really think about what areas in your life require some attention before you run into a crisis. The time spent now will pay off if you make changes so that you have more balance in your supports when you need them.
Hilary Drummond is an occupational therapist who provides disability management services to members of the Interior Lumbermen’s Health and Welfare Plan through her company Creative Therapy Consultants. She can be reached at hilary@pacificcoast.net or Box 1917, Oliver, BC V0H 1T0.
We make every effort to ensure the information we publish is factual and up to date. However the information in this newsletter may become out of date if changes are made to the Plan. The governing documents are the Plan text and the Trust Agreement, as each is amended from time to time. In the case of any inconsistency between the terms of this newsletter and the governing documents, the governing documents prevail. If you have any questions regarding your benefits, we urge you to contact our office for complete and accurate information.
The Interior Lumbermen’s Benefit Group # 340–1855 Kirschner Road Kelowna, BC VIY 4N7 Phone: (250) 860-3738 or 1-800-668-9943 E-Mail: hwadmin@iflra.com Fax: (250) 868-2977
Interior Lumbermen’s Benefit Group
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