If you are on approved medical leave (SLOAC) you will "come off" the OSA/WF payment list. The OSAWF Trustees have agreed to continue your OSAWF Super Imposed Major medical, Dental and Vision coverage for the same period as your SLOAC coverage. You must send OSA a copy of your approved SLOAC memo. If you do not return to payroll status at the end of your SLOAC approval (usually four months), you may pay for continued OSAWF coverage up to a total of 36 months (which does not include this previous OSA coverage).

If you are on approved leave through the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), OSA will continue to receive payments for your welfare fund coverage for three months. There are times however when errors occur, and you will be "dropped" from the OSAWF payment list. If you are on FMLA, please send OSA a copy of your approved leave memo. It will assist in correcting that error. You may pay for continued OSAWF coverage through COBRA for 36 months.

If you are no longer receiving your paycheck but still covered for your basic health through SLOAC or FMLA, you may wish to continue your drug rider coverage by contacting your basic health provider to make your direct payments. In this way, your $500 major medical deduction will continue.

Retired members will continue to receive OSAWF benefits (as long as they are pensionable). These benefits do not include Long Term Disability, and the Basic Life Insurance Benefit reduces to $5,000 at retirement. Pensionable retirees do not pay COBRA to maintain their coverage. Eligible Medicare retirees may no longer use their drug out-of-pocket expenses for the $500 deductible of the Major Medical benefits.

If you deferred retirement, you are eligible to pay COBRA to the City for your basic health insurance and to OSA for your OSAWF benefits for 36 months coverage or until you reach retirement, whichever comes first. The City will cover you for your basic health starting five years before you retire, if you are in Tier I (only). But you would not be entitled to OSAWF benefits until you receive your pension, unless you paid COBRA.

Upon the death of a member, OSAWF survivors' benefit effective 7/1/05 will cover basic health insurance, including the optional rider, if it was part of the coverage, through COBRA, and will also provide SMMP, dental and vision care benefits for 36 months.

If you are no longer in an OSA covered title, you will be placed into another union welfare fund, or will default to the Management Benefits Fund. Make sure you complete the application for the appropriate welfare fund through your employee benefits section.

Under COBRA, eligible members can be covered for a maximum of 36 months after termination of employment (except for gross misconduct), or a reduction in hours. Those who are divorced or legally separated from the member (a copy of divorce/separation papers are needed) can get COBRA for up to 36 months.

Sometimes an error occurs when your title is changed to another OSA covered title. You should remain in the OSAWF, and do not have to pay COBRA. OSA will contact your agency to assure your continued coverage. If you transferred to another agency in an OSA covered title, you should also remain in the OSAWF and do not have to pay COBRA. OSA will contact your agency to assure your continued coverage.

Eligible members are entitled to continue their medical benefits through payment of the COBRA premiums. The employee benefits section of your agency should provide you with a COBRA application for your continued Basic Health coverage. If you wish to pay to continue your basic health coverage (GHI, HIP, etc.) that form must be returned to your agency.

A copy of your new COBRA health benefit card must be sent to OSA if you wish to continue to pay COBRA for OSAWF benefit coverage. The Superimposed Major Medical Plan is$7.70 monthly. Dental and vision care is $109.17 monthly, and Superimposed Major Medical, Dental and Vision together is $116.87 monthly. Rates are effective 1/1/2017. The COBRA period payments should start the same day indicated at the top of the letter we send you. The monthly period will be extended from that date. Checks should be made payable to The Organization of Staff Analysts Welfare Fund. Each check should cover a period of three months.

If, however, you do not pay COBRA to continue your basic health coverage, you are NOT eligible to pay COBRA to the OSAWF for Superimposed Major Medical, but you are still eligible to pay COBRA coverage for dental and vision care.

If you are eligible for Long Term Disability, the OSAWF will pay your COBRA benefits for up to 29 months. However, when you are reimbursed for COBRA payments from your basic health plan when you retire, you are required to repay the same to the OSAWF within a month.

When all COBRA coverage ends, individuals are entitled to buy new basic health coverage within two months from their insurance provider, regardless of health problems. If forms are not received, please contact your health insurance provider.