A recap and update on MPIPHP health hours

In the past few weeks, we have reported on how MPIPHP was moving forward with providing continuation of health coverage during the COVID-19 shutdown.

As you all know, when you accrue 400 hours within a 6-month window, known as your “qualifying” period, you are provided with a 6-month “benefit” period.

To allow new members to qualify for health benefits quickly, “qualifying” periods now roll over monthly. 

The first group we covered was for the largest “qualifying” period for members, October 27, 2019 -April 25, 2020. 

If you are Active with the Plans and this was your qualifying period, you accrued hours between Oct-April. In that “qualifying” period, Active members would have accrued 400 hours which would have given you a 6-month “benefit” period from July 1, 2020-Dec 31, 2020.

Since the shutdown occurred mid-March, six weeks from the end of that “qualifying” period, most Active members already accrued the needed 400 hours. 

Some Active members had been on track to earn the hours but were cut short. ​

Active members who did not accrue 400 hours between Oct-April but who worked and banked at least 100 hours, would get up to an additional 300 hours to continue their health coverage until Dec 31, 2020. 

This has already been done.

MPIPHP then went back one month further into the “qualifying” period; Sept 22, 2019 - March 21, 2020. 

When the shutdown occurred, these Active members were about 10 days from the end of their “qualifying” period. 

At the MPIPHP, we agreed that any Active member who was short up to 25 hours would automatically get the needed hours for continued health coverage.

The MPIPHP will send you a letter stating your “up to 25” was taken care of. 

Any Active member who fell short between 26-100 hours, with a reasonable expectation that if the shutdown had not occurred and can verify that with continued employment they would have qualified; the MPIPHP would give those Active members the needed hours. 

If you fell into that category, the MPIPHP will send you a form for verification of that continued employment.  

This needs to be provided to your department head/supervisor or UPM to be completed. ​

This has already been approved.

What MPIPHP just finished up is the Nov 24, 2019-May 23, 2020 “qualifying” period. 

Just as MPIPHP did for the Oct-April “qualifying” period, any Active member who did not accrue 400 hours between Nov-May but worked & banked at least 100 hours will get up to an additional 300 hours to continue their health coverage until January 31, 2021. ​

This has already been approved.

This brings us up to date. 

We will have to look at this monthly and as we go further into the year, there will be fewer hours worked and more hours idle.

It comes down to money. The more hours worked and banked, the less it costs the Plans, the less hours worked and banked, the more it costs the Plans. 

We are hoping the “Return to Work” plan will be in place soon and the City, County and State will recognize this plan and allow us to re-start. 

This will put hours back into our accounts. 

We, the Labor Trustees at the MPIPHP, have worked hard to cover members through this time. 

We are bargaining with our employers over this daily. We have done a good job making sure the assets and investments of the Plans were well maintained and above expected before the shutdown happened. 

Our reserve monies are above 20 months which can provide health benefits into 2021. 

Our number one priority at the MPIPHP is continued health coverage for you and your families.