Beginning
January 1, 2003, all Earned and Earned Inactive Participants are required
to pay a premium for their Health Plan coverage. Below is information
regarding the premium. For more information on the Self-Pay program and premium,
click here.
PREMIUM
PAYMENT RULES FOR EARNED AND EARNED INACTIVE COVERAGE
Premium Requirements - All Earned and Earned Inactive Participants who do not meet the requirements for Sr. Performer’s coverage are required to pay a premium for Health Plan coverage. One premium covers you and all of your eligible dependents. The amount of premium depends on the Plan for which you qualify as follows:
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Plan I
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$150 quarterly
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Plan II
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$195 quarterly
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Effective 1/1/2010, the premium amounts are increasing, as follows:
Plan I |
$249 per quarter |
Plan II |
$294 per quarter |
Plan II (age and service) |
$375 per quarter* |
*This premium applies to participants age 40 or over with at least 10 years of Earned Eligibility who qualify for Plan II based on the lower earnings amount.
Quarterly Billing Procedures - Several weeks before the start of each quarter for which you are eligible, you will receive your billing statement and payment coupon. The billing statement will indicate your total account balance for the remainder of your Eligibility Period as well as the minimum payment that is due for the current quarter. You may pay the premium for more than one quarter at a time. For example, you may pay the premium for your entire current Eligibility Period in one payment. However, you may not pay the premium for any period beyond your current Eligibility Period.
Time Limits for Payment - Your payment is due by the first day of each calendar quarter for which you qualify for coverage. For example, the payment for the first quarter of the calendar year (January through March) is due on January 1. There is a 15-day grace period. The due date is the 1st, not the 15th and applies even when traveling. The grace period is for unforeseen circumstances.
Payment Options and Procedures
- Pay by Phone
You may pay your premium over the telephone with a credit card. Simply call the Plan office and use the Automated Information Center (AIC) and follow the prompts. The phone numbers are (818) 954-9400 or (800) 777-4013 outside the Los Angeles area. If you choose to pay by phone, simply call the AIC before the due date and provide the necessary information. You will receive instant confirmation your payment has been received. For your security, this is an automated system and Participant Service Representatives will not be able to take your credit card information.
- Pay by Web
You may pay your premium online with a credit card. Simply login to our secure Web site here and enter your credit card information. You can pay for up to four quarters at one time. You will receive instant confirmation that your payment has been received.
For your protection, pay by web and pay by phone payments are non-recurring which means that the Plan will not store your credit card information and will not automatically charge your credit card every time a payment is due.
- Pay by Auto Debit
The Auto Debit Plan deducts your quarterly premium automatically on a recurring basis each quarter from a checking or savings account. Payments are deducted on the 25 th of the month prior to the due date. The Health Plan will continue to deduct your quarterly premium as long as you remain continuously eligible for Earned coverage, even if there is a change in the premium rate because you moved from Plan I to Plan II or vice versa. Call the Plan Office.
- Pay by Check
You may pay your premium by check, money order or cashiers check by mailing your payment, along with the payment coupon to the Plan’s Payment Center in the envelope provided. Your payment must be received at the Payment Center no later than the end of the grace period to be considered timely. DO NOT SEND YOUR PREMIUM PAYMENT TO THE PLAN OFFICES OR TO THE GUILD OFFICE. Checks should be made payable to: “ Screen Actors Guild – Producers Health Plan ”. Be sure to include the account number from the billing statement on your check to ensure proper crediting. Do not send cash or checks from non-US banks.
Termination of Earned or Earned Inactive Coverage - If the Plan does not receive your quarterly premium by the due date, your Earned or Earned Inactive coverage will be terminated. You will not be entitled to any coverage under the Health Plan until your next Eligibility Period, with the exceptions outlined below. You will not be entitled to self-pay coverage under the Health Plan nor will you be entitled to any conversion options if your coverage is terminated due to failure to pay your premium.
For example: If your Eligibility Period is January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 and you fail to pay your first quarterly premium by January 15, 2004, your coverage will be terminated effective January 1, 2004. You will not be entitled to any Health Plan coverage until January 1, 2005, provided you re-qualify for coverage by meeting the minimum earnings requirement.
Special Note
If your coverage in this Plan is terminated because you do not pay your premium, your coverage under other plans may be reduced or eliminated. You should contact your other plan for further information.
Special Exceptions
New Dependents : If you do not pay the premium and subsequently acquire a new dependent as a result of marriage, birth, adoption or placement for adoption, you may be eligible to participate in this Health Plan prior to your next Eligibility Period. You must request coverage under this Plan within 30 days of the date of marriage, birth, adoption or placement for adoption.
Other Coverage : If you do not pay the premium because you have other health coverage, you may be allowed to participate in this Health Plan when your other coverage ends because of a reduction in employment, legal separation, divorce or death. If the other coverage is under a COBRA provision and you exhaust your COBRA coverage, you may also be allowed to participate in this Health Plan. You must request coverage under this Plan within 30 days after your other coverage ends.
Traveling is not considered a special exception.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the Plan rules for premium payments, please contact the Plan Office. Information about these rules, payment options and all other Health Plan benefits can also be found on the Plan’s Web site: www.sagph.org.
Earned
Premium Checking and Savings Auto Debit Plan
You
can enjoy the security of knowing that your quarterly premium is on time
with the Screen Actors Guild - Producers Health Plan’s Auto Debit Plan option.
The
Auto Debit Plan deducts your quarterly premium automatically on a recurring
basis each quarter from a checking or savings account. Payments are deducted
on the 25th of the month prior to the due date (e.g. June 25th for 3rd quarter,
July through September premium).
Complete
and sign the application. Please be
sure to include the complete bank information. Applications must be
received in our office 10 days prior to the quarterly premium due date.
You
will be assessed a $25.00 handling charge on a declined Auto Debit transaction.
Replacement transactions must be in the form of a cashier’s check or money
order. If transactions are returned three (3) times, your Auto Debit privileges
will be cancelled.
The
Health Plan will continue to deduct your quarterly premiums as long as you
remain continuously eligible for Earned coverage, even if there is a change
in the premium rate because you move from Plan I to Plan II or the reverse.
You will be notified, in advance, of any change in your eligibility status
and premium rate. Cancellation of the Auto Debit Plan requires a written
request from you to withdraw from the program. All requests must be
received in our office prior to the 10th of the month. No verbal requests
will be accepted.
Questions??
Please call the Plan Office and ask to speak to one of our Benefit Premium
Analysts at extension 2440.
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DESCRIPTION
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PAYMENT
SET-UP
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COUPONS
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PARTICIPANT’S
QUARTERLY RESPONSIBILITY
|
PAY BY
WEB
|
- Allows you to pay online with a credit card.
- You can pay for up to four quarters at one time.
- You receive instant confirmation that your payment has been received.
- Payments are nonrecurring -Plan does not automatically charge your credit card every time a payment is due.
|
None. Simply visit www.sagph.org and click on “Pay Health Premium.” |
You will continue to receive quarterly coupons in advance. |
Visit www.sagph.org before the premium due date, click on “Pay Health Premium” and enter credit card information. |
PAY BY PHONE
|
- Allows you to pay over the telephone with a credit card.
- You can pay for up to four quarters at one time.
- You receive instant confirmation that your payment has been received.
- Payments are nonrecurring - Plan does not store your credit card information and charge your card every time payment is due.
|
None |
You will continue to receive quarterly coupons in advance.
|
Call the Plan Office
(818) 954-9400 (outside the Los Angeles area (800) 777-4013 before the premium due date to access the Automated Information Center and follow the prompts.
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CHECKING AND SAVINGS AUTOMATIC PAYMENT PLAN |
- Automatic recurring deduction from a checking or savings account on a quarterly basis.
- Payments are deducted on the 25 th of the month before the quarterly premium due date (e.g. June 25 th for 3 rd quarter, July through Sept. premium).
- Applies to U.S. banks only
|
Complete Application and return to Plan Office no later than 15 days prior to the quarterly premium due date. |
You will not receive quarterly coupons in advance. |
None - Payments are automatically deducted from your checking or savings account.
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PAY BY CHECK
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- You mail your quarterly premium check and coupon directly to the Plan’s Payment Center.
- You can pay for up to four quarters at one time.
- Your cancelled check is your receipt of payment.
- Payments must be made from U.S. bank or by cashier’s check or money order in U.S. Dollars.
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None
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You will continue to receive quarterly coupons in advance. |
Mail check far enough before the premium due date to the Plan’s Payment Center.
Premiums must be
received by premium due date.
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