Important Information Regarding Extensions of Deadlines Related to Claims and Appeals, COBRA, and Special Enrollment
Due to the various challenges that individuals are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain participant deadlines in the SDC-League Pension & Health Funds (“Funds”) have been extended by law.
Specifically, as required by law, the Funds will not count the “outbreak period” when the Funds (or their claims administrators and benefit providers) are calculating your deadlines for certain actions. The “outbreak period” is defined as the period from March 1, 2020 until 60 days after the COVID-19 National Emergency ends (or such other date as the federal government requires, which may be specific to different states or geographic regions).
The following deadlines are extended by the guidance:
- The Funds’ deadlines for filing a benefit claim or an appeal of a denied claim (or other adverse benefit determination), and the period for requesting external review or perfecting a request for external review of a health benefit claim.
- The period to request special enrollment in the Health Fund after losing other health coverage or acquiring a new dependent due to birth, marriage, adoption or placement for adoption.
- The 60-day COBRA election period and the 60-day period for notifying the Fund Office of a COBRA qualifying event or disability determination.
- The deadlines for paying initial and monthly COBRA premiums.
Please refer to the Summary Plan Descriptions for additional details regarding the various Fund deadlines, and feel free to contact the Fund Office if you have any questions regarding how these rules may apply to you.