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INTRODUCTION

• LIFE INSURANCE
• ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT
• WEEKLY INDEMNITY
• LONG-TERM DISABILITY
• EMERGENCY OUT-OF-CANADA MEDICAL COVERAGE
• EXTENDED HEALTH-CARE
• VISION CARE
• DENTAL CARE
• PAY-DIRECT DRUG CARD

This web page describes benefits available through the Steelworkers’ Trusteed Benefit Plan, Steel Cares. The Plan is very flexible, as any combination of benefits may be chosen by each Local.

All benefits are provided through the Steelworkers’ Trusteed Benefit Plan, and may be costed on a cents-per-hour basis or on a percentage of payroll for easy negotiation with an employer.

The Plan is managed by a Board of Trustees, all of whom are union members. The Trustees are responsible for designing and administering the benefits provided by the Trust Fund and the allocation of all contributions to the Trust Fund. The Trustees may appoint various professionals such as accountants, lawyers, consultants and administrators to provide them with any necessary advice.

Benefit Plan Administrators (B.P.A.) is the administrator and claims payor for Steel Cares. B.P.A. performs all the accounting, eligibility and claims functions, and maintains records for each member, as well as all contributions made to the Plan on each member’s behalf.

Steel Cares offers many advantages to members:

• A flexible plan design in terms of costs and choosing and upgrading benefits;

• A non-profit plan — any surplus benefits members;

• Simpler negotiations, as members only bargain contributions;

• Benefits that are available during a strike;

• More control over benefit dollars;

• Benefits that are available to part-time members;

• Enhanced association with the Union, since it is the Union Benefit Plan, not the employer, that provides benefits.

Members may choose the full Plan or only some of its components. For example, a Local may already have an employer-sponsored benefit plan, but would like to have Steel Cares’s pay-direct drug card. The Local could use Steel Cares for this benefit only and still retain their other benefits.

If you have any questions about the Steelworkers’ Trusteed Benefit Plan, please phone 1-888-290-9777.

Thank you,

Board of Trustees

Death Benefits

If a member dies while he or she is insured, this life insurance will be paid to the member’s beneficiary (if living); otherwise, it will be paid to the member’s estate.

Premium Waiver

If a member becomes totally and permanently disabled for at least six months and is under age 65, the life insurance coverage will continue while the member is so disabled, to age 65.

Conversion Option

If a member leaves his or her place of employment or is terminated, the group life insurance benefit will cease. Under this program the member has the option to convert the term life insurance to an individual life insurance policy without undergoing a medical examination or completing a health questionnaire.

Extension of Benefits

If a member dies within 31 days of the date the life insurance terminates, the amount available for conversion will be paid as a death benefit under this plan even if the member did not apply for conversion.

Death Benefit for a Spouse and Children

If your dependant dies while insured, Dependant Life Insurance will be paid to you if you are living; otherwise, it will be paid to your estate.

Disability Provision

If your life insurance is being continued under the premium waiver provision, Dependant Life Insurance will also continue with no further premium required.

Conversion Option and Extension of Benefits

This is the same as the Member Life Insurance.

When injury results in any of the following losses to an insured person within 365 days of the date of the accident, the insurer will pay one sum for:

Loss of Life The Principal Sum

Loss of Both Hands The Principal Sum

Loss of Both Feet The Principal Sum

Loss of One Hand and One Foot The Principal Sum

Loss of One Hand and the Entire Sight of One Eye The Principal Sum

Loss of One Foot and the Entire Sight of One Eye The Principal Sum

Quadriplegia (total paralysis of both upper and lower limbs)

The Principal Sum

Paraplegia (total paralysis of both lower limbs) The Principal Sum

Hemiplegia (total paralysis of upper and lower limbs of one side of body)

The Principal Sum

Loss of Use of Both Arms or Both Hands The Principal Sum

Loss of Speech and Hearing The Principal Sum

Loss of One Arm or One Leg Three Quarters of the Principal Sum

Loss of One Hand or One Foot or the Entire Sight of One Eye

Two Thirds of the Principal Sum

Loss of Use of One Hand or One Foot or One Eye

Two Thirds of the Principal Sum

Loss of Speech or Hearing Two Thirds of the Principal Sum

Loss of Thumb and Index Finger One Third of the Principal Sum

Loss of Hearing in One Ear One Quarter of the Principal Sum

Additional Benefits

1. Repatriation Benefit – max. $10,000

2. Rehabilitation Benefit – max. $10,000

3. Family Transportation Benefit – max. $10,000

4. Home Alteration and Vehicle Modifications – max. $10,000

5. Seat Belt Rider Benefit; 10% increase in principal sum

6. Day Care Benefit – max $5,000

7. Education Benefit – max. $5,000

Benefits are based on a percentage of weekly earnings to a predetermined maximum amount or in some cases a flat weekly amount. Benefits will be paid for non-occupational sickness and accident and are paid for a predetermined number of weeks.

This benefit is designed to partially replace earnings lost as a result of a non-occupational disability caused by accident or sickness. To be eligible for the benefit, a member must be under the continuing care of a physician for the duration of the disability.

A member will be considered disabled and entitled to Weekly Indemnity payments if, as a result of sickness or accident, he/she is unable to perform the duties of his/her own occupation or regular employment and is not engaged in any other occupation or employment for wage or profit.

As a member of the Steelworkers’ Trusteed Benefit Plan, you may talk directly with the claims processor regarding any problems with your claim.

The Long-Term Disability benefit may or may not be integrated with all other sources of income that you receive during your period of disability. If you decide not to integrate this benefit, you will receive your monthly payment plus all other sources of income you may have, such as the Canadian Pension Plan.

The benefit payment will be paid to a member following a specified waiting period for as long as he/she is totally disabled, up to age 65. The member must be under the ongoing care of a licensed physician.

Totally disabled means that solely because of an illness or accidental bodily injury, a member is unable:

• during the waiting period and for the next 24 months to perform the essential duties of his/her own occupation; and

• from then on to work at any occupation for which he/she may reasonably become fitted by education, training or experience.

Rehabilitation is a very important factor with the Trustees as all members are afforded complete access to rehabilitation to help them get back into the active work force.

Each Canadian province and territory provides a medicare plan with comprehensive benefits covering hospital confinement, the service of medical doctors and other health practitioners, ambulance services, etc. In many cases, the benefits provided by these plans will pay all, or almost all, of the expenses you incur in your home province. When you are outside Canada and require these services, your provincial medicare plan will usually make a payment toward your expenses, but that payment is usually limited to the amount that would have been paid for the same service in the province in which you reside. Unfortunately, there is often a tremendous difference between the cost of these services outside Canada and the amount allowed by your medicare plan, which you would have to pay were it not for this valuable benefit.

When injuries or sickness require hospital, medical or therapeutic services, the company will pay benefits for the period this contract is in force, not exceeding $1,000,000 for the actual expenses incurred outside Canada that exceed the amount payable under any government hospitalization or medical plan in Canada.

i) Confinement as a resident in-patient in a hospital, including charges made by the hospital for services and supplies rendered by such hospital.

ii) Medical and Therapeutic Services

(a) the service of a legally qualified physician or surgeon

(b) laboratory tests and X-ray examination by a legally qualified doctor of medicine for the purpose of diagnosis

(c) the services of a registered graduate nurse

(d) the use of a licensed ambulance, or a licensed air ambulance

(e) rental of crutches or hospital type bed, or the cost of splints, canes, slings, trusses, braces or other approved prosthetic appliances

(f) the services of a legally qualified anaesthetist

(g) drugs or medicines that require a legally qualified physician’s written prescription

(h) services of a chiropodist, chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist or podiatrist

(i) expenses for accidental injury to natural and sound teeth (capped or crowned teeth are considered whole or sound natural teeth)

(j) charges for use of a local ambulance and/or the use of a scheduled air carrier on physician’s advice

(k) out-patient services provided by a hospital

Travel assistance centres worldwide will:

• Help locate the most appropriate medical facility for you

• Confirm coverage with American Home Assurance Company and assure the hospital that you are covered

• Guarantee payment for hospitalization, if necessary

• Arrange for admission to a hospital

• Provide translation services

• Contact your own doctor for recommendations, when required

• Arrange or coordinate emergency medical evacuation

• Coordinate your return home

Reimbursement of Eligible Charges to an overall maximum $1,000,000 submitted, subject to certain limitations as described in the insurance contract for:

• Convalescent home care

• Ambulance

• Diagnostic services

• Services of a registered nurse in your home

• Paramedical services:

Physiotherapist, Chiropodist, Speech therapist, Masseur, Naturopath, Osteopath, Chiropractor, Clinical psychologist, Podiatrist

• Hearing aids

• Accidental dental

• Prosthetic appliances:

artificial limbs and eyes, breast prosthesis, colostomy and ileostomy supplies, surgical stockings, wigs, arch supports, orthopaedic shoes and more

• Medical aids, appliances and supplies:

crutches, canes and walkers, aerosol equipment, mist tents, neutralizers, oxygen supplies, nerve stimulants, intermittent positive pressure breathing, apnea monitors, machines and sphygmonanonete, hospital beds, non-motorized and traction apparatus, motorized wheelchairs devises for treatment of diabetes

When a member or a dependant of a member leaves the group, application may be made for an individual plan, which would also include prescription drug coverage.

VISION CARE

If a member or a dependant incurs reasonable and necessary expenses for these services and supplies, they will be reimbursed as follows:

DENTAL CARE BENEFITS  
For Members and Their Families

Covered charges are charges up to the amount shown in the applicable Provincial Dental Fee Guide for needed dental care, services or supplies, as described below, and that are received while the member is covered for either a disease or an injury that is non-occupational.

Charges covered up to the benefit maximum for:

• oral exams, including cleaning teeth;

• periodontal scaling, root planing or equilibration;

• topical application of sodium or stannous fluoride;

• dental x-rays;

• fillings;

• extractions;

• oral surgery, including excision of impacted wisdom teeth;

• antibiotic drug injections;

• anaesthesia and its administration;

• space maintainers, including stainless steel crowns for baby teeth that have several cavities that would otherwise require filling or that are non-restorable using normal restorative dental materials;

• repairing, relining or rebasing of dentures;

• repairing, resurfacing or recementing of crowns, inlays, onlays or bridges;

• periodontic treatment for disease of the bone and gums of the mouth, including tissue grafts and occlusal guards;

• endodontic treatment, including root canal therapy;

• full or partial dentures;

• fixed or removable bridges;

• crowns;

• orthodontics (straightening teeth).

The range of covered charges will vary depending on the program design.

The Steelworkers’ Pay-direct Drug Card allows access to an intelligent electronic network that provides immediate verification of the member’s coverage and on-the-spot payment of eligible prescription drug claims anywhere in Canada.

The plan entitles all eligible members and their dependants to the following:

• all drugs that, by law or convention, require a physician’s or dentist’s prescription;

• insulin supplies including needles, syringes and diagnostic tests;

• all injectables including serums, vaccines and injectable vitamins;

• extemporaneous compounds prepared by a pharmacist.

The Steelworkers’ Pay-direct Drug Card is honoured by virtually every drugstore in Canada. To fill a prescription, present it along with your drug card to the pharmacist and pay any required deductible amount per prescription. You do not need to keep receipts for reimbursement. A card is also available for dependent children who are attending school away from home.