BENEFITS BASKET
Your ability to bring home a paycheck is your most valuable asset. We help you protect it.
Short Term Disability coverage continues part of your pay for up to 26 weeks if you are ill or injured and unable to work.
This plan pays a benefit of up to 50% of your covered earnings – to a weekly maximum of $170. Benefit eligibility begins on the eighth calendar day of disability, subject to medical documentation. Contact your Human Resources representative for additional information.
Long Term Disability coverage can help protect your income if a major illness or injury prevents you from working for an extended period of time.
This plan pays a benefit of up to 60% of your monthly covered earnings – to a maximum of $10,000 per month. If you are disabled and unable to perform your job, LTD payments begin after 26 weeks. LTD benefits will be offset by any amount you are eligible to receive from other sources, such as Social Security or Workers’ Compensation.
Short-Term Disability
What is Short-term disability Insurance?
If you suffer a covered disability while insured by this plan, you’ll receive monetary benefits designed to help you maintain your normal lifestyle. This program covers disabling injuries or sicknesses that last beyond the benefit waiting period, whether they occur on or off the job.
What is the definition of disability?
To receive benefits under this plan, you must be disabled (as defined below) as a result of a covered injury or sickness, and you must be under the appropriate care of a licensed, practicing physician who is qualified to treat your disability.
Disabled means that, solely because of a covered injury or sickness, you are unable to perform the material duties of your regular occupation and you are unable to earn 80% or more of your indexed covered earnings. Injury means any accidental loss or bodily harm that result directly and independently of all other causes from an accident. Sickness means any physical or mental illness.
Eligibility
You are eligible if you are an active employee who works the minimum hours required per week on a regularly scheduled basis.
How long do I have to wait before benefits are paid?
Before collecting benefits, you must satisfy an elimination period following your date of disability. For your plan, this period is the later of any accumulated sick leave or 7 days of continuous disability from either accident or sickness.
How long will my disability payments continue?
Once you qualify for benefits under this plan, you continue to receive them until the end of the 26 weeks benefit period, or until you no longer qualify for benefits, whichever occurs first. You may be asked to periodically furnish proof of your continuing disability.)
If I am disabled can the benefit amount be reduced?
Yes. Your weekly Short term disability benefit may be reduced by any other income you receive.
Supplemental Short-Term Disability
The Voluntary Supplemental Short-Term Disability insurance program provides additional income replacement, beyond the New York State Disability plan, in the event you are unable to work due to a non-work related illness or injury.
Following the waiting period (7 days for sickness, 7 days for accident), the plan provides a benefit equal to an additional $100 per week or $200 per week of income, depending upon your election, less income you may receive from other sources. The benefit continues as long as you are disabled, up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
Long Term Disability
What is Long term disability Insurance?
If you suffer a covered disability while insured by this plan, you’ll receive monetary benefits designed to help you maintain your normal lifestyle. This program covers disabling injuries or sicknesses that last beyond the benefit waiting period, whether they occur on or off the job.
What is the definition of disability?
To receive benefits under this plan, you must be disabled (as defined below) as a result of a covered injury or sickness, and you must be under the appropriate care of a licensed, practicing physician who is qualified to treat your disability.
Disabled means that, solely because of a covered injury or sickness, you are unable to perform the material duties of your regular occupation and you are unable to earn 80% or more of your indexed covered earnings.
After benefits have been payable for 24 months, you are considered disabled if your injury or sickness makes you unable to perform all the material duties of any occupation for which you are (or may reasonably become) qualified by education, training or experience, and you are unable to earn 80% or more of your indexed covered earnings.
Injury means any accidental loss or bodily harm. Sickness means any physical or mental illness.
Eligibility
You are eligible if you are an active employee who works the minimum hours required per week on a regularly scheduled basis.
What coverage is available?
This plan pays a benefit of up to 60% of your monthly covered earnings – to a maximum of $10,000 per month.
Your benefit amount will be reduced by any amounts payable to you by any sources listed under the “Effects of Other Income Benefits” section. Your benefit amounts will also be reduced if you are not working and it is determined by independent medical specialists that you could work to your level of optimum ability.
Covered earnings means your wages or salary, excluding overtime pay, bonuses, commissions and other extra compensation.
When can I enroll?
You can enroll any time within 31 days following the date you become eligible for coverage. If you decide to enroll later, you will have to provide acceptable evidence of good health. This may require a medical examination.
How long do I have to wait before benefits are paid?
Before collecting benefits, you must satisfy an elimination period following your date of disability. For your plan, this period is 180 days of continuous disability.
How long will my disability payments continue?
Once you qualify for benefits under this plan, you continue to receive them until the end of the benefit period, or until you no longer qualify for benefits, whichever occurs first. You may be asked to periodically furnish proof of your continuing disability).
If I already have disability coverage, do I have to do anything?
If you already have disability coverage and wish to maintain the same coverage, you do not have to do anything.
Exclusions and Limitations
Disability Benefits will not be paid for a disability that results directly or indirectly from any of the following:
Maximum Benefit Period
This is the maximum length of time for which the plan will pay Disability Benefits to a disabled employee. Benefit payments may end earlier if you no longer qualify under the terms or conditions of this policy.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Pre-existing conditions are defined as any injury or sickness for which you have incurred expenses, received medical treatment, care or services including diagnostic measures, took prescribed drugs or medicines, or for which a reasonable person would have consulted a physician prior to the most recent effective date of insurance. This limitation will apply to any added benefits or increases in benefits.
Disability Benefits will not be paid if the disability results from pre-existing conditions until you have been disabled for the number of months specified in your policy. Except for any benefits in excess of a prior plan’s coverage, you will receive credit if you have fulfilled all or a part of your previous group disability plan’s pre-existing condition requirement immediately.
Rehabilitation Plan Participation
If you are qualifying for Disability Benefits under this plan, you may be approached as a suitable candidate for a Rehabilitation Plan, based on individual circumstances. While the terms and specifics of each Rehabilitation Plan are unique to each individual, the Rehabilitation Plan may, at the plan’s discretion, allow payment of your medical, education, moving, retraining, accommodation or family care expenses by us.
If you are approached as a suitable candidate for a Rehabilitation Plan and refuse such assistance, Disability Benefits will not be payable until you agree to participate in our rehabilitation efforts.
A Rehabilitation Plan is a written plan designed to enable you to return to work. It can consist of educational, vocational, physical rehabilitation or other services as well as work including modified and part-time work.
Return to Work Incentive Benefit
To enable you to return to work on a limited- duty or part-time basis while receiving Disability Benefits under this plan, a Work Incentive Benefit has been included.
If you are disabled and return to work in a limited capacity while receiving Disability Benefits, you may continue to receive benefits. During the first 24 months that monthly benefits are payable, benefits would only be reduced to the extent necessary to ensure that the combination of this plan’s benefit, work earnings and Other Income Benefits do not exceed 100% of the individual’s pre-disability Covered Earnings.
After the first 24 months, benefits payable under this plan are reduced by 50% of your current earnings received during any month you works. Benefits would be further reduced, if necessary, to the extent required to ensure that the combination of plan benefits, work earnings and Other Income Benefits do not exceed 80% of your Indexed Covered Earnings.
Work Incentive Benefits are payable for the Maximum Benefit Period or until you no longer qualifies for these benefits.
Termination of Disability Benefits
Benefits will end on the earliest of the following dates:
The information in this website is intended to provide highlights of the Benefits of Caring program, but in no way do the descriptions presented in this website supersede the provisions contained within the Catholic Health & Welfare Benefits Plan (the “Plan”), or the Plan’s Summary Plan Description, or any relevant insurance contract. In the event of any discrepancies, the actual provisions of the relevant insurance contract Plan document will prevail. Employees represented by a union should contact their union or HR benefits representative as applicable for benefit information. Catholic Health, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to amend or discontinue any or all of the benefits under the Plan and any or all of the programs within its Benefits Program at any time. Participation in the Benefits of Caring Program does not give you any right to continued employment. In addition, note that this Plan is intended and designed to be administered consistent with the tenets of the Catholic faith. Therefore, the Plan will not cover any costs or benefits that do not comply with the Ethical and Religious Directives of the Catholic Church.
