Active and Retired Members:  Listed below are updates regarding hourly benefits.  The information may or may not affect you.  If this information pertains to you and requires action on your part, please act promptly to activate the change.

Hourly Health Care Program-

Dependent Cancellation

Beginning August 6, 2008, GM will provide the opportunity for hourly Primary Enrollees (active employees, retirees, and surviving spouses) to cancel any dependent covered through the GM Health Care Program, who is no longer eligible without financial penalty.  The deadline for ineligible dependent cancellation is August 20, 2008, and the cancellation will go into effect September 1, 2008.  If all your dependents remain eligible for coverage you are not asked to do anything at this time.

To cancel an ineligible dependent, call the GM Benefit & Service Center at 1(800) 489-4646.  A special telephone response system has been set up to allow for cancellation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during this time frame.

 In the future, Primary Enrollees will be asked to provide documentation for those remaining eligible dependents.  Dependents found to be ineligible later may cause the Primary Enrollee to be penalized financially.  Please review the “GM Health Care Hourly Employees Dependent Eligibility Guide” to avoid future financial consequences and to confirm the eligibility of your dependents.

UAW/GM and Delphi Legal Services Plan Coverage

UAW members eligible for the Legal Services Plan must pay imputed income.  If both spouses work at either Delphi or GM, and have coverage as a retiree and surviving spouse from either company, they may be charged two imputed income amounts. 

 To avoid being charged twice, one eligible participant may now claim coverage for both eligible parties for tax purposes.  This will ensure that both parties are given the same level of legal services, and only one participant is charged with the imputed income.

To provide notice of dual coverage, or to delete or reinstate coverage, please call (800) 521-7818 extension 517.  Before placing the call, please have the names, social security numbers, location of employment, and local union numbers of eligible participants.

Notice of dual coverage must be received by Friday, September 26, 2008, which will be effective November 3, 2008.

 Medco/Medicare Part B–

Eligible Prescriptions

Effective August 4, 2008 General Motors hourly enrollees who have Medicare Part B and whose prescription drug benefit is managed by Medco will enjoy the benefit of Medco processing all eligible Medicare Part B prescription drugs and supplies.  What does this mean to you as an enrollee?  

First of all, our prescription benefit has not changed.  However, the process of filling an eligible Medicare Part B prescription has changed.

Please continue to use participating providers for your “Durable Medical Equipment” prescriptions, which are administered by (NPN) Northwood/National Provider. A prescription submitted to Medco and filled by Liberty Medical or Accredo may result in an additional out-of-pocket cost, which is not reimbursable.

 Secondly, this means that after a Medicare Part B-eligible prescription is submitted using the mail-order or retail pharmacy, Medco will forward the request to one of its Medicare Part B suppliers - Liberty Medical or Accredo.  Please be aware that a very limited amount of medications and supplies are eligible for Medicare Part B.  Medco will submit only eligible prescriptions to Liberty or Accredo.

 Prescription medications and supplies that are typically Medicare Part B eligible are listed below:

·        Diabetes supplies (insulin & needles)

·        Certain medications for organ transplants

·        Specific oral medications to treat cancer

·        A full range of ostomy supplies

·        Various inhalants used in nebulizers

     VEBA Letter

Retirees were recently mailed a letter regarding legal action related to the healthcare trust.  The plan is required by law to send these legal notices.  The letter describes part of the expected legal process for our type of VEBA.  No action is required at this time.

Active Hourly Life Insurance Premium Holiday

Due to favorable claims, Optional Life Insurance (OLI) monthly contributions will be waived for the month of September.  In addition, Dependent Life Insurance (DLI) contributions will be waived from September through December.

 Active Hourly Life Insurance Enrollment

MetLife will conduct a Life Insurance Enrollment from August 11 through August 22. During this enrollment, eligible employees will have the following options:

·        To increase their current amount of OLI and/or DLI by one coverage schedule without providing proof of good health.

·        To enroll for OLI and/or DLI at the lowest coverage schedule, without providing proof of good health.

·        To enroll for any higher level of coverage by answering five questions of health.

You can enroll at gmbenefits.com, or by calling 1(866) 607-9794.  Also, please take time to update your beneficiary online or by requesting a form through the above enrollment number.

 Congratulations and best wishes to Benefit Rep J.D. Jackson, who retired July 1^st. 

 This report was submitted by: Carrie Jackson, Retiree Benefit Rep. Region 1D