Benefit Portability

A federal law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was designed to protect the health care coverage of individuals who switch from one job to another or leave a job without taking another one. To achieve this goal of making health care coverage more “portable,” the law limits the use of preexisting condition exclusions and eligibility restrictions based on health status.

This plan does not have any preexisting condition exclusions but does have a 12-month waiting period for transplants (please see Transplants). Prior medical coverage does not entitle a retiree, spouse or dependent child to credit toward the 12-month waiting period, except for continuous coverage under the Carpenters Health and Security Plan – For Employed Carpenters and the Secure-Horizons Medicare Managed Care Plan for group retirees.

This plan will automatically issue, without charge, a Health Benefit Plan Certification of Coverage that indicates the period of creditable coverage under this plan when coverage under this plan terminates.