DISABILITY WITH THE NATIONAL INSURANCE PLAN:
Over the past several months, I have worked with over 100 members who are retiring or trying to become disabled. I have been in contact with the RRB, United Health Care, Iron Road, Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, Metlife, Aetna and Eye Med to help members get all of the benefits that they are entitled to. For the following several emails, I want to explain what Disability looks like on
the Railroad. If you have members who would like information on how Disability works, give them my contact information.  Disclaimer - No two persons will ever retire or become disabled the same way. As I write about disability, I realize that there are many different ways a person can finish their Railroad Career. 'What I am outlining in this email is what I found that worked for Jon.  I received a call from Jon, age 51. He had just had his disability granted by the RRB. Jon had a lot of questions about insurance. The RRB does not give out information about Insurance, but they will tell Rails where to get information. Jon was given my contact information as he is a
member of GO-953.  Jon's Doctor had taken him out of service on 11-15-2019. He was diagnosed with a condition that would no longer allow him to work on the UP. Jon had 272 Months of service with a wife and children. Jon had applied for his disability in April 2020, and it was approved in a little over 11 months.
-The amount of time it takes to get a Disability Annuity granted is always variable. The age, amount of service months and severity of the applicant's condition all play a part in the time it takes to have an annuity granted.
Since Jon had over 240 months of service, he was able to qualify for a Job Specific Disability. He and his Doctors needed to show that he could no longer work as a Conductor in order to qualify for the disability annuity. - Had Jon been over 60, then 120 Months of service is all that is needed for a job-specific Disability. 
Q - Jon had been told that his families Insurance had ended on December 31st, 2020 and his
Health Insurance will end in August 2021. He wanted to know what was available to him?  Both Jon and his family are covered by the National Plan. Jon did receive Vacation pay in 2020. I did call Iron Road to make sure that Jon had the National Plan, just to be sure. I found that he did not have Iron Road.
A - Jon's family is entitled to Health Insurance for the rest of 2021. Jon and his family are entitled to Dental and Vision Insurance for the rest of 2021. Jon is entitled to Health Insurance until December 31, 2022. I had john go to the Railroad and get a Retired Rail Access code, which allows him to look at his e-payroll. He needed to get a copy of a pay period in 2020 that shows he received vacation. Then he needs to contact UHC Railroad Enrollment and apply for extensions on all of his and his family's Insurances. I also gave him a UHC fax number for verification of insurance, where he can send his pay stub. UHC will verify through the UP.  The Employee National Insurance Plan, for disability, is that Health Insurance is provided for two years after a year in which the member had compensated service for free. Dependents get
one year of Health Insurance after a year in which the employee has compensated service for free. Vacation in a year is considered to be compensated service.  In addition, Dental and Vision are provided for a year after a year that the employee has compensated service. UHC Railroad enrollment services 800-753-2692 takes care of all enrollment for all National plan Railroad Health benefits. Verification FAX: 248-733-6086
One of the problems that I often see is that members get the wrong idea of what their benefits are. Sometimes It Is from fellow rails, vendors, the internet or the UP. I have seen errors in the paperwork that the RRB or our Insurance companies have for a member. Always make sure you understand what benefits you should be getting in disability or retirement.  In Jon's case, a 30-minute call to me resulted In a year of Health Insurance for Jon's wife and kids. Another 18 months of Health Insurance for Jon. and Dental and Vision Insurance for Jon and his family. To replace this coverage would take more than $25,000.
Disability facts:
A rail cannot apply for a Disability Annuity until at least 5 months after the On Set of symptoms, and in no case can a rail apply for a disability while still working.  A disability annuity is figured the same way that a Railroad Retirement Annuity is figured. Tier 1 is based on the best 35 years of service. Tier 2 is based on the best 5 years of service. Once a Disability annuity is granted, it will be paid at full value, so there are no age reductions on a
disability annuity Disability Annuities will continue to receive a Cost of Living increase equal to what Regular RR Retirement annuities receive every year.
A Disabled Rail can work at "appropriate employment." The current maximum monthly amount that can be made is $1,020. Go over that monthly amount, and you lose your RRB annuity payment for the month.  Once a rai( is disabled, they are considered to be disabled until their full retirement age. Where those who Retire at an age under their full retirement age, they can make up to 18,960 per year until their full retirement age, those disabled must not make over the disabled rate until their full retirement age (67 if born after 1960). Once a person is granted a disability annuity, they can usually apply for early medicare 29 months after their onset date. Medicare is currently Free for Part A and $148.50 for Part B. Medicare is obtained through an application to the RRB. When a Disability Annuity is granted, and the rail meets the age and service requirements for either the Iron Road 60-30 or the National Plan GA-46000 Health plans, the rail can go on those
plans for both themself and their family.
Fraternally Yours,
Larry J. Romine
Reliable Retirement Solutions
541-910-4568
LJR@smart486.com