CAHP SERVING CALIFORNIA S FINEST Retirement Handbook
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT FROM THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL WE AT THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF HIGHWAY PATROLMEN EXTEND OUR BEST WISHES FOR A LONG, PROSPEROUS AND SUCCESSFUL RETIREMENT. As a retired member of the Association you have many rights and benefits. We welcome the opportunity to serve you now and in the future. This booklet, prepared by the CAHP, is a general description of what the Association can do to assist you as you transition from active to retired status. Please note the information provided herein only is a guide and subject to change without notice. If you have any questions, call us at (916) 452-6751. You also may e-mail us at info@thecahp.org or visit our Web site www.thecahp.org California Association of Highway Patrolmen 2030 V Street, Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 452-6751 (800) 734-2247 REVISED FEBRUARY 2007 Last printed: December 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS Important Phone Numbers Page 3 Your Association Dues Page 4 Payroll Deductions Page 4 Life Membership Requirements Page 5 Application for Life Membership Page 6 Representation Page 7 Legal Assistance Program Page 7 Continuing Health Coverage Into Retirement Page 8 Continuing Vision Coverage Into Retirement Page 8 Continuing Dental Coverage Into Retirement Page 8 Continuing Optional Insurance Into Retirement Page 9 Workers Compensation Page 9 CAHP Group Disability Plan (Salary Continuance) Page 9 Beneficiaries Page 10 CAHP Death Benefits Page 10 CalPERS Retirement and Death Benefits Page 11 Retirees Address Book Page 12 Publication Page 12 Windshield Decals Page 12 2
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS CAHP 2030 V Street, Sacramento, CA (916) 452-6751, (800) 734-2247 (916) 457-3398 fax www.thecahp.org info@thecahp.org CAHP Retired Representative Gordon Koolman, Retired Director (805) 237-2476 e-mail: gak4149@charter.net Insurances Blue Cross of California (800) 759-5758 CAHP Health Benefits Trust (800) 734-2247 CAHP Dental Blue Cross (800) 627-0004 Delta Dental (800) 225-3368 A+ Auto & Home Insurance Managed by California Casualty (800) 800-9410 COBRA Vision Service Plan (VSP) (800) 877-7195 Other CAHP Credit Union - Sacramento (800) 542-2247 CAHP Credit Union San Dimas (800) 451-2247 California Public Employees Retirement System (800) 352-2238 3
YOUR ASSOCIATION DUES Retired member dues are payable through payroll deduction. As a member of the California Public Employee s Retirement System (CalPERS), you must authorize this deduction. If you do not receive a pay warrant from CalPERS, you must make arrangements with the Association to pay your dues annually. Additionally, to continue your eligibility for CAHPsponsored insurance programs, your dues must be current. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS All payroll deductions, which are in effect while an employee is on the state payroll, automatically are canceled upon retirement. CalPERS deductions for dues payments and optional insurance premiums may be continued by authorizing a deduction from your retirement allowance. The Association, upon notification of a retirement, provides authorization forms for CAHP dues and Department-sponsored programs. Also upon the Department s notification, the Association sends correspondence to each member regarding their retirement. This notification is sent approximately two months after the effective date of retirement. Although membership dues typically lapse during this period, the member remains in good standing with the Association until CAHP dues deductions are reinstated. Correspondence to the member includes an authorization form for payroll-deducted membership dues as well as a bill for any lapse. Should there be a delay with the start of your payroll deductions, the Association will notify you of any further action you may need to take to protect yourself from a lapse of coverage. Please contact the Association with address changes. 4
LIFE MEMBERSHIP If you retired with 25 years of CAHP membership and CHP service, you are eligible for Life Membership. Life Members are exempt from paying membership dues. A written application, including your name, address and badge number, must be submitted with your request for Life Membership. If you would like to apply for Life Membership please complete the application on the next page and mail to: California Association of Highway Patrolmen Attention: Retired Membership Services Representative P.O. BOX 161209 Sacramento, CA 95816-1209 Please note that many Life Members, in recognition of the benefits provided by the Association, voluntarily continue to make a monthly contribution through payroll deductions. Contact the Membership Services Representative to set up voluntary payroll deductions. We have two levels of Life Membership from which to choose: Blue Life Membership: Blue Life Members do not have monthly payments to the CAHP deducted from their pension check. Gold Life Membership: Gold Life Members continue supporting the Association through voluntary payroll-deducted membership dues. *Retired dues are tax deductible Please note that members in both levels of Life Membership are equally important to the Association. 5
Member Name: CHP Badge #: Home Address: Home Phone: ( ) - CHP Appointment Date: CHP Retirement Date: According to CAHP By-laws, a person who has been a regular active member in good standing for twenty-five (25) years and has retired from the California Highway Patrol shall be granted life membership upon application to the Secretary of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. Life members shall have the same rights and responsibilities as regular members except with respect to dues. I understand the requirements for life membership and verify that the information I have provided on this application is accurate and qualifies me for CAHP life membership. Signature: Date: 6
REPRESENTATION CONTACT THE CAHP RETIRED DIRECTOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVE A retired director, elected at large, represents retired members in the Association. Additionally, two retired representatives, one from Northern California and one from Southern California also represent retired members. The director serves for three years and the representatives each serve two-year terms. If you need the Association s assistance, contact the director of retirees or the CAHP office, (916) 452-6751. LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Retired members no longer are subject to adverse action by the Department and therefore do not require representation during the course of an AA. However, the Board of Directors accept requests for legal or representational assistance and selects them on a case-by-case basis. Generally, these requests should be related to the member s retirement status. 7
CONTINUING HEALTH COVERAGE INTO RETIREMENT If you are enrolled in a CalPERS health plan at the time you retire and your effective date of retirement is within 120 days of your separation date, your coverage will continue without interruption. However, if the Department and CalPERS do not approve your retirement within 30 days from your date of separation, please refer to the CalPERS Health Plan Guide (PERS-HBD-99) or contact CHP Personnel Services, CHP Employees Benefits Unit for additional information, (916) 375-2510. The CalPERS Health Plan Guide is available on the CalPERS web site at www.calpers.ca.gov. CONTINUING VISION COVERAGE INTO RETIREMENT State-sponsored vision benefits are not offered upon retirement. However, a retiring employee may continue coverage for 18 months through COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). For more information regarding the COBRA vision plan, including cost, contact CHP Personnel Services, CHP Employee Benefits Unit, (916) 375-2510. CONTINUING DENTAL COVERAGE INTO RETIREMENT If you are enrolled in a dental plan prior to your retirement, retire within 120 days after your date of separation and receive a retirement allowance from CalPERS, you are eligible to continue enrollment in a dental plan. To continue coverage into retirement, it is necessary to complete and submit a new Dental Plan Enrollment Authorization form (STD. 692) in order for CalPERS to establish the dental deduction in the retirement payroll system. This information is mailed by CHP Personnel Services, Employee Benefits Unit. The State of California will allow a CAHP member who is a Unit 5 employee (R05), or a uniformed California Highway Patrol officer who is designated as Supervisorial (SO5), Managerial (M05), or Exempt (E99) to make a one-time election at retirement to enroll in the CAHP indemnity dental plan for the duration of retirement or select a state-sponsored dental plan. This provision does not apply to employees who retired prior to Sept. 30, 1992. The one-time election form will be included with the STD. 692 you will receive from CHP Personnel Services. Employees who retired within 120 days but elect not to enroll in a dental plan, or who are not enrolled in a dental plan upon retirement, may do so during a subsequent open enrollment period. 8
CONTINUING OPTIONAL INSURANCE INTO RETIREMENT While an active member, you may have had CAHP-sponsored Optional Life, Dependent Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, auto and/or home premiums automatically deducted from your pay warrant. These premiums would have been deducted under the CAHP INS BT code. If you were enrolled in any of these programs, rest assured they can be transferred into retirement and set up for payroll deductions with CalPERS. Please refer to the section PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. Enclosed with your retirement letter is an authorization form for insurance premium deductions for you to transfer your premium deductions to CalPERS. The deduction code then will appear as CAHP- METLIFE on your retirement warrant. If you are enrolled in the A+ Auto & Home Insurance payroll deduction program, contact them directly to request that your account/payroll deductions be transferred to CalPERS. A+ Auto & Home Insurance 1650 Telstar Drive Managed by California Casualty Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (800) 800-9410 WORKERS COMPENSATION There are some medical conditions that may be presumed to be job-related if they manifest themselves within 5 years after the last day of work. These presumptive conditions include heart trouble, hernias, cancer, blood-borne infectious diseases, meningitis, injuries resulting from exposure to biochemical substances and low back impairment. In the case of potentially job-related injuries or illnesses arising after retirement, a claim must be filed with the Workers Compensation Appeals Board within certain time frames. It is very important you advise your health plan of this condition. To file a claim, contact a workers compensation attorney for assistance. CAHPrecommended attorneys advertise in the APB, or call the CAHP Work Comp Helpline, (916) 452-6751. CAHP GROUP DISABILITY PLAN (SALARY CONTINUANCE) This coverage automatically terminates the date of your retirement and cannot be continued into retirement. 9
BENEFICIARIES Members should verify that their named beneficiary with the Association is current. Remember, when a change of beneficiary is made with the Department or CalPERS, this DOES NOT update your beneficiary designation with the Association. If you wish to check your current beneficiary designation listed with the Association or request a beneficiary designation form, contact the Association, at (916) 452-6751. To protect the confidentiality of our records, only the member may make verbal requests. CAHP DEATH BENEFITS Upon membership in the CAHP, members are provided with a death benefit at no cost. This includes basic life insurance and a potential benefit from the CAHP Widows and Orphans Trust Fund. The basic life insurance is an automatic $5,000 term life insurance plan (no age limit) which provides an additional $5,000 of accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage until the member reaches age 65. The premiums for this basic life insurance are paid by the CAHP. SCHEDULE OF BENEFITS Member s Age Primary Life 24-hour AD&D Under 65 $5,000 $5,000 Over 65 $5,000-0- The CAHP established the Widows and Orphans Trust Fund to ease the financial burden associated with funeral expenses. The CAHP Widows and Orphans Trust Fund solely is funded by donations. All members are eligible for the potential benefit of $2,400 from the Trust, which may be paid to the surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, the benefit is paid to eligible dependents, based on age and financial need. For dependents over the age of 18, $1,200 will be offered to help pay burial expenses. To report a death or inquire about possible benefits, contact the Association. 10
CALPERS DEATH BENEFITS In the event of your death, your listed beneficiary will receive a lump sum of $2,000 under the CalPERS Survivor Benefits. Call CalPERS information center, (800) 352-2238. You also can call this number or go to your nearest CalPERS office to report a death. A number of CalPERS regional offices are located throughout the state. The Disability and Retirement Section of the California Highway Patrol will inform CalPERS of the death of an active employee or retired employee. CalPERS then will send a letter to the listed beneficiary, or next of kin, with information regarding benefits. It customarily takes up to two weeks for CalPERS to issue this letter. Additionally, the family should review any CalPERS letters and forms with a departmental representative since the benefit decisions are important. No documents should be sent to CalPERS until requested. If there are questions or concerns, the beneficiary or next of kin should contact the Association, (916) 452-6751, or the Disability and Retirement Section of the California Highway Patrol, (916) 375-2141. RETIREMENT AND CALPERS BENEFIT QUESTIONS Questions regarding retirement should be directed to: California Public Employees Retirement System P.O. BOX 942711 Sacramento, CA 94229-2711 (800) 352-2238 Web site: www.calpers.ca.gov When writing to CalPERS, include your full name, address, Social Security number and daytime telephone number. If you require special assistance, arrange an interview with a CalPERS representative or visit their Web site. 11
RETIREES ADDRESS BOOK The Association publishes a listing of retired members addresses and phone numbers for distribution to CAHP members. Due to confidentiality, this information only can be published with each member s authorization. Prior to publication, a coupon is included in the APB newsletter. Annuitants (spouses of deceased members) or retired members who want their names included in the directory must fill out the coupon and return it to the Association office. The Retirees Address Book is published approximately every 5 years. All members published in the book will receive a free copy. Members not published in the book may obtain a copy for $5 following the CAHP s receipt of payment and a written request. All requests should include payment and be sent to the Association office, to the attention of, Membership Services Representative. PUBLICATION The Association produces a monthly publication, the APB. As a retired CAHP member, you will continue to receive the newsletter. WINDSHIELD DECALS The Association provides a windshield logo to members in good standing. Since decals are not dated, they are valid for the lifetime of the vehicle. Members should remove decals when disposing of a vehicle. Contact the Association office to request a decal. No more than two decals will be mailed per request. 12
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