 As a member of the MTABF your are entitled to a fully paid, confidential financial review with a certified financial planner from Stacey Braun Associates. Stacey Braun Associates is committed to discussing your financial concerns & are offering financial consultations via phone or secure Zoom sessions. They will be available for these consultations on the following dates:  If these dates do not work for you, you can still contact Stacey Braun & they will work with you to find a mutually convenient time. Phone: 888.949.1925
Log in: mahopac PW: money 
Members who take advantage of web meetings, will still be able to have in person one on one meetings later once Stacey Braun resumes offering them. By offering a web meeting and face to face meeting later Stacey Braun hopes to prevent member’s from using the change to procrastinate or delay their use of the program and mitigate consultation bottle-necks down the road. Call Stacey Braun @ Telephone: (888) 949-1925 More Info on Financial Counseling: https://www.mtabenefitfund.org/financial-counseling.html
To help increase your awareness of home title fraud, how to avoid it and what to do if they think they have been victimized, please read the attached informational article. Under our legal services program, our firm’s attorneys, Mirkin & Gordon, are available for consultation for members who think they have been victimized. 
 Please be aware that the NYS Department of Financial Services has advised that patients are NOT TO BE CHARGED for personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves and gowns, (collectively “PPE”) by dentists who participate in an insurer’s participating provider network Additionally, healthcare providers are to REFUND fees charged to patients.  If YOU are moving, getting married (or divorced), or expecting a new arrival from the stork, etc., it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to update the MTABF. Fill out a new enrollment form and check the box that says change of status. Include a copy of the needed documentation. Without this information you will not be able to file for claims reimbursement.  CHANGE OF STATUS If you are getting married (or divorced) this summer or expecting a new arrival from the stork, moving, et al., it is your responsibility to update the benefit fund. Fill out a update enrollment form and check the box that says change of status. Include a copy of the needed documentation. Also don’t forget….. If you are submitting a claim form for The Variable Fund benefit, the plan year ends June 30th. Claims must be filed and postmarked no later than July 31st, 2020. Claims that are not properly completed or filed after July 31st will be returned to the member. The plan year runs from July 1 2019-June 30, 2020. Please fill in the claim form and submit it with proper documentation to The Preferred Group. If you are not sure if you have used up your variable benefit please contact Preferred 518-641-0321. The Variable Fund provides reimbursement up to $650.00 for all in network medical co-pays, prescriptions, optical, and charges in excess of the dental plan fee schedule. Please visit the website www.mtabenefitfund.org for a complete list of benefits.  The CARES Act provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers and families, small businesses, and preserves jobs for American industries. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? Everything you need to know is provided in a half-hour webinar that was prepared by the financial planners at Stacey Braun Associates, Inc., the firm that offers our Financial Counseling Program. Learn what the government has made available to you during these stressful times and know what your options are to keep your personal finances in order. You can access the webinar at: https://vimeo.com/414045605/bca7bdc26e  MTABF has knowledge of 16 people RETIRING THIS SPRING. We want to make sure everyone gets the info to continue their MTABF BENEFITS.... which are DIFFERENT FROM & IN ADDITION TO what MCSD offers you. If you are RETIRING (or know someone who is) please contact Christine at: MTABenefitFund@gmail.com Forms & virtual meetings will be forthcoming in June.  For those who are ALREADY RETIRED re-enrollment packets were mailed by Preferred on Friday, May 15th. Dear Retiree, We hope that this letter finds you in excellent physical and mental health and enjoying your retirement. Enclosed with this letter you should find 3 things:
There is one change to certain retirement plans that we need to bring to your attention. If you choose to maintain a LEGAL BENEFIT with the MTABF, there is an annual increase of $6.00 ($0.50 monthly) to the plan. There are no other changes to the plan. `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` There are a variety of ways to keep yourself informed of all MTABF updates: ❖ Website: www.mtabenefitfund.org ❖ Facebook: www.facebook.com/MTABF ❖ Twitter: twitter.com/MTABF1 ❖ Sign up for email updates by emailing: mtabenefitfund2@gmail.com Working with YOU, for YOU, The MTABF Trustees  Reminder... if you decided to pay for your dependent(s) dental in 3 installments, # 3 is due to Preferred by May 31st. Get all the info here: https://www.mtabenefitfund.org/blog-news-4-u/dont-forget-enroll-for-dental-for-2020-2021-school-year-now THIS WAS EMAILED TO ALL EMPLOYEES FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE ON MAY 8TH. THE MTABF ARE PASSING THE INFORMATION ON & IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF YOUR AETNA HEALTH INSURANCE. PLEASE CONTACT THE DISTRICT OFFICE REGARDING ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE PERTAINING TO THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and the closure of the Mahopac School District, the open enrollment period for health insurance changes and buyout elections has been changed to AUGUST 15 - SEPTEMBER 15, 2020. Please carefully read the attached notification. Have a good day. Michele M. Bellantoni Health Benefits Assistant/District Office bellantonim@mahopac.org (845) 628-3415 x10200 (845) 628-0261 Fax 
 If you would like to take advantage of a 3 month payment plan each payment is due no later then:
 FROM MIRKIN & GORDON: The Governor issued an Executive Order addressing “remote witnessing” (for the duration of “the Disaster Emergency”). The Executive Order states as follows: “For the purposes of (citing several New York State statutes), the act of witnessing that is required under the aforementioned New York State laws is authorized to be performed utilizing audio-video technology provided that the following conditions are met:
 FROM MIRKIN & GORDON We thought you and your members might be interested to learn that student loan relief is contained in the CARES Act. It includes an automatic 6½ month suspension of loan payments and interest. This may be particularly helpful to family members who have lost their jobs or been temporarily furloughed and now have less income to pay their bills. Attached is a summary of the student loan relief for borrowers for you to distribute to your members.
 Raymond Opticians has been deemed an essential business by Empire State Development & will continue to provide the best possible vision care for your members and their families. The following is the information that they have provided to the MTABF: We have suspended all Routine Eye Exams throughout our offices as per CDC recommendations. We are, however, open for business to handle your members essential Vision Care needs. At this time we are still capable of providing prescription eyewear, eyewear repairs, and contact lens replacements. We have limited staff and have limited the hours of operation at all offices. We have also temporarily closed some stores that we feel we're not essential due to their close proximity to other Raymond Opticians locations. If any of your members are having trouble getting ahold of their "home" store please ask them to check our website for a nearby store. Our hours are constantly changing in this very fluid situation but as of now we are reachable Monday through Friday from 10a-4p at most offices on an alternating basis. https://raymondopticians.com/ We have been getting phone calls from patients who do require eye emergency visits. We have an extensive team of referring Ophthalmologists who are able to handle any emergency eye issues that your members and families may have. We are in constant contact with these local Eye Care Professionals and are willing and able to help with the referral process. Most of these offices would handle claims through your members Medical Insurance (this will be separate from the usual Raymond Opticians Vision Insurance.) We are hoping to resume Routine Eye Exams at Raymond Opticians by sometime in May CHECK THEIR WEB SITE FOR Latest INFO: https://raymondopticians.com/
Financial planners are available to meet via web or phone conference. They can accommodate evening and day time appointments. Please contact Stacey Braun Associates, Inc. At 888-949-1925 for more information. |
MTABF
P.O. Box # 656 Baldwin Place, NY 10505 Phone: 845.380.8629 Find out what's going on & what deadlines you don't want to miss.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Photo used under Creative Commons from Damian Gadal
