Page 17 - Work Force May 2021

Using your CSEA EBF dental and vision benefits out of state: Five things you should know
1. Check the EBF provider lists.
The best way to get the
most value out of your dental and vision benefits is to use a participating provider. With more than 4,000 dental offices and 15,000 vision providers in our network, you may be able to find a participating provider even
if you are out of state. Use our provider search tool at www.cseaebf.com for the most up to date lists.
2. Know who your insurance provider is and have your EBF ID ready.
The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund (EBF) provides dental and/ or vision benefits to the New York State CSEA membership
as well as more than 600
local government and public authorities. Once you have enrolled, you will receive an EBF Benefit ID card. You will need
to provide your EBF ID number when making an appointment. You can access your member number, view, print or order
a new ID card from the EBF Member Portal. Access the portal on a computer or a smart
phone by clicking or tapping the Member Portal link on the home page on the EBF website.
3. Our vision network is nationwide.
Effective June 1, 2016, EBF added more than 10,000 new participating vision providers. There are now EBF vision provider locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. EBF members and their
dependents can visit a plan provider whenever they need vision care services, wherever
they are,
throughout
the U.S. The
provider must contact Davis Vision to obtain authorization.
Effective Jan. 1, 2021 you can now get your eye exam and glasses/contacts at two separate visits.
While you can use a different provider for the exam and glasses/contacts, you must use
4.
the same provider to fill your prescription for your everyday wear glasses/contacts and occupational/VDT glasses (if this benefit has been negotiated).
If you cannot find a participating dentist, you can still have the work completed — especially if it is an emergency.
Our dental plans are structured in a way that allows
for substantial savings even at a non- participating dentist. Be sure to inform the dental office you do have dental insurance.
The dental office will complete a standard ADA claim and submit it to the
EBF for processing. EBF claim forms can be downloaded and printed from our website. Some dental offices may want to submit the claim electronically
If the office has questions about submitting your claim,
have them call us or visit the dental provider portal on our website. If the dental office
is unable to submit a claim directly to EBF, you will need
to submit the claim form along with a statement of services rendered. If you need assistance completing the form, call 800- 323-2732 and ask to speak to a dental representative.
Once the work is completed at an out of state non-participating dentist, expect to be charged upfront for all dental services
Once your claim is submitted, an EBF dental representative will process the claim and reimburse the eligible patient up to your dental plan’s schedule
of allowances. Plan summaries, each complete with a schedule of allowances, can be found on our website. If you are unsure which plan you have, you can use our benefit search tool on our website.
5.
To learn more about which dental and vision programs might be available to you, call 800-323-2732 or visit us online at www.cseaebf.com.
Summary of April Board of Directors Meeting
Editor’s Note:
this meeting was held via Zoom. In official business, the board:
• Swore in new Board of Directors
members Shana Davis and • Lovette Mootry.
Approved corrective rate action
to the Comprehensive Accident Plan with an anticipated
presented in the Standing Insurance Committee’s Report to the Board of April 15, 2021. Approved revisions to the
CSEA Financial Standards Code language, as contained in the Treasurer’s Report to the Board of April 15, 2021.
Approved the independent auditors report as presented
by the Special Audit Committee in their report to the Board of
of April 15, 2021.
• Approved the appointment
of Domingo Reyes of Local
844 (Southern Region) to the Southern Region Political Action Committee, as contained in the Standing Legislative Political Action Committee Report to the Board of April 15, 2021.
Questions concerning the summary should be directed to Statewide Secretary Richard Bebo, CSEA Headquarters, 143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210. (800) 342- 4146 or (518) 257-1253.
The Work Force
publishes a
summary of
actions taken
by CSEA’s Board • of Directors.
The summary
is prepared by
CSEA Statewide Secretary Bebo Richard Bebo
for union members.
ALBANY — To comply with state social gathering restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSEA has canceled in-person meetings and
effective date of the last quarter •
of 2021, as presented in the
Standing Insurance Committee’s
Report to the Board of April 15,
2021. April 15, 2021.
• Approved corrective rate • action to the Group Sponsored Disability Plan with an
anticipated effective date of • the first quarter of 2022, as
Approved the Directors’ Budget Committee report to the Board of April 15, 2021.
Approved the Standing Legal Committee Report to the Board
May 2021
The Work Force 17