Enrollment

What You Need to Know

The California Service Employees Health and Welfare Trust Fund (the Fund) provides medical, prescription, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits. Your eligibility and coverage details vary based on the collective bargaining agreement that covers you.

If you have any questions concerning eligibility or the benefits that you or your family are eligible to receive, please contact the Fund Office.

Section Shortcuts

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Eligibility
Enrolling in Coverage
When Coverage Ends

Eligibility

Each collective bargaining agreement (Union contract) has different rules for eligibility, and there may be a waiting period. After you meet the waiting period, generally you become eligible after you work a certain number of hours and your employer makes the required contribution. Refer to your collective bargaining agreement for details.

Dependent eligibility

Note: Not all collective bargaining agreements provide coverage for dependents.

If your collective bargaining agreement provides dependent coverage, your dependents become eligible at the same time you become eligible or the date the dependent is acquired (e.g., marriage, birth, or adoption). Dependents include your legal spouse or domestic partner, and your children under the age of 26 (biological, adopted, stepchildren, and those for whom you’re a legal guardian).

You must complete an enrollment form to add eligible dependents within 60 days of marriage, birth, or adoption. If adding a spouse, you must include a copy of your marriage certificate. If adding a child, you must include a copy of the child’s birth certificate. Note that special rules apply for covering domestic partners. See the Summary Plan Description for details.

It is important that you notify the Fund Office in the event that:

You change your home address
You wish to change your beneficiary (for life insurance)
You change your SSN and/or legal name
You become disabled
There is a change in your family status (marriage, birth, adoption, death, divorce, etc.)

Enrolling in Coverage

How to enroll if you are a new member

You become eligible for benefits after you meet the waiting period, work a certain number of hours, and your employer makes the required contribution. You must complete an enrollment form to activate your benefits.

Life event changes

Contact the Fund Office within 60 days after a life event to add a dependent to your coverage. Life events include marriage, divorce, birth, adoption, and legal guardianship. See the Summary Plan Description for details.

Coverage for newly eligible dependents is effective as of the date of the event, if your enrollment form is submitted within 60 days of the event.

When Coverage Ends

Your coverage ends when you don’t meet the eligibility requirements or your employer stops participating.

When dependent coverage ends

Dependent coverage ends when your coverage ends, when a child reaches the age-26 limit, or if you get divorced (for your spouse or stepchildren).

When you retire

If you retire while you are a covered active member, your coverage may be able to be continued if you meet the eligibility requirements. You will have a choice between electing retiree coverage or temporary continuation of benefits under COBRA. See the Summary Plan Description for details.

Continuing coverage under COBRA

When your coverage ends, you and your dependents may be eligible to continue some of the same coverage for a limited time under COBRA. When coverage ends, you will receive a COBRA notice from the Fund Office. If you want to continue coverage under COBRA, you must complete and return the form within 60 days and pay the premium within 45 days of your COBRA coverage election date. If you are already age 65 when your active coverage ended, you will not be eligible for COBRA.

See the Summary Plan Description for details.

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