2023 Archdiocese of Atlanta Meritain Group Plan Doc - Manual / Resource - Page 13
BENEFITS EXTENSION PROGRAM
If a Covered Person's coverage ceases due to termination of employment, reduction in hours, death of the
Employee, Spouse's divorce from the Employee, or the Dependent Child ceases to meet the Dependent
requirements; and the Covered Person has been covered under the Health Care Plan for at least 6 consecutive
months and is not eligible for Medicare or any other group coverage, benefits may continue for a maximum period
not to exceed 6 months (12 months for Priests who are incardinated with the Archdiocese) with payment of the
appropriate contribution. This election must be made and the contribution paid within 31 days of termination of
coverage. If the premiums are not paid when due, coverage lapses retroactively to the last day for which a premium
payment was received, and the affected member will not be eligible for reenrollment.
If health coverage is provided to a qualified beneficiary after a qualifying event without regard to Extension of
Benefits continuation coverage (e.g. as a result of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights
Act of 1994), Extension of Benefits continuation coverage will run concurrently with the other health coverage. In
other words, the maximum period of Extension of Benefits continuation coverage will continue to be measured from
the date of the qualifying event, regardless of whether other alternative coverage is provided.
While continued, coverage will be that which was in force on the last day worked as an active Employee. However,
if benefits reduce for others in the class, they will also reduce for the continued person.
Priest, Religious and Seminarian Coverage
In the event that Priests who are incardinated with the Archdiocese are unable to perform full and all duties for the
Archdiocese, they will no longer be eligible for coverage under the Health Care Plan, and will instead be covered
under either The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta High Deductible Health Plan or The Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Atlanta Senior Priest Medicare Supplemental Plan, as applicable.
In the event that Priests who are not incardinated with the Archdiocese, Religious, or Seminarians are unable to
perform full and all duties for the Archdiocese, and such Priest, Religious, or Seminarian has been covered under
the Health Care Plan for at least 6 consecutive months and is not eligible for Medicare or any other group coverage,
benefits may continue for a maximum period not to exceed 6 months with payment of the appropriate contribution.
This election must be made and the contribution paid within 31 days of termination of coverage. If the premiums
are not paid when due, coverage lapses retroactively to the last day for which a premium payment was received,
and the affected member will not be eligible for reenrollment.
Continuation of Participation for Employees Receiving Disability Benefits
Employees participating in the Health Care Plan who become disabled and who are eligible for benefits under the
Long Term Disability Income Plan may continue participation during all or a portion of the period of their disability.
During the period of continued participation, the Employee’s eligible Dependents may also continue participation
as long as Dependent contributions are paid.
Disabled participants may be entitled to receive Medicare benefits. In this event, the Health Care Plan will remain
primary.
The maximum period that participation may continue depends on the length of continuous service of the Employee
at the onset of the disability:
Continuous Full-Time Service
Less than 1 year
1 or more years
Maximum Continuation of Participation
6 months
12 months
Except as otherwise provided in this Extension of Benefits section, participation will end immediately if one of the
following occurs:
(1)
The participant becomes ineligible to receive disability income plan payments;
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