What to do when a retiree dies
1.Things You Should Have
Collect all relevant papers
and documents. This includes wills, insurance policies, annuities,
deeds, statements of ownership, bills and loans.
Originals or copies of death
certificates are needed for most agencies you need to notify; e.g. NYC
Teachers’ Retirement System, Social Security, etc.
2.Health and Welfare Coverage
The federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reduction
Act – COBRA, Public Law 99-2721, Title X – requires the New York City
Employee Benefits Program to offer the opportunity for a temporary
extension of group health and welfare coverage. This continuation
coverage pertains to ALL health benefits, including optional benefits
and Welfare Fund benefits. The rates charged for continuation coverage
are 102% of the group rates for a surviving spouse or dependent.
Under COBRA, the spouse or dependent child has the
responsibility to notify the Employee Benefits Program and the UFT
Welfare Fund within 60 days of the death of the retiree, divorce, legal
separation, or a child losing dependent status. Notification should be
sent by certified mail to:
NYC Employee Benefits Program
Attention: COBRA
40 Rector Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10006
212-513-0470
UFT Welfare Fund
Attention: COBRA
52 Broadway – 7th floor
New York, NY 10004
(212) 539-0500
3. Retirement Allowance
Return the last check
received after the death of the retiree. The Retirement System will
return to the beneficiary the pro-rated amount due for the days prior
to the member’s death.
Send an original death
certificate to the Teachers’ Retirement System, which will begin
procedures to notify the beneficiary(ies) if the retiree had selected
an option when he/she retired. Send the information to the address
below:
NYC Teachers’ Retirement
System
55 Water Street
New York, NY 10041
1-888-8NYCTRS (69-2877)
4. Welfare Fund
The Welfare Fund is extending coverage to surviving
spouse/dependents for an additional three months beyond the month the
member dies.
5.SHIP
You can terminate insurance and receive refunds of
any balances of the Supplemental Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) premium.
Your spouse may continue to be covered by SHIP with proper health
coverage (SHIP will explain). Write to:
UFT SHIP
52 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
(212) 228-9060
6. Reimbursements
Medicare, Part B.
If the retiree and/or the
spouse/domestic partner were Medicare eligible and paid for Medicare,
Part B, the surviving spouse/domestic partner or estate would be
eligible for the reimbursements up to the date of death of the retiree.
Write a letter to:
City of New York
Health Benefits Program
40 Rector Street
3rd Floor, Medicare Unit
New York, NY 10006
Optional rider reimbursement
The surviving
spouse/dependents are eligible for the reimbursements of the optional
rider up the date of death of the retiree. Contact:
UFT Welfare Fund
52 Broadway – 7th Floor
New York, NY 10004
(212) 539-0500
7.NYSUT Catastrophe
Contact Catastrophe Insurance in order to maintain
your coverage. Call 1-888-386-9788 or:
Marsh Affinity Group Services
P.O. Box 9186
Des Moines, IA 50306-9186
8. Social Security Administration
(Contact your local office)
Return the check received
after the death of member. Social Security does not reimburse any part
of the check.
Only the spouse may apply
for $255 toward burial from Social Security.
Send a death certificate.
9. Veterans Administration
(Contact your local office)
Reimbursement of up to $150
toward a purchased cemetery plot.
All other veteran benefits
the member may have been entitled to.
10. Please send a copy of the Death Certificate to:
UFT Membership Department
52 Broadway – 11th floor
New York, NY 10004
(212) 598-6855
11. UFT-RTC
For additional information contact:
UFT-RTC Pension Department
52 Broadway – 17th floor
New York, NY 10004
(212) 598-9536