IUOE News February 2015

Benefits and Pension Plan Report
Benefits Plan 2014
Year in Review
Shawn Hatch,
Administrator
2014 was a busy year for the Operating Engineers’ Benefits
Plan.
The Operating Engineers’ Benefits Plan covered just under
$20 million in benefit coverage for the year providing a wide
range of benefits for just under 5,500 members and their
dependents.
The single largest benefit payment was to the Medical Services
Plan of B.C. at approximately $6.6 million.
Extended Health Benefit claims totalled just over $5 million
made up of:
• Drugs: $3 million
• Chiropractor, Physiotherapy & Massage Therapy: $915,000
• Vision Care: $540,000
• Medical equipment: $500,000
• Other: $58,000
• Out of Province Emergency: $32,000
Dental claims totaled just over $4.6 million.
Group Life Insurance premiums were approximately $1.2
million.
Weekly Disability claims totaled just over $1 million for the
year.
Our Great-West Life long term disability premiums totalled
just over $720,000.
Members are reminded that any Extended Health or Dental
claims incurred in the 2014 calendar year must be received
by Pacific Blue Cross no later than June 30, 2015.
Looking ahead, in 2015 Pacific Blue Cross is predicting
that the cost of Extended Health Benefits will increase by 10%
and the cost of dental claims will increase by 7.5%. Your board
of trustees has indicated there are no plans to increase member
premiums this year
Pacific Blue Cross has also indicated that they plan to
improve member services in 2015 by introducing electronic
claims submission for a number of service providers including
chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, optical
dispensers and optometrists.
When this new service is introduced members will not
have to submit claims, members will know the amount of
reimbursement immediately and members will not be out of
pocket while waiting for reimbursement. Watch for further
announcements.
BENTALL TRAGEDY
Remembering four who died on the job
The 34th Anniversary of the Bentall
Tragedy was on January 7th and representatives
from IUOE Local 115 were
there along with family members and
the public to remember the workers
who plunged to their deaths when a fly
form collapsed at the 36th floor of the
Bentall Centre Tower IV building in
1981.
Each year representatives from the
BC Building trades gather to remember
Gunther Couvreux; Brian Stevenson;
Donald Davis; and Yrjo Mitrunen.
They also come together to remember
the 898 construction workers that died
IUOE Local 115 Business Representatives
Craig McIntosh and Frank Carr, and
Business Manager Brian Cochrane
attended the ceremony.
The Bentall Memorial plaque.
from trauma and exposures since the
Bentall Tragedy. They gather at the
western corner of the park at the
Burrard Skytrain Station and laid
wreaths at the Bentall Memorial plaque.
News March 2015 21