What to Expect from the Health Care Reform Act
On March 23, President Obama signed a healthcare bill that will affect health plans across the country, including the Writers' Guild-Industry Health Fund.
While it is certain that changes are coming to the Health Fund, it is too soon to know exactly how the Health Fund will be affected by this new law. A few more legislative steps remain. When the current bill was passed by the House of Representatives on March 21, the House also passed a second bill, a reconciliation bill, that made changes to the first bill. The reconciliation bill must go back to the Senate for passage. We will not fully know the final shape of this healthcare legislation until the Senate has acted on the reconciliation bill.
Our legal team is hard at work, determining exactly what the effects on the Health Fund and its participants will be. In the coming weeks, as we learn more about the final legislation and the changes required of the Health Plan, we will communicate those changes to our participants in writing.
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Owner/Writer Rules Updated On 12/15/09
A revised owner/writer program containing updates voted in at the 12/15/09 meeting of the Board of Directors/Trustees.
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Let's Talk: Volume 25 Fall 2009 Number 3
1. Health News
2. Pension News
3. Dear Dorothy
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Let's Talk: Volume 25 Summer 2009 Number 2
1. Health News
2. Pension News
3. Dear Dorothy
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Let's Talk: Volume 25 Spring 2009 Number 1
1. Health News
2. Pension News
3. Dear Dorothy
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Lifestyle Classes Wellness Calendar - 2009
The Wellness Program offers several Comprehensive Health Management Programs each quarter to help
you and your family members maintain an excellent level of health and well-being. These will be higher
impact, more intensive courses that will run 3-6 weeks. These courses will provide in-depth support,
information, and motivation. All courses will require a commitment and class size will be limited. The
cost is $25.00 per class date.
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Health Benefits Bulletin: July 20, 2009
Consult the Health Benefits Bulletin for information about important changes to your health plan.
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Summary of Material Modifications
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Lets Talk: Volume 24 Fall 2008 Number 3
1. Health News
2. Pension News
3. Dear Dorothy
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Lets Talk: Volume 24 Summer 2008 Number 2
1. Health News
2. Pension News
3. Dear Dorothy
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Lets Talk: Volume 24 Spring 2008 Number 1
1. Health News
2. Pension News
3. Dear Dorothy
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New Nationwide Hospital/Medical Network and Elimination of Open Access Plan
Effective January 1, 2008, the Health Fund switched over to a single nationwide hospital and major medical network for all PPO and Open Access participants called the BlueCard®. Additionally, the Open Access Plan is no longer offered as a benefit plan option as of this date.
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October 2008 Health Fund % Change
The current Health Fund master contribution rate of 8.5% will decrease to 8.0% during the period October 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009.
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Celebrate a Year of Health and Fitness
Television Fund will be having an open house event to celebrate the one year anniversary of our Saban Center for Health and Wellness on October 19th.
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Lifestyle Classes Wellness Calendar - 2008
The Wellness Program offers several Comprehensive Health Management Programs each quarter to help
you and your family members maintain an excellent level of health and well-being. These will be higher
impact, more intensive courses that will run 3-6 weeks. These courses will provide in-depth support,
information, and motivation. All courses will require a commitment and class size will be limited. The
cost is $25.00 per class date.
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Lets Talk: Volume 22 Summer 2007 Number 2
1. Wellness Benefit How It Works
2. Health & Pension News
3. Pension Payment Verification
4. Dear Dorothy
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Lets Talk: Volume 21 Spring 2007 Number 1
1. Don't Understand Medicare?
2. Health News
3. Case Management
4. Pension News
5. Dear Dorothy
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Current Medicare Part D Information
Important Notice from the Writers’ Guild-Industry Health
Fund about Your Prescription Drug Coverage If You Have
Medicare Coverage.
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Lets Talk: Volume 20 Fall 2006 Number 3
1. Open Enrollment - Coming Soon
2. Health and Pension News
3. Medco News
4. All About Dependents
5. Dear Dorothy
6. Fast Facts
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Lifestyle Classes Wellness Calendar
The Wellness Program offers several Comprehensive Health Management Programs each quarter to help
you and your family members maintain an excellent level of health and well-being. These will be higher
impact, more intensive courses that will run 3-6 weeks. These courses will provide in-depth support,
information, and motivation. All courses will require a commitment and class size will be limited. The
cost is $25.00 per class date.
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Lets Talk: Volume 20 Summer 2006 Number 2
1. Summary of Compensation and Contributions
2. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benefit
3. RX Got Questions?
4. DEATH BENEFITS What You and Yours Should Know
5. Dear Dorothy
6. Fast Facts
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Lets Talk: Volume 20 Spring 2006 Number 1
1. Wellness Benefit
2. Generic Drugs
3. Pitch For Networks
4. More About Pension Statements
5. Audits, Direct Deposits, PPV
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Summary of Material Modifications - 9/19/05
1. Eligibility - Change in Status
2. Routine Mammogram Benefits
3. Emergency Ground Ambulance
4. Out of Area Benefits
5. Certified Retirees, Medicare and Fund Benefits - Plan Clarification
5. Lifetime Maximum
7. Total Disability
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New Medicare Coverage
On January 1, 2006, the federal government will begin offering a prescription drug benefit as part of Medicare. Enrollment for this benefit, called Medicare Part D, will begin on November 15, 2005. Recently, the Health Fund's Board of Trustees determined that once Medicare Part D goes into effect, the Health Fund will continue offering its Prescription Drug benefit to Medicare-eligible participants.
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Announcing Health Care Benefit Change
We are pleased to announce the following enhancement to the Wellness Benefits. Lifestyle classes
offered at The Motion Picture & Television Fund Health Centers (MPTF), located in the Southern
California area, and at the Actor’s Fund office and Al Hirschfeld Clinic, located in the New York area,
will be available to the Writers’ Guild-Industry Health Fund (WGIHF) participants.
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Lets Talk: Volume 19 Summer 2005 Number 2
1. What's Your Number?
2. Elder Connection
3. Qualified Domestic Partner
4. Certified Retiree Health Fund Coverage
5. The Most You'll Pay
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Summary of Material Modifications
The Writers’ Guild-Industry Health Fund released an updated version of the Summary Plan
Description in early May 2004. This communication will detail some clarifications to the SPD identified over the past few months.
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Lets Talk: Volume 19 Spring 2005 Number 1
1. The Industry Health Network
2. Health News
3. Pension News
4. Dear Dorothy
5. Important Numbers
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Health Fund and Pension Plan changes resulting from the 2004 Writers Guild of America Minimum Basic Agreement
- Health Fund Contribution Rate & Reporting Ceiling Changes
- Health Fund Earnings Minimum Increase
- Extended Coverage Program-Adjustment to Point Award
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Lets Talk: Volume 18 Fall 2004 Number 2
1. Compensation & Benefit Limits
2. Dear Dorothy
3. The Move to Medco
4. Retirement Options
5. Board of Trustees
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Important Dental Claim Change (effective September 1, 2004)
We are working with Delta Dental to improve claim handling, ensuring that claims are processed accurately and in the most timely manner……
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Understanding the New Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Program
You've probably begun to hear about the new Medicare-approved drug discount card and received information
about it.
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We Are Moving To Medco
In an effort to save money administratively, yet continue to provide the highest level of benefits to
our participants, the five major entertainment Funds (WGIHF, DGA, SAG, AFTRA AND MPI) formed
a Prescription Drug Collective.
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Benefit Changes (effective 5/1/04)
Rising health care costs continue to have a tremendous impact on the financial security of the Writers' Guild-Industry Health Fund. As part of its ongoing effort to manage this problem, the Board of Trustees voted to make several changes to the health plans...
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Lets Talk: Volume 18 Spring/Summer 2004 Number 1
- Let's Talk Alert - Surgery Centers
- Retirement Options(The Continuing Series)
- Dear Dorothy
- You Got It Coming
- Them Changes
- Dude, Where's My Dough?
- Board of Trustees
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Announcement of Changes In Health Care Benefits For 2004
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Lets Talk: Volume 17 Winter 2003 Number 5
- New Behavioral Health Benefit Provider
- I Paid My Dues
- Dear Dorothy
- Retirement Options
- Board of Trustees
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Lets Talk: Volume 17 Fall 2003 Number 4
- Dependent Premium
- MP&TV Health Centers
- Dear Dorothy
- Retirement Options
- Attention East Coast
- Change in Qualifying Earnings Amount
- Board of Trustees
- Benefits Fair!
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Lets Talk: Volume 17 Summer 2003 Number 3
- Keeping the Health Fund Healthy
- Pension Plan Amendments
- Dear Dorothy
- New Claims Procedures
- Having Trouble Getting Your Prescriptions Lately?
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Announcement of Changes in Health Benefits, Effective July 1, 2003
At its March 2003 meeting, the Board of Trustees of the Writers' Guild-Industry Health Fund made
difficult decisions regarding changes to the Health Fund.
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New Web Site Launched! Information is now at your fingertips as the Trust Funds launch the new web site. Please take some time to find out what's available on this new communication vehicle so that when you need information about your benefits, you will know where to find it. Almost everything which you are used to receiving in print is available online. But now, it is permanently accessible, searchable, and does not take up valuable space among your files and papers.
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Important Letter re: Mandatory Mail Order for Medications Taken on an Ongoing Basis: AdvanceRx.com is specifically designed to be used for your long-term medications. Effective July 1, 2003, all medications that you take on an ongoing basis must be filled through the mail service pharmacy.
When you start a new long-term medication, you may fill the original prescription plus one (1) refill at your local participating pharmacy. All subsequent refills must be obtained through AdvanceRx.com. IMPORTANT: Your local pharmacist will be unable to fill the prescription after one refill.
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Lets Talk: Volume 17 Special Edition 2003 Number 2
Special Edition: Keeping a Healthy State of Mind
Understanding Changes to Your Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Benefits
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Lets Talk: Volume 17 Winter 2003 Number 1
1. Who's Minding the Contributions?
2. Test Your Pension Knowledge
3. Summary Annual Report
4. Dear Dorothy
5. AdvanceRX.com Prescription Home Delivery
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Lets Talk: Volume16 Fall 2002 Number 4
1. An Improved Plan of Vision Benefits
2. Who Said Getting Old Doesn't Pay
3. Dear Dorothy
4. Test Your Dental IQ
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Lets Talk: Volume 16 Summer 2002 Number 3
1. Pension Check Gets Makeover!
2. Save A Tree: Use Electronic Claim Transmissions
3. Going Up! Increase in Minimums Trigger Increase in Eligibility Amount
4. Death Benefits: Who Gets What or Let the Fights Begin!
5. It's All in Your Cards: Beneficiaries and Death
6. Benefits under the PWGA Pension Plan
7. Dear Dorothy
8. Keep Smiling
9. More Drugs for less: AdvancesRX.com Prescription Mail Order
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Lets Talk: Volume 16 Spring 2002 Number 2
1. Extending Your Health Fund Coverage
2. FDA Ensures Equivalence of Generic Drugs
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Lets Talk: Volume 16 2002 Special Edition Number 1
Special Edition: Benefit Improvements and Modifications
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