Home Care For Your Benefit Magazine - Winter 2010-2011

1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds 330 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036-6977 www.1199SEIUBenefits.org ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID New York, NY Permit No. 3700

DEDICATED TO THE HEALTH & WELL-BEING OF 1199SEIU MEMBERS

WINTER 2010-2011

For Your Benefit EN ESPAÑOL p10

Working to Protect Our Health Benefits We know times are tough – make sure you get

THE MOST out of our tax prep program

1199SEIU NATIONAL BENEFIT FUND FOR HOME CARE EMPLOYEES SUMMARY OF MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As you know, our 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees has constantly faced funding challenges. Over the years, our Benefit Fund, the Union and your employers have pursued every possible funding source and have fought to maintain your benefits, despite these financial pressures. In our last special Home Care edition of For Your Benefit, back in 2008, we told you about how we had succeeded for the time being by partnering with the State and Fidelis Care to create the 1199SEIU Fidelis FHP plan. In that time, we have worked closely with Fidelis to make sure you are getting the quality care you need and deserve. But as hard as we have worked, lack of any new funding and continually increasing costs have forced our Benefit Fund Trustees to make hard choices.The hardest, and most recent, of these was eliminating benefits for your dependents in order to preserve coverage for working members.We know that this change will be difficult, and want you to know that our priority, as always, is easing this transition for you and your families in any way we can.Your Benefit Fund is here to support you.

In this issue

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In this edition of For Your Benefit, we will outline these changes in your plan, and how your Benefit Fund will be helping you through the transition.We include information on applying for alternative coverage for your children and the resources that are available to you. And of course, during this time our Member Assistance Program and Outreach Coordinators, as well as your Union delegates, will be available to help you in any way that they can.

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Rising Costs and Lack of State Funding Mean Significant Changes for Home Care Workers with Children

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If You Have a Dependent Child and Haven’t Applied for CHP Yet, There’s Still Time

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Thousands of Dollars More in Your Pocket at Tax Time?

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Supporting You On and Off the Job

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Your Rights Under the Women’s Health and Cancer Act

So be sure to take full advantage of all the benefits your Funds offer. If you have any questions about your coverage or benefits, our Member Services Representatives are always ready to help you at (646) 473-9200.

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During Flu Season, Staying Healthy Is Everyone’s Top Priority

Sincerely,

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1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda Lost 42 Pounds and Found a New, Healthier Way to Live

We are also including information on our valuable programs beyond health benefits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit Assistance Program that many of our Home Care members have come to depend on.This tax preparation program has helped 1199SEIU Home Care workers get thousands of dollars back at tax time, and we encourage you to take advantage of it. And you will read about the support we offer on and off the job through our Member Assistance and Citizenship programs, and after retirement with your 1199SEIU pension.

This Summary of Material Modifications describes changes that affect your welfare benefit plan and updates the Summary Plan Description (employee booklet) that was previously distributed to you. You should keep this summary with your current employee booklet until the booklet is updated to reflect the changes discussed herein. ____________________________ Effective January 1, 2011, Section I.B. of the SPD, entitled “HOW DEPENDENTS BECOME ELIGIBLE,” and all references to dependents and dependent children, are hereby eliminated. ____________________________ This summary only highlights the key changes made to the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees. Summaries of material modifications together with the Summary Plan Description make up your official plan descriptions; please keep them together and refer to them as necessary. We have made every attempt to insure the accuracy of the information in this summary and the Summary Plan Description. However, if there is any discrepancy between them and the plan document, insurance contracts or other legal documents, the legal documents will always govern. If you would like to review the plan document or have any questions, please contact the Fund’s Member Services Representatives at (646) 473-9200.

The Fund believes it is a “grandfathered health plan” under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act). As permitted by the Affordable Care Act, a grandfathered health plan can preserve certain basic health coverage that was already in effect when that law was enacted. Being a grandfathered health plan means that this plan may not include certain consumer protections of the Affordable Care Act that apply to other plans, for example, the requirement for an external review process for claims appeals. However, grandfathered health plans must comply with certain other consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act, for example, the elimination of lifetime limits on benefits.

NOTICE

Pursuant to U.S. Department of Labor Regulation 2520.104-22 (“Regulation”), the 1199SEIU Bill Michelson Home Care Education Fund (the “Fund”) is exempt from the reporting and disclosure requirements of Part 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). In accordance with the requirements of the Regulation, the Fund is providing the following information: The official name of the plan is the 1199SEIU Bill Michelson Home Care Education Fund.

The Employer Identification Number of the plan sponsor is 71-1028611.

The plan administrator is the Board of Trustees of the Fund and its duly authorized designees and subordinates.

Descriptions of any existing or anticipated future course of study sponsored or established by the Fund, including prerequisites for enrolling in such course, and a description of the procedure by which to enroll in such course, can be obtained by visiting or writing to: Board of Trustees, 1199SEIU Bill Michelson Home Care Education Fund, 330 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Information can also be obtained by calling the Member Services Department at (212) 494-0555.

Copies of this Notice may be obtained by contacting the Member Services Department.

Questions regarding the Fund's status as a grandfathered health plan and which protections apply can be directed to the Fund at (646) 473-9200. You may also contact the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor at 1-866-444-3272 or www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform. This website has a table summarizing which protections do and do not apply to grandfathered health plans.

The plan sponsor of the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees reserves the right to amend or terminate the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees, or any part of it, at any time.

Mitra Behroozi Executive Director 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds

FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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This Summary of Material Modifications describes changes that affect your pension benefit plan and updates the Summary Plan Description (“SPD”), or employee booklet, dated November 2008, that was previously distributed to you. You should keep this summary with your current employee booklet until the booklet is updated to reflect the changes, all generally effective December 2009, unless otherwise indicated.

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I.

Pension Protection Act: Rehabilitation Plan

The Federal law, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (the “PPA”), calls for comprehensive pension reform and requires substantial changes to restore the financial health of multiemployer pension plans like the Plan. The Plan was certified by its actuary as being in “critical status” for the Plan years beginning on January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010.

This means that the Plan’s actuary projects that, if no further action is taken, the Plan will have an “accumulated funding deficiency” for the Plan year beginning January 1, 2011.

Note, “accumulated funding deficiency” means that scheduled contributions would be insufficient to satisfy Federal requirements. But it does not mean that the Plan would become insolvent and compelled to seek relief from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Under the PPA, the Plan will no longer be in “critical status” when its actuary certifies that, generally, the Plan will not have an accumulated funding deficiency for the current Plan year and any of the 9 succeeding Plan years.

As required by the PPA, on June 26, 2009, the Board of Trustees adopted a Rehabilitation Plan, consisting of a Preferred Schedule and a Default Schedule, that reflect changes in employer contributions, adjustable benefits, future benefit accruals and other areas. These changes, according to the actuary’s reasonable assumptions, are intended to allow the Plan to emerge from critical status by the end of the Rehabilitation Period, the 13-year period beginning on January 1, 2012 and ending on December 31, 2024.1 The law requires that until an employer and the Union enter into an agreement that adopts one of the Schedules, that employer must pay a surcharge on its monthly contributions.

The changes under each Schedule are described below. See the Rehabilitation Plan for more detail. Certain capitalized terms not defined below are defined in the Plan or the SPD. 1.

Preferred Schedule

Section V of the SPD, “Calculating Your Pension Benefits,” pp. 40-50, will be amended to reflect the following changes to benefits attributable in Credited Future Service.

Credited Future Service: The following provisions apply to you if your employer contributes at the rates under the Preferred Schedule, and your first Hour of Credited Future Service under the Plan is accrued on or after August 1, 2009.2 Except as provided below, your Credited Future Service accrual rate (i.e., the rate at which benefits are earned as a result of Credited Future Service) is 1.60% of your ten-year Average Final Pay, multiplied by the number of years of Credited Future Service.

However, (i) if you were covered by a collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) which was executed prior to August 1, 2009, or (ii) were a member of one of the bargaining units listed in Appendix A of the Plan, your Credited Future Service accrual rate is 1.85% of your five-year Average Final Pay, multiplied by the number of years of Credited Future Service, provided that: 1) you were a member of the bargaining unit as of August 1, 2009, 2) a CBA requiring that contributions be made at the Preferred Schedule Contribution Rates was in effect as of, and was executed on or before, December 1, 2009, and 3) you were or are covered by the foregoing agreement as of your Applicable Effective Date (i.e., the date your employer became obligated to contribute to the Plan on behalf your bargaining unit).

“Average Final Pay” 3, p. 42 of the SPD, was amended. If you accrue your first Hour of Credited Future Service on or after August 1, 2009, “Average Final Pay” is now generally (except as delineated above) the average of Regular Pay during the last 10 Plan Years of Credited Service after your Applicable Effective Date.

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Default Schedule The following provisions apply if your employer does not agree to contribute at the Preferred Schedule Contribution Rates, effective as of the dates specified in Appendix C of the Plan.

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• Credited Future Service: Your Credited Future Service accrual rate is (i) 1.76% of your five-year Average Final Pay, multiplied by the number of years of Credited Future Service earned prior to January 1, 2010, and (ii) 0.81% of your Career Average Compensation, multiplied by the number of years of Credited Future Service earned on or after January 1, 2010. SPD, Sect. V, pp. 40-50.

• Early Retirement Subsidies: All early retirement subsidies (both the unreduced benefit payable at age 62 if you have 20 or more years of service and the 6% per year reduction from age 65) are eliminated.

There is a higher percentage reduction under the Default Schedule. SPD, “Overview,” p. 10, Sects. IV.A and B, pp. 32-33 and V.D, p. 47.4 3.

Credited Past Service Benefit

The granting of the “Credited Past Service” benefit has been eliminated if you have an Applicable Effective Date after July 31, 2009, except if you were a member of a bargaining unit listed in Appendix B of the Plan, provided that (i) you were a member of the bargaining unit as of August 1, 2009, (ii) a CBA requiring that contributions be made at the Preferred Schedule Contribution Rates was in effect as of, and was executed on or before December 1, 2009, and (iii) you were or are covered by the foregoing agreement as of your Applicable Effective Date. SPD, Sects. II.B, pp. 20-22; V.B, pp. 44-45.5 II. If You Die Without a Spouse Before Your Pension Payments Begin and Before You Reach Age 70.5 Generally, under the Plan, unless you are age 70.5, the earliest date you can begin receiving pension payments is the later of the month following actual Retirement, or the month following the filing of your application with the Pension Fund Office (“Earliest Payment Date”).

The SPD will be amended to provide a process to determine beneficiaries’ eligibility for survivor benefits in certain limited circumstances if you die prior to your “Earliest Payment Date.” The following provisions are to be reflected in the SPD. SPD, Section VI.C, p. 58 and Overview, p. 11.6 • If you have properly completed an application and a valid option election form in the 180-day period before your pension payments will begin, and you are not married at the time of death, your Beneficiary or estate will begin receiving the payments you elected on the later of two dates: (1) your Earliest Payment Date, or (2) the first of the month after the date of your death.

• In this case, if you have not completed a valid option election form, but the Plan Administrator is satisfied with clear and convincing proof of your intent to select a Beneficiary, then your intended Beneficiary will receive a survivor benefit in an amount that is the least valuable under the Plan. _________________________________________________________________ This summary only highlights the key changes made to the 1199SEIU Health Care Employees Pension Fund since the last publication of the Summary Plan Description in November 2008. Summaries of material modifications together with the Summary Plan Description make up your official plan descriptions; please keep them together and refer to them as necessary. We have made every attempt to insure the accuracy of the information in this summary and the SPD. However, once the changes are incorporated into the SPD, if there is any discrepancy between them and the plan document, insurance contracts or other legal documents, the legal documents will always govern. If you would like to review the plan document or have any questions, please contact the Fund’s Member Services Representatives at (646) 473-9200 (if you are an active employee) or (646) 473-8666 (if you are retired or a former employee), Monday – Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm..

The plan sponsor of the 1199SEIU Health Care Employees Pension Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the 1199SEIU Health Care Employees Pension Fund, or any part of it, at any time.

A memorandum of agreement reached between 1199SEIU United Health Care Workers East (the “Union”) and the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes of New York (the bargaining representative for the majority of contributing employers) incorporates the benefit changes set forth in the Rehabilitation Plan’s Preferred Schedule.

Section 5.2 of the Plan. The “Normal Retirement Pension” was amended to eliminate the higher multiplier that was due to take effect in 2011 and to provide for a different accrual rate if you accrue your first Hour of Service on or after August 1, 2009. See also Appendices A and B. Section 1.6 of the Plan.

Section 5.3, Subsection (c) and Appendix C of the Plan.

Section 3.2, Subsection (b) of the Plan.

Section 4.4 of the Plan.

Rising Costs and Lack of State Funding Mean Significant Changes for Home Care Workers with Children Your 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees is committed to providing you with the health coverage that you need and deserve. But funding the benefit package for 1199SEIU Home Care workers has never been easy. Because the cost of coverage has always been higher than the amount your employers are able to contribute, our Benefit Fund has had to rely on State funding to fill the gap. And the State has not increased its funding to us since 2008. As healthcare costs keep rising and State funding stays flat, maintaining benefits has been an ongoing struggle.While our Benefit Fund, the Union and your employers have pursued every possible option to maintain your benefits, the financial pressures have at times become unsustainable.

Home Care members have experienced the consequences firsthand. First, at the State’s direction, we shifted coverage from our Benefit Fund to Fidelis Care New York through the Family Health Plus Buy-In Program in 2008.

This was supposed to solve our funding problems, but it didn’t. In less than two years, our premium costs with Fidelis have risen by nearly 60 percent!

Our Trustees tried to absorb these costs at first by restricting eligibility for spouses by raising the number of hours that had to be worked per month. When that was not enough, the Trustees were compelled to eliminate spousal coverage altogether, creating a member and child-only plan.

If you currently have children covered by the Benefit Fund, you already received information from the Fund regarding Child Health Plus options for your dependent children who will no longer be covered by the Benefit Fund as of January 1, 2011.

Fund News and Updates

1199SEIU HEALTH CARE EMPLOYEES PENSION FUND (THE “PLAN”) SUMMARY OF MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS 2009

The Union will do everything in its power to fight for more funding in the next State budget, but if there is no increase, it will be a challenge even to continue to maintain our members’ coverage.

Home Care Premium Increases

This past fall, however, our Fund’s actuaries informed the Trustees that there would not be enough money in 2011 to maintain the current benefit package. Since many of the children in the Fund were subsidized by Child Health Plus already, the Trustees voted to become a member-only health plan as of January 1, 2011, in order to protect the benefits of working members.

FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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Fund News and Updates

If You Have a Dependent Child and Haven’t Applied for CHP Yet, There’s Still Time Your child may still qualify for Child Health Plus, a New York State program for children up to age 18.

Depending on your income, your child’s health coverage may be fully subsidized, or paid for, by the State or you may need to pay a monthly premium, which varies with each plan, for each child under age 19.

If your child is under 19 years of age and is currently receiving his or her benefits through Fidelis, you may choose to keep your child enrolled there and Fidelis will send you a new ID card. Fidelis will let you know what your monthly premium per child will be. If you would like to choose another Child Health Plus health plan for your child, you can call (800) 698-4543 or visit the State’s website at www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/chplus. You would need to cancel coverage with Fidelis before enrolling in a new plan.

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Of course, if your child is already covered by a health plan other than Fidelis, nothing changes for you and you do not need to do anything.

Children who are 19 years of age or older will need to apply for coverage as adults through New York State’s Family Health Plus program or Medicaid after January 1, 2011. If your child is in college, many schools also offer affordable health coverage for students.You may want to look into this alternative for your child.

We’re Here to Help!

We know this may be a difficult transition for a number of you, and our Member Assistance Program and Outreach Coordinators are available to help you sort through your options and determine whether you are eligible for a subsidy, as well as apply for coverage.

We encourage you to reach out to our Member Assistance staff by calling (646) 473-9200, or contact your Outreach Coordinator.

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Thousands of Dollars More in Your Pocket at Tax Time?

The Obama Administration Has Increased the Earned Income Tax Credit You work hard for your money, so when it’s time to file your tax return, make sure your refund is as high as it can be. Every year our Benefit Fund’s Tax Assistance Program helps thousands of members who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claim the money they earned – and deserve.This year, the Benefit Fund is once again partnering with the EITC Coalition led by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, including the city’s Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE), H&R Block and the Food Bank for New York City, to give you as many options as possible.

Tax Prep Events As long as your household income was below $50,000 in 2010 (or $18,000 if you’re single and have no dependents), you can have your taxes prepared for free at one of our Tax Assistance locations – even if you earned too much to qualify for the EITC. If you do qualify for the EITC, the program’s tax preparers will help you file for the credit.

To find out if you meet the income requirements to qualify for the EITC, check the guidelines for Tax Year 2010 below: • • •

During Flu Season, Staying Healthy Is Everyone’s Top Priority If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, getting it is an important preventive measure at this time of year – particularly for healthcare workers and people with chronic conditions like asthma. Protect yourself and your patients this year by taking advantage of the free flu shots provided by your employer at your worksite. Of course, if your employer doesn’t offer you one, your plan covers the flu shot, so just make an appointment with your primary care physician.

ARTICLE IS CHANGING 32

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Income below $35,535 (or $40,545 if married) with one dependent child Income below $40,363 (or $45,373 if married) with two dependent children Income below $43,352 (or $48,362 if married) with three or more dependent children Between the ages of 25 and 65 and income below $13,460 (or $18,470 if married) with no dependent children.

If your household income was under $48,000 in 2010, and you want to prepare your taxes electronically yourself for free, we will also be offering TurboTax Freedom Edition, the product Intuit Inc. donated through the IRS Free File Alliance and New York State Free File program, at our Manhattan location only during Tax Prep events.

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Fund News and Updates

Pick the Tax Assistance Location Convenient to You Come to Our 1199SEIU Tax Preparation Program in Manhattan 330 W. 42nd Street, 3rd Floor (Bet. 8th and 9th Avenues) (646) 473-9200 Monday, January 31, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 1, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Wednesday, February 2, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Thursday, February 3, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Friday, February 4, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, February 5, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, February 7, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 8, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 10, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Saturday, February 12, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 15, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 16, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 17, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, February 19, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 22, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 23, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 24, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Thursday, March 31, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, April 1, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, April 2, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, April 4, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, April 6, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, April 7, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, April 8, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, April 9, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, April 11, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

If you can't make it to the Fund’s Manhattan office, our partners at the Food Bank for New York City are offering Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax preparation events at the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn VITA sites listed below. For information on schedules, please call 311.

Bronx BronxWorks Morris Senior Center 80 East 181st Street (East 181st Street between Morris Avenue and Walton Avenue) Queens St. Marks AME Church 95-18 Northern Blvd.

Jackson Heights Brooklyn (Downtown) Capital One Bank 356 Fulton Street, 2nd Floor

Can’t Make It to a Free Tax Prep Event?

Use Your 1199SEIU Discount Coupon at H&R Block This year, we have again negotiated a special discount for 1199SEIU members living in the five New York City boroughs. And for the first time, we are expanding the H&R Block Discount Program to include members living in Long Island and New Jersey. And those members can file in H&R Block’s Long Island or New Jersey offices! If your household income was $41,000 or less with dependents ($31,000 or less if you are single with no dependents), you will pay only $19 at H&R Block: There are no other qualifications needed to use the coupon. The coupon will be effective between January 31, 2011, and April 18, 2011. Keep an eye on your mailbox in January for more details and the 1199SEIU discount coupon you will need to present to receive the discount.

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Pick the Tax Assistance Location Convenient to You Manhattan 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Fund Main Office 330 W. 42nd Street, 3rd Floor (Between 8th and 9th Avenues) (646) 473-9200 Bronx BronxWorks Morris Senior Center 80 East 181st Street (East 181st Street between Morris Avenue and Walton Avenue) Queens (Jamaica) First Presbyterian Church 89-50 164th Street, 2nd Floor (164th Street between 89th Avenue and Jamaica Avenue) Brooklyn (Downtown) Capital One Bank 356 Fulton Street, 2nd Floor

1199SEIU Tax Preparation Schedule All events at Manhattan location Monday, January 31, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 1, 2011: 12:00 am - 6:00 pm Wednesday, February 2, 2011: 12:00 pm -6:00 pm Thursday, February 3, 2011: 12:00 pm -6:00 pm Friday, February 4, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, February 5, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, February 7, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 8, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 10, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Saturday, February 12, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 15, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 16, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 17, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, February 19, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 22, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 23, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 24, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Thursday, March 31, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, April 1, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, April 2, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, April 4, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, April 6, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, April 7, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, April 8, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, April 9, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, April 11, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

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Can’t Make It to a Free Tax Prep Event?

Use Your 1199SEIU Discount Coupon at H&R Block This year, we have again negotiated a special discount for 1199SEIU members living in the five New York City boroughs. And for the first time, we are expanding the H&R Block Discount Program to include members living in Long Island and New Jersey. And those members can file in H&R Block’s Long Island or New Jersey offices! If your household income was $41,000 or less with dependents ($31,000 or less if you are single with no dependents, you will pay only $19 at H&R Block: There are no other qualifications needed to use the coupon. The coupon will be effective between January 31, 2011, and April 18, 2011. Keep an eye on your mailbox in January for more details and the 1199SEIU discount coupon you will need to present to receive the discount.

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Supporting You On and Off the Job Your Benefit Fund provides you with more than just health coverage. As an 1199SEIU Home Care member, you have access to benefits that can help you navigate tough times and build a better life.We encourage you to take advantage of all the programs your Fund offers.

Member Assistance Program The Benefit Fund’s Member Assistance Program is here not only to help you find alternative health coverage for your children and spouse but also to assist you in more personal ways. If you find yourself facing problems you just can’t handle on your own, you can turn to our program’s social workers and counselors, who are ready to help you through any type of crisis.We can connect you to counseling and resources for everything from drug and alcohol abuse to housing issues, domestic violence or dealing with a family member’s illness or death. Our staff can also refer you to community and public programs that provide a number of supports, including health coverage for your family members.

All you have to do is pick up the phone.

Call (646) 473-6900 to get the help you need. Member Assistance services are completely confidential.

Citizenship Program U.S. citizenship brings many important benefits, including the right to vote and obtain a U.S. passport. For Home Care members in particular, it brings increased job opportunities within the healthcare industry. But the application process can be complicated and frustrating.

As an 1199SEIU member, you have an advantage that most workers don’t. Our 1199SEIU Citizenship Program can support you each step of the way with free counseling, application preparation and legal services.

The program also will help you prepare for the citizenship exam with coaching in interview skills and classes in U.S. history, government, civics and English as a Second Language (ESL).

Contact the Citizenship Program at (646) 473-9200, or visit www.1199SEIUBenefits.org for more information.

Supporting You through Work and Retirement As an 1199SEIU Home Care member, you have a unique retirement benefit that very few workers enjoy.When you retire, you may earn a “defined benefit” pension from the 1199SEIU Home Care Employees Pension Fund.This means that you may receive a specific monthly benefit that we calculate based on the pension credits you have earned. In some defined benefit plans, workers contribute a percentage of the cost. But as an 1199SEIU Home Care worker, you don’t have to contribute anything out of pocket to receive a pension when you retire.

Even if your retirement is years away, we encourage you to start thinking about it now. It’s important to make sure that the combination of your pension, Social Security benefits and other savings will give you enough to live on.

Your Fund can refer you to the agencies that will provide the retirement benefits you will rely on most – benefits such as Social Security and Medicare. For assistance, please contact our Pension Representatives at: Telephone: (646) 473-8666 Email: pension@1199Funds.org Or visit our website at www.1199SEIUBenefits.org for information and forms.

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Your Rights Under the Women’s Health and Cancer Act Your 1199SEIU benefits support you every step of the way if you are battling breast cancer. The Benefit Fund makes certain you have access to quality oncology care by contracting with many of the top cancer treatment centers in the New York metropolitan area, so you don’t have to go outside your network.

Your Benefit Fund also provides coverage for mastectomy-related services including reconstructive surgery and prostheses. In fact, we consider this care so critical that the Benefit Fund covered it even before it was required under the federal Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998.

Depending on your doctor’s recommendation, you are covered for: • Reconstruction of the breast on which a mastectomy was performed; • Surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to achieve a symmetrical appearance; • Prostheses; and • Treatment for physical complications associated with all stages of the mastectomy, including lymphedemas.

These benefits are provided under the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Health and Human Service Employees and the 1199SEIU Greater New York Benefit Fund. Coverage is subject to benefit rules, exclusions and limitations that may apply under the Plan, as permitted by law.

Thousands of Dollars More in Your Pocket at Tax Time?

The Obama Administration Has Increased the Earned Income Tax Credit You work hard for your money, so when it’s time to file your tax return, make sure your refund is as high as it can be. Every year our Benefit Fund’s Tax Assistance Program helps thousands of members who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claim the money they earned – and deserve.This year, the Benefit Fund is once again partnering with the EITC Coalition led by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, including the city’s Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE), H&R Block and the Food Bank for New York City, to give you as many options as possible.

Tax Prep Events As long as your household income was below $50,000 in 2010 (or $18,000 if you’re single and have no dependents), you can have your taxes prepared for free at one of our Tax Assistance locations – even if you earned too much to qualify for the EITC. If you do qualify for the EITC, the program’s tax preparers will help you file for the credit.

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To find out if you meet the income requirements to qualify for the EITC, check the guidelines for Tax Year 2010 below: • • •

During Flu Season, Staying Healthy Is Everyone’s Top Priority If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, getting it is an important preventive measure at this time of year – particularly for healthcare workers and people with chronic conditions like asthma. Protect yourself and your clients this year by getting a flu shot.Your plan covers the shot, so just make an appointment with your primary care physician.

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Income below $35,535 (or $40,545 if married) with one dependent child Income below $40,363 (or $45,373 if married) with two dependent children Income below $43,352 (or $48,362 if married) with three or more dependent children Between the ages of 25 and 65 and income below $13,460 (or $18,470 if married) with no dependent children.

If your household income was under $48,000 in 2010, and you want to prepare your taxes electronically yourself for free, we will also be offering TurboTax Freedom Edition, the product Intuit Inc. donated through the IRS Free File Alliance and New York State Free File program, at our Manhattan location only during Tax Prep events.

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Like many women, Maria Castaneda has a demanding job, as 1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer, and a busy home life that leaves her little time to exercise or prepare healthy meals. As a result, though only 5’4”, her weight rose to 172 pounds. She knew she had to change her habits, but she didn’t know where to begin.

Finally, when she turned 54 on May 23, 2009, she gave herself a wonderful birthday present: a gym membership and a personalized training program. “I realized, I don’t want to be sick,” she said. “I want to have an active, healthy lifestyle when I retire, so I better take care of my health now and still have many, many years.”

Now, at 130 pounds, Maria is committed to staying healthy. Not that it was easy at the beginning. “For the first month I did not lose any weight, so I was a little disappointed,” she said. “But some of my clothes started to fit better, so my trainer asked me to keep a log of the food I ate.”That’s when Maria noticed that the potato chips and ice cream and takeout food she loved were undoing all her hard work at the gym. So she made a second commitment to her health. “I said, Okay, no more takeout. Every weekend I plan our meals, do food shopping, eliminate the takeout,” she said. “I’m Filipino, so I cook Filipino food – one-dish meals with vegetables and protein. I choose foods that are simple to prepare but healthy. I feel good about the changes because I like the food I cook.”

Her husband and daughter feel good, too, as they support Maria in her commitment to create a healthier lifestyle for all of them.

These days, living that lifestyle comes naturally to her. She has much more energy than she used to have, she no longer craves ice cream or potato chips, and if she’s forced to skip a workout, she actually misses it. She explains,“If you exercise and you eat the good food that you want to eat, your whole attitude changes.”

Sharing her story with her co-workers, the union’s officers and staff, Maria has been an inspiration to them as well. “They started organizing walking teams at night,” she said. “They started to also modify their meal intake, and they are telling me that they have lost weight, too.”

Happy with her success – she’s also dropped five dress sizes and reduced her body-fat percentage from 41.6 to 31.6 – Maria can’t imagine going back to her old ways. She says, “I think making the decision that you want to have an active and healthy lifestyle will motivate you to do the right thing.”

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Member Profile

1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda Lost 42 Pounds and Found a New, Healthier Way to Live

How Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda Maintains Her Healthy Weight Instead of potato chips, Maria snacks on high-protein almonds and fresh, in-season fruits that are rich in fiber and vitamins and low in calories.

When eating out, she makes healthier choices, such as choosing grilled, not “crispy,” chicken.

She always makes sure to eat a well-balanced breakfast and lunch so she’s not starving by dinnertime and ends up overeating.

Whenever she travels for work, she tries to stay in a hotel with a gym and brings her workout clothes along with her.

Even if she does overeat, she gets right back on the program: “I just tell myself, ‘Okay, you were bad today, but burn the fat when you work out,’ so I add 5 or 10 minutes to my gym routine.”

FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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DEDICADO A LA SALUD Y EL BIENESTAR DE LOS MIEMBROS DE 1199SEIU

El invierno de 2010-2011

Para Su Beneficio Mensaje de la Directora Ejecutiva Como sabe, nuestro Fondo Nacional de Beneficios de 1199SEIU para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar se ha enfrentado desafíos de financiación de forma constante. Con el paso de los años, el Fondo de Beneficios, el Sindicato y sus empleadores han buscado todas las fuentes de financiación posibles y han luchado por mantener sus beneficios, a pesar de las presiones financieras. En nuestra última edición especial de cuidados especiales de Para su beneficio, en 2008, le comentamos cómo lo habíamos logrado hasta ese momento al asociarnos con el Estado y Fidelis Care para crear el plan 1199SEIU Fidelis FHP. En ese momento, trabajamos de forma conjunta con Fidelis para asegurarnos de que usted recibiera la atención de calidad que necesitaba y se merecía. Pero a pesar de habernos esforzado tanto, la falta de nuevas financiaciones y los costos en continuo aumento obligaron a nuestros Administradores del Fondo de Beneficios a tomar decisiones difíciles. La más difícil, y la más reciente, fue la eliminación de los beneficios para sus dependientes con el fin de preservar la cobertura de los miembros activos. Sabemos que este cambio será difícil y deseamos que sepa que nuestra prioridad, como siempre, es facilitarle esta transición a usted y a su familia de todas las formas posibles. El Fondo de Beneficios está aquí para ayudarle.

En esta edición de Para su beneficio describiremos estos cambios en su plan y cómo el Fondo de Beneficios le ayudará en esta transición. Incluimos información sobre la solicitud de una cobertura alternativa para sus hijos y los recursos disponibles para usted. Por supuesto, durante este período, nuestro Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros, los Coordinadores de Ayuda y los delegados del Sindicato estarán disponibles para ayudarle en todo lo posible.

Home Care Premium Increases

También incluimos información sobre nuestros valiosos programas que van más allá de los beneficios de salud, como el Programa de Asistencia del Crédito Tributario por Ingresos del Trabajo del que dependen muchos de nuestros miembros de Cuidados en el Hogar. Este programa gratuito sobre la preparación de la declaración de impuestos ha ayudado a los trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar de 1199SEIU a obtener miles de dólares en devoluciones al momento de la declaración de impuestos, y lo alentamos a aprovechar este beneficio. Leerá sobre la asistencia que ofrecemos dentro y fuera del trabajo a través de nuestros programas de Asistencia a los Miembros y de Ciudadanía, y después de la jubilación con nuestra pensión de 1199SEIU. Asegúrese de aprovechar al máximo todos los beneficios que le ofrece su Fondo. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre su cobertura o beneficios, nuestros Representantes de Servicios para Miembros están siempre dispuestos a ayudarle en (646) 473-9200.

Atentamente,

Mitra Behroozi Directora ejecutiva Fondos de Beneficios y Pensiones de 1199SEIU

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NEED CHINESE TEXT

Los Costos Elevados y la Falta de Financiación Estatal Implican Cambios Significativos para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar con Hijos El Fondo Nacional de Beneficios de 1199SEIU para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar se compromete a proporcionarle la cobertura de salud que necesita y que se merece. Pero la financiación del paquete de beneficios para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar de 1199SEIU nunca ha sido fácil. Dado que el costo de la cobertura ha sido siempre más alto que el monto que pueden contribuir los empleadores, nuestro Fondo de Beneficios tuvo que depender de la financiación estatal para cubrir la diferencia.

Y el estado no ha aumentado los fondos que nos da desde 2008. Como los costos del cuidado de la salud son cada vez más elevados y la financiación del Estado permanece fija, mantener los beneficios ha sido una lucha constante Si bien el Fondo de Beneficios, el Sindicato y los empleadores han buscado todas las opciones posibles para mantener sus beneficios, las presiones financieras se han tornado insostenibles en algunas ocasiones. Los miembros de Cuidados en el Hogar han sufrido las consecuencias en carne propia. En primer lugar, según las pautas del Estado, hemos cambiado la cobertura de nuestro Fondo de Beneficios a Fidelis Care New York a través del programa Family Health Plus Buy-In en 2008.

Supuestamente, esto debería haber resuelto nuestros problemas de financiación, pero no fue así. En menos de dos años, los costos de las primas con Fidelis aumentaron cerca del 60 por ciento.

Nuestros Administradores intentaron absorber estos costos, en primera instancia, mediante la restricción de la elegibilidad de cónyuges al aumentar la cantidad de horas que debían trabajar por mes. Cuando no fue suficiente, los Administradores tuvieron que eliminar la cobertura de cónyuges por completo, creando un plan solamente para los miembros y los niños.

mantener el actual paquete de beneficios. Como muchos de los niños del fondo ya cuentan con el subsidio de Child Health Plus, los Administradores votaron que se convirtiese en un plan solo para miembros con entrada en vigencia a partir del 1 de enero de 2011, con el objetivo de proteger los beneficios de los miembros trabajadores.

Si tiene actualmente niños cubiertos por el Fondo de Beneficios, ya ha recibido información del Fondo con respecto a las opciones de Child Health Plus para sus hijos dependientes que ya no estarán cubiertos por el Fondo de Beneficios a partir del 1 de enero de 2011.

Noticias y Actualizaciones del Fondo

NEED CHINESE TEXT FOR HERE

El Sindicato hará todo lo que esté a su alcance para luchar por más financiación en el próximo presupuesto del Estado, pero si no hay aumento, será un desafío mantener la cobertura de los miembros.

Home Care Premium Increases

Sin embargo, este último otoño, los actuarios de nuestro plan informaron a los Administradores de que no habría suficiente dinero en 2011 para

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PA R A S U B E N E F I C I O

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Noticias y Actualizaciones del Fondo

Si tiene un hijo dependiente y no ha solicitado CHP aún, todavía está a tiempo Su hijo aún puede reunir los requisitos para Child Health Plus, un programa del Estado de Nueva York para niños de hasta 18 años de edad. Según sus ingresos, la cobertura de salud de su hijo puede estar completamente subsidiada o pagada por el Estado, o es posible que usted pague una prima mensual, diferente según el plan, para cada niño menor de 19 años.

Si su hijo es menor de 19 años de edad y actualmente recibe sus beneficios a través de Fidelis, puede elegir mantener la inscripción de su hijo allí, y Fidelis le enviará una nueva tarjeta de identificación en diciembre. Fidelis le informará la prima mensual que deberá pagar por hijo. Si desea elegir otro plan de salud de Child Health Plus para su hijo, puede llamar al (800) 698-4543 o visitar el sitio web del Estado en www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/chplus.

Deberá cancelar la cobertura con Fidelis antes de inscribirlo en un nuevo plan.

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Por supuesto, si su hijo ya tiene cobertura de un plan de salud distinto de Fidelis, no habrá ningún cambio para usted y no necesita hacer nada.

Los niños de 19 años de edad o mayores deberán solicitar la cobertura como adultos a través del programa Family Health Plus del Estado de Nueva York o Medicaid después del 1 de enero de 2011.

Si su hijo va a la universidad, muchas escuelas también ofrecen cobertura de salud asequible para los estudiantes. Puede informarse sobre esta alternativa para su hijo.

¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!

Sabemos que para varios de ustedes puede ser una transición difícil, y nuestro Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros y los Coordinadores de Ayuda estarán disponibles para ayudarle a determinar sus opciones y si es elegible para un subsidio, así como para solicitar la cobertura. Lo alentamos a que se comunique con nuestro equipo de Asistencia a los Miembros llamando al (646) 473-9200, o que contacte a su Coordinador de Ayuda.

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¿Miles de Dólares más para Usted al Momento de Declarar los Impuestos?

Durante la administración de Obama ha aumentado el Crédito Tributario por Ingresos del Trabajo Usted trabaja arduamente para ganar dinero, por eso, cuando llegue el momento de presentar la declaración de impuestos, asegúrese de que la devolución sea lo más elevada posible. Cada año, el programa de Asistencia Tributaria del Fondo de Beneficios brinda ayuda a miles de miembros elegibles para el Crédito Tributario por Ingresos del Trabajo (EITC) a reclamar el dinero que han ganado, y que merecen. Este año, el Fondo de Beneficios se une una vez más a la Coalición liderada por el Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor de la ciudad de Nueva York, incluida la Oficina de Capacitación Financiera (OFE) de la ciudad, H&R Block y Food Bank para la ciudad de Nueva York, a fin de ofrecer la mayor cantidad de opciones posibles.

Eventos de Preparación de la Declaración de impuestos Siempre que sus ingresos familiares no hayan superado los $50,000 en 2010 (o $18,000 en caso de ser soltero y sin dependientes), puede solicitar la preparación gratuita de la declaración de impuestos en una de nuestras oficinas de asistencia tributaria, aunque sus ingresos hayan excedido el límite para calificar para el EITC. Si califica para el EITC, los responsables de la preparación de las declaraciones de impuestos del programa le ayudarán a solicitar el crédito.

Para saber si cumple con los requisitos de ingresos para calificar para el EITC, consulte las siguientes pautas para el año fiscal 2010: • • • •

Ingreso inferior a $35,535 (o $40,545 si es casado) con un hijo dependiente.

Ingreso inferior a $40,363 (o $45,373 si es casado) con dos hijos dependientes.

Ingreso inferior a $43,352 (o $48,362 si es casado) con dos o más hijos dependientes.

Personas de entre 25 y 65 años de edad con ingresos inferiores a $13,460 (o $18,470 si son casadas) sin hijos dependientes.

Si sus ingresos familiares no superaron los $48,000 en 2010 y desea preparar la declaración de impuestos por su cuenta de forma electrónica y gratis, también ofreceremos TurboTax Freedom Edition, el producto de Intuit Inc. que se donó a través de IRS Free File Alliance y el programa Free File del estado de Nueva York únicamente en nuestra oficina de Manhattan durante los eventos de preparación de la declaración de impuestos.

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Noticias y Actualizaciones del Fondo

Elija el Local de Asistencia Tributaria que más le Convenga Vengan a nuestro programa de preparación de impuestos de 1199SEIU en Manhattan.

330 W. 42nd Street, 3er Piso (Entre 8th y 9th Avenue) (646) 473-9200 Lunes 31 de enero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 1 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Miércoles 2 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Jueves 3 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Viernes 4 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 5 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Lunes 7 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 8 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Jueves 10 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Sábado 12 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 15 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Miércoles 16 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Jueves 17 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 19 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 22 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Miércoles 23 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Jueves 24 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Jueves 31 de abril de 2011: 1:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Viernes 1 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 2 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Lunes 4 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Miércoles 6 de abril de 2011: 1:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Jueves 7 de abril de 2011: 1:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Viernes 8 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 9 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Lunes 11 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Si no puede acudir a la oficina del Fondo en Manhattan, nuestros socios de Food Bank for New York City están ofreciendo eventos para la preparación de impuestos Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) en los locales VITA del Bronx, Queens y Brooklyn enumerados a continuación. Para información sobre los horarios, por favor llame al 311.

Bronx BronxWorks Morris Senior Center 80 East 181st Street (East 181st Street entre Morris Avenue y Walton Avenue)

Queens St. Marks AME Church 95-18 Northern Blvd.

Jackson Heights Brooklyn (Downtown) Capital One Bank 356 Fulton Street, 2.º Piso

¿No Puede Acudir a un Evento de Preparación Gratuita de la Declaración de Impuestos?

Utilice el Cupón de Descuento de 1199SEIU en H&R Block De nuevo, este año hemos negociado un descuento especial para los miembros de 1199SEIU que residen en los cinco distritos de la ciudad de Nueva York. Y por primera vez, ampliamos nuestro programa de descuentos de H&R Block, para que también participen los miembros que residen en Long Island y Nueva Jersey. Estos miembros pueden presentar sus impuestos en las oficinas de H&R Block en Long Island o Nueva Jersey. Si su ingreso familiar fue de $41,000 o menos, y tiene dependientes ($31,000 o menos si es soltero, sin dependientes), pagará solamente $19 en H&R Block: Para utilizar el cupón de descuento no existen otros requisitos. El cupón tendrá vigencia únicamente entre el 31 de enero de 2011 y el 18 de abril de 2011. En enero esté atento a la correspondencia, puesto que recibirá más detalles y el cupón de descuento de 1199SEIU que deberá presentar para recibir el descuento.

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Lo Ayudamos Dentro y Fuera del Trabajo El Fondo de Beneficios le ofrece más que una simple cobertura de salud. Como miembro de Cuidados en el Hogar de 1199SEIU, tiene acceso a los beneficios que le pueden ayudar a superar momentos difíciles y forjar una vida mejor. Lo alentamos a que aproveche todos los programas que le ofrece el Fondo.

Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros El Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros del Fondo de Beneficios está a su disposición para ayudarle a encontrar una cobertura de salud alternativa para sus hijos y su cónyuge, además de asistirlo de forma más personalizada.

Si tiene algún problema que no pueda resolver por su cuenta, puede acudir a los trabajadores sociales y orientadores de nuestro programa. Ellos están preparados para ayudarle en cualquier tipo de crisis. Podemos brindarle información sobre asesoramiento y recursos para afrontar diversas situaciones, desde el consumo de drogas y alcohol hasta problemas familiares, violencia doméstica o enfermedad o muerte de un familiar. Nuestro personal también puede recomendarle programas comunitarios y públicos que brindan distintos tipos de apoyo, incluso cobertura de salud para los integrantes de la familia.

Solo tiene que comunicarse al (646) 473-6900 para recibir la ayuda necesaria. Los servicios de Asistencia a los Miembros son totalmente confidenciales.

Programa de Ciudadanía Ser ciudadano de los EE. UU. tiene muchos beneficios importantes: el derecho a votar y obtener un pasaporte estadounidense y, para los miembros de cuidados en el hogar en particular, más oportunidades laborales dentro del sector de atención médica. Sin embargo, el proceso de solicitud puede resultar complicado y frustrante. Como miembro de 1199SEIU, tiene una ventaja que muchos trabajadores no tienen. El programa de ciudadanía de 1199SEIU puede brindarle asistencia en cada paso del proceso mediante asesoramiento gratuito, preparación de solicitudes y servicios legales. El programa también lo ayudará a preparar el examen de ciudadanía mediante capacitación en el desarrollo de habilidades para la entrevista y clases de historia, gobierno y educación cívica de los Estados Unidos, además de inglés como segundo idioma (“ESL”).

Comuníquese con el Programa de Ciudadanía al (646) 473-9200, o visite www.1199SEIUBenefits.org para obtener más información.

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Lo Ayudamos en su Trabajo y en la Jubilación Como miembro de Cuidados en el Hogar 1199SEIU, tiene un exclusivo beneficio de jubilación del que muy pocos trabajadores gozan. Al jubilarse, puede recibir la pensión de “beneficios definidos” del Fondo de Pensiones para Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar. Esto significa que usted puede recibir un beneficio específico mensual que se calcula según los créditos de pensión que usted ha obtenido. En algunos planes con beneficios definidos, los trabajadores contribuyen un porcentaje del costo. Sin embargo, al ser usted uno de los trabajadores de cuidados en el hogar de 1199SEIU, no tiene que aportar nada de su bolsillo para recibir una pensión cuando se jubile.

Incluso si va a tardar mucho en jubilarse, lo alentamos a que comience a pensar en este tema ahora. Es importante asegurarse de que la combinación de su pensión, los beneficios del Seguro Social y otros ahorros le aporten lo suficiente para vivir. Su Fondo le puede referir a las agencias que le brindarán los beneficios de jubilación en los cuales dependerá en su mayor parte, es decir los beneficios tales como el Seguro Social y Medicare. Para recibir asistencia, comuníquese con nuestros representantes de pensiones al: Teléfono: (646) 473-8666 Correo electrónico: pension@1199Funds.org O visite nuestro sitio web en www.1199SEIUBenefits.org para obtener información y formularios.

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Sus Derechos según la Ley de Derechos sobre la Salud y el Cáncer de la Mujer Sus beneficios de 1199SEIU lo apoyan en cada paso del camino cuando combate el cáncer de mama. El Fondo de Beneficios le garantiza el acceso a atención de oncología de calidad ya que tiene contratos con una gran parte de los mejores centros de tratamiento contra el cáncer del área metropolitana de Nueva York, de manera que no tenga que salir de su red.

El Fondo de Beneficios también proporciona cobertura para servicios relacionados con la mastectomía, entre los que se incluyen la cirugía reconstructiva y las prótesis. De hecho, consideramos que esta atención es tan importante que el Fondo de Beneficios la cubría incluso antes de que lo exigiera la Ley de Derechos sobre la Salud y el Cáncer de la Mujer de 1998.

Dependiendo de la recomendación de su médico, usted está cubierta para: • la reconstrucción del seno en que se realizó la mastectomía; • a cirugía y la reconstrucción del otro seno para lograr un aspecto simétrico; • prótesis; y • el tratamiento de las complicaciones físicas relacionadas con todos las etapas de la mastectomía, incluidos los linfedemas.

Estos beneficios son proporcionados por el Fondo Nacional de Beneficios de 1199SEIU para Trabajadores de la Salud y Servicios Humanos, y el Fondo de Beneficios del Gran Nueva York de la 1199SEIU. La cobertura está sujeta a las reglas, exclusiones y limitaciones de los beneficios que pueden corresponder según el Plan, de acuerdo con lo que permita la ley.

Durante la Temporada de Gripe, Mantenerse Saludable es la Prioridad Principal de Todos Si todavía no se ha vacunado contra la gripe, hacerlo es una medida preventiva importante en este momento del año, particularmente para los trabajadores de la atención de la salud y para las personas que sufren de enfermedades crónicas como el asma. Protéjase y proteja a sus clientes este año vacunándose contra la gripe. Su plan cubre la vacuna, por lo que solo tiene que programar una cita con su médico de atención primaria.

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Perdió 42 Libras y Encontró una Manera Nueva y Saludable de Vivir Al igual que muchas mujeres, Maria Castaneda tiene un trabajo exigente, como Secretaria-Tesorera de 1199SEIU, y una ocupada vida en su hogar que le deja poco tiempo para hacer ejercicios o preparar comidas saludables. Como resultado, aunque sólo mide 5’4’’, su peso llegó a las 172 libras. Sabía que tenía que cambiar sus hábitos, pero no sabía dónde comenzar. Finalmente, cuando cumplió 54 años, el 23 de mayo de 2009, se hizo un maravilloso regalo de cumpleaños: una membresía al gimnasio y un programa de entrenamiento personalizado. “Me di cuenta de que no quiero estar enferma,” comentó. “Quiero tener un estilo de vida activo y saludable cuando jubile, por lo que es mejor que me haga cargo de mi salud ahora y así disponer de muchos años más.”

Actualmente, con 130 libras, Maria está comprometida a mantenerse saludable. No fue fácil al comienzo. “Durante el primer mes no perdí nada de peso, por lo que estaba un poco decepcionada,” comentó. “Pero algunas prendas comenzaron a quedarme mejor, por lo que mi entrenador me pidió que mantuviera un registro de los alimentos que consumía.” Ahí es cuando Maria notó que las patatas fritas, los helados y la comida para llevar que tanto le gustaban, estaban revirtiendo todo su esfuerzo en el gimnasio. Entonces, ella hizo un segundo compromiso con su salud. “Dije, ‘Muy bien, nada más de comida para llevar. Cada fin de semana planifico nuestras comidas, hago las compras de alimentos y elimino la comida para llevar,’”dijo. “Soy filipina, por lo que cocino comida de Filipinas, comidas de un sólo plato con verduras y proteínas. Escojo alimentos que son de preparación simple, pero saludables. Me siento bien con los cambios porque me gusta la comida que preparo.”

Su esposo y su hija se sienten bien también, dado que apoyan a Maria en su compromiso de crear un estilo de vida saludable para todos ellos.

Actualmente, vivir ese estilo de vida se da de manera natural para Maria.

Tiene mucha más energía que la que solía tener, ya no anhela comer helados o patatas fritas, y si está obligada a faltar al gimnasio, echa de menos ejercitar. Ella explicó, “Si haces ejercicios e ingieres los alimentos buenos que deseas comer, cambia la actitud completa."

Al compartir su historia con sus colegas, los funcionarios del sindicato y el personal, Maria ha sido una inspiración para ellos también. “Empezaron a organizar equipos de caminatas durante las noches,” comentó Maria.

“También comenzaron a modificar la ingesta de comidas, y me comentan que también han perdido peso."

Feliz con su éxito (también ha disminuido 5 tallas de vestido y ha reducido su porcentaje de grasa corporal de un 41.6 a 31.6), Maria señala que el Fondo de Beneficios les ofrece a todos los miembros los recursos necesarios para alcanzar sus propias metas. Comentó que "nuestro Fondo de Beneficios cuenta con un programa de bienestar que educa a nuestros miembros acerca de estilos de vida saludables y el bienestar." “Para ser fiel con nuestro programa, quise hacer lo mismo."

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Perfil del Miembro

Maria Castaneda, Secretaria-Tesorera de 1199SEIU

Cómo Mantiene su Peso Saludable la SecretariaTesorera Maria Castaneda En lugar de patatas fritas, Maria come refrigerios de almendras con alto contenido de proteínas y frutas frescas de la temporada que poseen mucha fibra y vitaminas, y son bajas en calorías.

Cuando come afuera, elije las opciones más saludables, como pollo asado a la parrilla en vez de empanado “crocante.”

Siempre se asegura de ingerir un desayuno y almuerzo bien balanceados para no tener mucha hambre a la hora de la cena y terminar comiendo demasiado.

Cada vez que viaja por trabajo, trata de hospedarse en un hotel con gimnasio y lleva su ropa de ejercicios.

Incluso cuando come demasiado, se corrige inmediatamente. “Sólo me digo, ‘Está bien, te portaste mal hoy, pero quema la grasa cuando ejercites,' entonces agrego 5 ó 10 minutos a la rutina de ejercicios."

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Home Care Premium Increases

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Home Care Premium Increases

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Perdió 42 Libras y Encontró una Manera Nueva y Saludable de Vivir Al igual que muchas mujeres, Maria Castaneda tiene un trabajo exigente, como Secretaria-Tesorera de 1199SEIU, y una ocupada vida en su hogar que le deja poco tiempo para hacer ejercicios o preparar comidas saludables. Como resultado, aunque sólo mide 5’4’’, su peso llegó a las 172 libras. Sabía que tenía que cambiar sus hábitos, pero no sabía dónde comenzar. Finalmente, cuando cumplió 54 años, el 23 de mayo de 2009, se hizo un maravilloso regalo de cumpleaños: una membresía al gimnasio y un programa de entrenamiento personalizado. “Me di cuenta de que no quiero estar enferma,” comentó. “Quiero tener un estilo de vida activo y saludable cuando jubile, por lo que es mejor que me haga cargo de mi salud ahora y así disponer de muchos años más.”

Actualmente, con 130 libras, Maria está comprometida a mantenerse saludable. No fue fácil al comienzo. “Durante el primer mes no perdí nada de peso, por lo que estaba un poco decepcionada,” comentó. “Pero algunas prendas comenzaron a quedarme mejor, por lo que mi entrenador me pidió que mantuviera un registro de los alimentos que consumía.” Ahí es cuando Maria notó que las patatas fritas, los helados y la comida para llevar que tanto le gustaban, estaban revirtiendo todo su esfuerzo en el gimnasio. Entonces, ella hizo un segundo compromiso con su salud. “Dije, ‘Muy bien, nada más de comida para llevar. Cada fin de semana planifico nuestras comidas, hago las compras de alimentos y elimino la comida para llevar,’”dijo. “Soy filipina, por lo que cocino comida de Filipinas, comidas de un sólo plato con verduras y proteínas. Escojo alimentos que son de preparación simple, pero saludables. Me siento bien con los cambios porque me gusta la comida que preparo.”

Su esposo y su hija se sienten bien también, dado que apoyan a Maria en su compromiso de crear un estilo de vida saludable para todos ellos.

Actualmente, vivir ese estilo de vida se da de manera natural para Maria.

Tiene mucha más energía que la que solía tener, ya no anhela comer helados o patatas fritas, y si está obligada a faltar al gimnasio, echa de menos ejercitar. Ella explicó, “Si haces ejercicios e ingieres los alimentos buenos que deseas comer, cambia la actitud completa."

Al compartir su historia con sus colegas, los funcionarios del sindicato y el personal, Maria ha sido una inspiración para ellos también. “Empezaron a organizar equipos de caminatas durante las noches,” comentó Maria.

“También comenzaron a modificar la ingesta de comidas, y me comentan que también han perdido peso."

Feliz con su éxito (también ha disminuido 5 tallas de vestido y ha reducido su porcentaje de grasa corporal de un 41.6 a 31.6), Maria señala que el Fondo de Beneficios les ofrece a todos los miembros los recursos necesarios para alcanzar sus propias metas. Comentó que "nuestro Fondo de Beneficios cuenta con un programa de bienestar que educa a nuestros miembros acerca de estilos de vida saludables y el bienestar." “Para ser fiel con nuestro programa, quise hacer lo mismo."

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Perfil del Miembro

Maria Castaneda, Secretaria-Tesorera de 1199SEIU

Cómo Mantiene su Peso Saludable la SecretariaTesorera Maria Castaneda En lugar de patatas fritas, Maria come refrigerios de almendras con alto contenido de proteínas y frutas frescas de la temporada que poseen mucha fibra y vitaminas, y son bajas en calorías.

Cuando come afuera, elije las opciones más saludables, como pollo asado a la parrilla en vez de empanado “crocante.”

Siempre se asegura de ingerir un desayuno y almuerzo bien balanceados para no tener mucha hambre a la hora de la cena y terminar comiendo demasiado.

Cada vez que viaja por trabajo, trata de hospedarse en un hotel con gimnasio y lleva su ropa de ejercicios.

Incluso cuando come demasiado, se corrige inmediatamente. “Sólo me digo, ‘Está bien, te portaste mal hoy, pero quema la grasa cuando ejercites,' entonces agrego 5 ó 10 minutos a la rutina de ejercicios."

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Sus Derechos según la Ley de Derechos sobre la Salud y el Cáncer de la Mujer Sus beneficios de 1199SEIU lo apoyan en cada paso del camino cuando combate el cáncer de mama. El Fondo de Beneficios le garantiza el acceso a atención de oncología de calidad ya que tiene contratos con una gran parte de los mejores centros de tratamiento contra el cáncer del área metropolitana de Nueva York, de manera que no tenga que salir de su red.

El Fondo de Beneficios también proporciona cobertura para servicios relacionados con la mastectomía, entre los que se incluyen la cirugía reconstructiva y las prótesis. De hecho, consideramos que esta atención es tan importante que el Fondo de Beneficios la cubría incluso antes de que lo exigiera la Ley de Derechos sobre la Salud y el Cáncer de la Mujer de 1998.

Dependiendo de la recomendación de su médico, usted está cubierta para: • la reconstrucción del seno en que se realizó la mastectomía; • a cirugía y la reconstrucción del otro seno para lograr un aspecto simétrico; • prótesis; y • el tratamiento de las complicaciones físicas relacionadas con todos las etapas de la mastectomía, incluidos los linfedemas.

Estos beneficios son proporcionados por el Fondo Nacional de Beneficios de 1199SEIU para Trabajadores de la Salud y Servicios Humanos, y el Fondo de Beneficios del Gran Nueva York de la 1199SEIU. La cobertura está sujeta a las reglas, exclusiones y limitaciones de los beneficios que pueden corresponder según el Plan, de acuerdo con lo que permita la ley.

Durante la Temporada de Gripe, Mantenerse Saludable es la Prioridad Principal de Todos Si todavía no se ha vacunado contra la gripe, hacerlo es una medida preventiva importante en este momento del año, particularmente para los trabajadores de la atención de la salud y para las personas que sufren de enfermedades crónicas como el asma. Protéjase y proteja a sus clientes este año vacunándose contra la gripe. Su plan cubre la vacuna, por lo que solo tiene que programar una cita con su médico de atención primaria.

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Lo Ayudamos Dentro y Fuera del Trabajo El Fondo de Beneficios le ofrece más que una simple cobertura de salud. Como miembro de Cuidados en el Hogar de 1199SEIU, tiene acceso a los beneficios que le pueden ayudar a superar momentos difíciles y forjar una vida mejor. Lo alentamos a que aproveche todos los programas que le ofrece el Fondo.

Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros El Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros del Fondo de Beneficios está a su disposición para ayudarle a encontrar una cobertura de salud alternativa para sus hijos y su cónyuge, además de asistirlo de forma más personalizada.

Si tiene algún problema que no pueda resolver por su cuenta, puede acudir a los trabajadores sociales y orientadores de nuestro programa. Ellos están preparados para ayudarle en cualquier tipo de crisis. Podemos brindarle información sobre asesoramiento y recursos para afrontar diversas situaciones, desde el consumo de drogas y alcohol hasta problemas familiares, violencia doméstica o enfermedad o muerte de un familiar. Nuestro personal también puede recomendarle programas comunitarios y públicos que brindan distintos tipos de apoyo, incluso cobertura de salud para los integrantes de la familia.

Solo tiene que comunicarse al (646) 473-6900 para recibir la ayuda necesaria. Los servicios de Asistencia a los Miembros son totalmente confidenciales.

Programa de Ciudadanía Ser ciudadano de los EE. UU. tiene muchos beneficios importantes: el derecho a votar y obtener un pasaporte estadounidense y, para los miembros de cuidados en el hogar en particular, más oportunidades laborales dentro del sector de atención médica. Sin embargo, el proceso de solicitud puede resultar complicado y frustrante. Como miembro de 1199SEIU, tiene una ventaja que muchos trabajadores no tienen. El programa de ciudadanía de 1199SEIU puede brindarle asistencia en cada paso del proceso mediante asesoramiento gratuito, preparación de solicitudes y servicios legales. El programa también lo ayudará a preparar el examen de ciudadanía mediante capacitación en el desarrollo de habilidades para la entrevista y clases de historia, gobierno y educación cívica de los Estados Unidos, además de inglés como segundo idioma (“ESL”).

Comuníquese con el Programa de Ciudadanía al (646) 473-9200, o visite www.1199SEIUBenefits.org para obtener más información.

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Lo Ayudamos en su Trabajo y en la Jubilación Como miembro de Cuidados en el Hogar 1199SEIU, tiene un exclusivo beneficio de jubilación del que muy pocos trabajadores gozan. Al jubilarse, puede recibir la pensión de “beneficios definidos” del Fondo de Pensiones para Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar. Esto significa que usted puede recibir un beneficio específico mensual que se calcula según los créditos de pensión que usted ha obtenido. En algunos planes con beneficios definidos, los trabajadores contribuyen un porcentaje del costo. Sin embargo, al ser usted uno de los trabajadores de cuidados en el hogar de 1199SEIU, no tiene que aportar nada de su bolsillo para recibir una pensión cuando se jubile.

Incluso si va a tardar mucho en jubilarse, lo alentamos a que comience a pensar en este tema ahora. Es importante asegurarse de que la combinación de su pensión, los beneficios del Seguro Social y otros ahorros le aporten lo suficiente para vivir. Su Fondo le puede referir a las agencias que le brindarán los beneficios de jubilación en los cuales dependerá en su mayor parte, es decir los beneficios tales como el Seguro Social y Medicare. Para recibir asistencia, comuníquese con nuestros representantes de pensiones al: Teléfono: (646) 473-8666 Correo electrónico: pension@1199Funds.org O visite nuestro sitio web en www.1199SEIUBenefits.org para obtener información y formularios.

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Noticias y Actualizaciones del Fondo

Elija el Local de Asistencia Tributaria que más le Convenga Vengan a nuestro programa de preparación de impuestos de 1199SEIU en Manhattan.

330 W. 42nd Street, 3er Piso (Entre 8th y 9th Avenue) (646) 473-9200 Lunes 31 de enero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 1 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Miércoles 2 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Jueves 3 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Viernes 4 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 5 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Lunes 7 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 8 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Jueves 10 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

Sábado 12 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 15 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Miércoles 16 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Jueves 17 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 19 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Martes 22 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Miércoles 23 de febrero de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Jueves 24 de febrero de 2011: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Jueves 31 de abril de 2011: 1:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Viernes 1 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 2 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Lunes 4 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Miércoles 6 de abril de 2011: 1:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Jueves 7 de abril de 2011: 1:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Viernes 8 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Sábado 9 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Lunes 11 de abril de 2011: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.

Si no puede acudir a la oficina del Fondo en Manhattan, nuestros socios de Food Bank for New York City están ofreciendo eventos para la preparación de impuestos Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) en los locales VITA del Bronx, Queens y Brooklyn enumerados a continuación. Para información sobre los horarios, por favor llame al 311.

Bronx BronxWorks Morris Senior Center 80 East 181st Street (East 181st Street entre Morris Avenue y Walton Avenue)

Queens St. Marks AME Church 95-18 Northern Blvd.

Jackson Heights Brooklyn (Downtown) Capital One Bank 356 Fulton Street, , 2.º Piso

¿No Puede Acudir a un Evento de Preparación Gratuita de la Declaración de Impuestos?

Utilice el Cupón de Descuento de 1199SEIU en H&R Block De nuevo, este año hemos negociado un descuento especial para los miembros de 1199SEIU que residen en los cinco distritos de la ciudad de Nueva York. Y por primera vez, ampliamos nuestro programa de descuentos de H&R Block, para que también participen los miembros que residen en Long Island y Nueva Jersey. Estos miembros pueden presentar sus impuestos en las oficinas de H&R Block en Long Island o Nueva Jersey. Si su ingreso familiar fue de $41,000 o menos, y tiene dependientes ($31,000 o menos si es soltero, sin dependientes), pagará solamente $19 en H&R Block: Para utilizar el cupón de descuento no existen otros requisitos. El cupón tendrá vigencia únicamente entre el 31 de enero de 2011 y el 18 de abril de 2011. En enero esté atento a la correspondencia, puesto que recibirá más detalles y el cupón de descuento de 1199SEIU que deberá presentar para recibir el descuento.

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¿Miles de Dólares más para Usted al Momento de Declarar los Impuestos?

Durante la administración de Obama ha aumentado el Crédito Tributario por Ingresos del Trabajo Usted trabaja arduamente para ganar dinero, por eso, cuando llegue el momento de presentar la declaración de impuestos, asegúrese de que la devolución sea lo más elevada posible. Cada año, el programa de Asistencia Tributaria del Fondo de Beneficios brinda ayuda a miles de miembros elegibles para el Crédito Tributario por Ingresos del Trabajo (EITC) a reclamar el dinero que han ganado, y que merecen. Este año, el Fondo de Beneficios se une una vez más a la Coalición liderada por el Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor de la ciudad de Nueva York, incluida la Oficina de Capacitación Financiera (OFE) de la ciudad, H&R Block y Food Bank para la ciudad de Nueva York, a fin de ofrecer la mayor cantidad de opciones posibles.

Eventos de Preparación de la Declaración de impuestos Siempre que sus ingresos familiares no hayan superado los $50,000 en 2010 (o $18,000 en caso de ser soltero y sin dependientes), puede solicitar la preparación gratuita de la declaración de impuestos en una de nuestras oficinas de asistencia tributaria, aunque sus ingresos hayan excedido el límite para calificar para el EITC. Si califica para el EITC, los responsables de la preparación de las declaraciones de impuestos del programa le ayudarán a solicitar el crédito.

Para saber si cumple con los requisitos de ingresos para calificar para el EITC, consulte las siguientes pautas para el año fiscal 2010: • • • •

Ingreso inferior a $35,535 (o $40,545 si es casado) con un hijo dependiente.

Ingreso inferior a $40,363 (o $45,373 si es casado) con dos hijos dependientes.

Ingreso inferior a $43,352 (o $48,362 si es casado) con dos o más hijos dependientes.

Personas de entre 25 y 65 años de edad con ingresos inferiores a $13,460 (o $18,470 si son casadas) sin hijos dependientes.

Si sus ingresos familiares no superaron los $48,000 en 2010 y desea preparar la declaración de impuestos por su cuenta de forma electrónica y gratis, también ofreceremos TurboTax Freedom Edition, el producto de Intuit Inc. que se donó a través de IRS Free File Alliance y el programa Free File del estado de Nueva York únicamente en nuestra oficina de Manhattan durante los eventos de preparación de la declaración de impuestos.

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Noticias y Actualizaciones del Fondo

Si tiene un hijo dependiente y no ha solicitado CHP aún, todavía está a tiempo Su hijo aún puede reunir los requisitos para Child Health Plus, un programa del Estado de Nueva York para niños de hasta 18 años de edad. Según sus ingresos, la cobertura de salud de su hijo puede estar completamente subsidiada o pagada por el Estado, o es posible que usted pague una prima mensual, diferente según el plan, para cada niño menor de 19 años.

Si su hijo es menor de 19 años de edad y actualmente recibe sus beneficios a través de Fidelis, puede elegir mantener la inscripción de su hijo allí, y Fidelis le enviará una nueva tarjeta de identificación en diciembre. Fidelis le informará la prima mensual que deberá pagar por hijo. Si desea elegir otro plan de salud de Child Health Plus para su hijo, puede llamar al (800) 698-4543 o visitar el sitio web del Estado en www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/chplus.

Deberá cancelar la cobertura con Fidelis antes de inscribirlo en un nuevo plan.

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Por supuesto, si su hijo ya tiene cobertura de un plan de salud distinto de Fidelis, no habrá ningún cambio para usted y no necesita hacer nada.

Los niños de 19 años de edad o mayores deberán solicitar la cobertura como adultos a través del programa Family Health Plus del Estado de Nueva York o Medicaid después del 1 de enero de 2011.

Si su hijo va a la universidad, muchas escuelas también ofrecen cobertura de salud asequible para los estudiantes. Puede informarse sobre esta alternativa para su hijo.

¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!

Sabemos que para varios de ustedes puede ser una transición difícil, y nuestro Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros y los Coordinadores de Ayuda estarán disponibles para ayudarle a determinar sus opciones y si es elegible para un subsidio, así como para solicitar la cobertura. Lo alentamos a que se comunique con nuestro equipo de Asistencia a los Miembros llamando al (646) 473-9200, o que contacte a su Coordinador de Ayuda.

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El Fondo Nacional de Beneficios de 1199SEIU para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar se compromete a proporcionarle la cobertura de salud que necesita y que se merece. Pero la financiación del paquete de beneficios para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar de 1199SEIU nunca ha sido fácil. Dado que el costo de la cobertura ha sido siempre más alto que el monto que pueden contribuir los empleadores, nuestro Fondo de Beneficios tuvo que depender de la financiación estatal para cubrir la diferencia.

Y el estado no ha aumentado los fondos que nos da desde 2008. Como los costos del cuidado de la salud son cada vez más elevados y la financiación del Estado permanece fija, mantener los beneficios ha sido una lucha constante Si bien el Fondo de Beneficios, el Sindicato y los empleadores han buscado todas las opciones posibles para mantener sus beneficios, las presiones financieras se han tornado insostenibles en algunas ocasiones. Los miembros de Cuidados en el Hogar han sufrido las consecuencias en carne propia. En primer lugar, según las pautas del Estado, hemos cambiado la cobertura de nuestro Fondo de Beneficios a Fidelis Care New York a través del programa Family Health Plus Buy-In en 2008.

Supuestamente, esto debería haber resuelto nuestros problemas de financiación, pero no fue así. En menos de dos años, los costos de las primas con Fidelis aumentaron cerca del 60 por ciento.

Nuestros Administradores intentaron absorber estos costos, en primera instancia, mediante la restricción de la elegibilidad de cónyuges al aumentar la cantidad de horas que debían trabajar por mes. Cuando no fue suficiente, los Administradores tuvieron que eliminar la cobertura de cónyuges por completo, creando un plan solamente para los miembros y los niños.

mantener el actual paquete de beneficios. Como muchos de los niños del fondo ya cuentan con el subsidio de Child Health Plus, los Administradores votaron que se convirtiese en un plan solo para miembros con entrada en vigencia a partir del 1 de enero de 2011, con el objetivo de proteger los beneficios de los miembros trabajadores.

Si tiene actualmente niños cubiertos por el Fondo de Beneficios, ya ha recibido información del Fondo con respecto a las opciones de Child Health Plus para sus hijos dependientes que ya no estarán cubiertos por el Fondo de Beneficios a partir del 1 de enero de 2011.

Noticias y Actualizaciones del Fondo

Los Costos Elevados y la Falta de Financiación Estatal Implican Cambios Significativos para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar con Hijos

El Sindicato hará todo lo que esté a su alcance para luchar por más financiación en el próximo presupuesto del Estado, pero si no hay aumento, será un desafío mantener la cobertura de los miembros.

Home Care Premium Increases

Sin embargo, este último otoño, los actuarios de nuestro plan informaron a los Administradores de que no habría suficiente dinero en 2011 para

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DEDICADO A LA SALUD Y EL BIENESTAR DE LOS MIEMBROS DE 1199SEIU

El invierno de 2010-2011

Para Su Beneficio Mensaje de la Directora Ejecutiva Como sabe, nuestro Fondo Nacional de Beneficios de 1199SEIU para los Trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar se ha enfrentado desafíos de financiación de forma constante. Con el paso de los años, el Fondo de Beneficios, el Sindicato y sus empleadores han buscado todas las fuentes de financiación posibles y han luchado por mantener sus beneficios, a pesar de las presiones financieras. En nuestra última edición especial de cuidados especiales de Para su beneficio, en 2008, le comentamos cómo lo habíamos logrado hasta ese momento al asociarnos con el Estado y Fidelis Care para crear el plan 1199SEIU Fidelis FHP. En ese momento, trabajamos de forma conjunta con Fidelis para asegurarnos de que usted recibiera la atención de calidad que necesitaba y se merecía. Pero a pesar de habernos esforzado tanto, la falta de nuevas financiaciones y los costos en continuo aumento obligaron a nuestros Administradores del Fondo de Beneficios a tomar decisiones difíciles. La más difícil, y la más reciente, fue la eliminación de los beneficios para sus dependientes con el fin de preservar la cobertura de los miembros activos. Sabemos que este cambio será difícil y deseamos que sepa que nuestra prioridad, como siempre, es facilitarle esta transición a usted y a su familia de todas las formas posibles. El Fondo de Beneficios está aquí para ayudarle.

En esta edición de Para su beneficio describiremos estos cambios en su plan y cómo el Fondo de Beneficios le ayudará en esta transición. Incluimos información sobre la solicitud de una cobertura alternativa para sus hijos y los recursos disponibles para usted. Por supuesto, durante este período, nuestro Programa de Asistencia a los Miembros, los Coordinadores de Ayuda y los delegados del Sindicato estarán disponibles para ayudarle en todo lo posible.

Home Care Premium Increases

También incluimos información sobre nuestros valiosos programas que van más allá de los beneficios de salud, como el Programa de Asistencia del Crédito Tributario por Ingresos del Trabajo del que dependen muchos de nuestros miembros de Cuidados en el Hogar. Este programa gratuito sobre la preparación de la declaración de impuestos ha ayudado a los trabajadores de Cuidados en el Hogar de 1199SEIU a obtener miles de dólares en devoluciones al momento de la declaración de impuestos, y lo alentamos a aprovechar este beneficio. Leerá sobre la asistencia que ofrecemos dentro y fuera del trabajo a través de nuestros programas de Asistencia a los Miembros y de Ciudadanía, y después de la jubilación con nuestra pensión de 1199SEIU. Asegúrese de aprovechar al máximo todos los beneficios que le ofrece su Fondo. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre su cobertura o beneficios, nuestros Representantes de Servicios para Miembros están siempre dispuestos a ayudarle en (646) 473-9200.

Atentamente,

Mitra Behroozi Directora ejecutiva Fondos de Beneficios y Pensiones de 1199SEIU

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Like many women, Maria Castaneda has a demanding job, as 1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer, and a busy home life that leaves her little time to exercise or prepare healthy meals. As a result, though only 5’4”, her weight rose to 172 pounds. She knew she had to change her habits, but she didn’t know where to begin.

Finally, when she turned 54 on May 23, 2009, she gave herself a wonderful birthday present: a gym membership and a personalized training program. “I realized, I don’t want to be sick,” she said. “I want to have an active, healthy lifestyle when I retire, so I better take care of my health now and still have many, many years.”

Now, at 130 pounds, Maria is committed to staying healthy. Not that it was easy at the beginning. “For the first month I did not lose any weight, so I was a little disappointed,” she said. “But some of my clothes started to fit better, so my trainer asked me to keep a log of the food I ate.”That’s when Maria noticed that the potato chips and ice cream and takeout food she loved were undoing all her hard work at the gym. So she made a second commitment to her health. “I said, Okay, no more takeout. Every weekend I plan our meals, do food shopping, eliminate the takeout,” she said. “I’m Filipino, so I cook Filipino food – one-dish meals with vegetables and protein. I choose foods that are simple to prepare but healthy. I feel good about the changes because I like the food I cook.”

Her husband and daughter feel good, too, as they support Maria in her commitment to create a healthier lifestyle for all of them.

These days, living that lifestyle comes naturally to her. She has much more energy than she used to have, she no longer craves ice cream or potato chips, and if she’s forced to skip a workout, she actually misses it. She explains,“If you exercise and you eat the good food that you want to eat, your whole attitude changes.”

Sharing her story with her co-workers, the union’s officers and staff, Maria has been an inspiration to them as well. “They started organizing walking teams at night,” she said. “They started to also modify their meal intake, and they are telling me that they have lost weight, too.”

Happy with her success – she’s also dropped five dress sizes and reduced her body-fat percentage from 41.6 to 31.6 – Maria can’t imagine going back to her old ways. She says, “I think making the decision that you want to have an active and healthy lifestyle will motivate you to do the right thing.”

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Member Profile

1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda Lost 42 Pounds and Found a New, Healthier Way to Live

How Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda Maintains Her Healthy Weight Instead of potato chips, Maria snacks on high-protein almonds and fresh, in-season fruits that are rich in fiber and vitamins and low in calories.

When eating out, she makes healthier choices, such as choosing grilled, not “crispy,” chicken.

She always makes sure to eat a well-balanced breakfast and lunch so she’s not starving by dinnertime and ends up overeating.

Whenever she travels for work, she tries to stay in a hotel with a gym and brings her workout clothes along with her.

Even if she does overeat, she gets right back on the program: “I just tell myself, ‘Okay, you were bad today, but burn the fat when you work out,’ so I add 5 or 10 minutes to my gym routine.”

FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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Your Rights Under the Women’s Health and Cancer Act Your 1199SEIU benefits support you every step of the way if you are battling breast cancer. The Benefit Fund makes certain you have access to quality oncology care by contracting with many of the top cancer treatment centers in the New York metropolitan area, so you don’t have to go outside your network.

Your Benefit Fund also provides coverage for mastectomy-related services including reconstructive surgery and prostheses. In fact, we consider this care so critical that the Benefit Fund covered it even before it was required under the federal Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998.

Depending on your doctor’s recommendation, you are covered for: • Reconstruction of the breast on which a mastectomy was performed; • Surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to achieve a symmetrical appearance; • Prostheses; and • Treatment for physical complications associated with all stages of the mastectomy, including lymphedemas.

These benefits are provided under the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Health and Human Service Employees and the 1199SEIU Greater New York Benefit Fund. Coverage is subject to benefit rules, exclusions and limitations that may apply under the Plan, as permitted by law.

During Flu Season, Staying Healthy Is Everyone’s Top Priority If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, getting it is an important preventive measure at this time of year – particularly for healthcare workers and people with chronic conditions like asthma. Protect yourself and your clients this year by getting a flu shot.Your plan covers the shot, so just make an appointment with your primary care physician.

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Supporting You On and Off the Job Your Benefit Fund provides you with more than just health coverage. As an 1199SEIU Home Care member, you have access to benefits that can help you navigate tough times and build a better life.We encourage you to take advantage of all the programs your Fund offers.

Member Assistance Program The Benefit Fund’s Member Assistance Program is here not only to help you find alternative health coverage for your children and spouse but also to assist you in more personal ways. If you find yourself facing problems you just can’t handle on your own, you can turn to our program’s social workers and counselors, who are ready to help you through any type of crisis.We can connect you to counseling and resources for everything from drug and alcohol abuse to housing issues, domestic violence or dealing with a family member’s illness or death. Our staff can also refer you to community and public programs that provide a number of supports, including health coverage for your family members.

All you have to do is pick up the phone.

Call (646) 473-6900 to get the help you need. Member Assistance services are completely confidential.

Citizenship Program U.S. citizenship brings many important benefits, including the right to vote and obtain a U.S. passport. For Home Care members in particular, it brings increased job opportunities within the healthcare industry. But the application process can be complicated and frustrating.

As an 1199SEIU member, you have an advantage that most workers don’t. Our 1199SEIU Citizenship Program can support you each step of the way with free counseling, application preparation and legal services.

The program also will help you prepare for the citizenship exam with coaching in interview skills and classes in U.S. history, government, civics and English as a Second Language (ESL).

Contact the Citizenship Program at (646) 473-9200, or visit www.1199SEIUBenefits.org for more information.

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Supporting You through Work and Retirement As an 1199SEIU Home Care member, you have a unique retirement benefit that very few workers enjoy.When you retire, you may earn a “defined benefit” pension from the 1199SEIU Home Care Employees Pension Fund.This means that you may receive a specific monthly benefit that we calculate based on the pension credits you have earned. In some defined benefit plans, workers contribute a percentage of the cost. But as an 1199SEIU Home Care worker, you don’t have to contribute anything out of pocket to receive a pension when you retire.

Even if your retirement is years away, we encourage you to start thinking about it now. It’s important to make sure that the combination of your pension, Social Security benefits and other savings will give you enough to live on.

Your Fund can refer you to the agencies that will provide the retirement benefits you will rely on most – benefits such as Social Security and Medicare. For assistance, please contact our Pension Representatives at: Telephone: (646) 473-8666 Email: pension@1199Funds.org Or visit our website at www.1199SEIUBenefits.org for information and forms.

FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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Fund News and Updates

Pick the Tax Assistance Location Convenient to You Come to Our 1199SEIU Tax Preparation Program in Manhattan 330 W. 42nd Street, 3rd Floor (Bet. 8th and 9th Avenues) (646) 473-9200 Monday, January 31, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 1, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Wednesday, February 2, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Thursday, February 3, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Friday, February 4, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, February 5, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, February 7, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 8, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 10, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Saturday, February 12, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 15, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 16, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 17, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, February 19, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 22, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, February 23, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Thursday, February 24, 2011: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Thursday, March 31, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, April 1, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, April 2, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, April 4, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Wednesday, April 6, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, April 7, 2011: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, April 8, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday, April 9, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday, April 11, 2011: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

If you can't make it to the Fund’s Manhattan office, our partners at the Food Bank for New York City are offering Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax preparation events at the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn VITA sites listed below. For information on schedules, please call 311.

Bronx BronxWorks Morris Senior Center 80 East 181st Street (East 181st Street between Morris Avenue and Walton Avenue) Queens St. Marks AME Church 95-18 Northern Blvd.

Jackson Heights Brooklyn (Downtown) Capital One Bank 356 Fulton Street, 2nd Floor

Can’t Make It to a Free Tax Prep Event?

Use Your 1199SEIU Discount Coupon at H&R Block This year, we have again negotiated a special discount for 1199SEIU members living in the five New York City boroughs. And for the first time, we are expanding the H&R Block Discount Program to include members living in Long Island and New Jersey. And those members can file in H&R Block’s Long Island or New Jersey offices! If your household income was $41,000 or less with dependents ($31,000 or less if you are single with no dependents), you will pay only $19 at H&R Block: There are no other qualifications needed to use the coupon. The coupon will be effective between January 31, 2011, and April 18, 2011. Keep an eye on your mailbox in January for more details and the 1199SEIU discount coupon you will need to present to receive the discount.

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Thousands of Dollars More in Your Pocket at Tax Time?

The Obama Administration Has Increased the Earned Income Tax Credit You work hard for your money, so when it’s time to file your tax return, make sure your refund is as high as it can be. Every year our Benefit Fund’s Tax Assistance Program helps thousands of members who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claim the money they earned – and deserve.This year, the Benefit Fund is once again partnering with the EITC Coalition led by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, including the city’s Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE), H&R Block and the Food Bank for New York City, to give you as many options as possible.

Tax Prep Events As long as your household income was below $50,000 in 2010 (or $18,000 if you’re single and have no dependents), you can have your taxes prepared for free at one of our Tax Assistance locations – even if you earned too much to qualify for the EITC. If you do qualify for the EITC, the program’s tax preparers will help you file for the credit.

To find out if you meet the income requirements to qualify for the EITC, check the guidelines for Tax Year 2010 below: • • • •

Income below $35,535 (or $40,545 if married) with one dependent child Income below $40,363 (or $45,373 if married) with two dependent children Income below $43,352 (or $48,362 if married) with three or more dependent children Between the ages of 25 and 65 and income below $13,460 (or $18,470 if married) with no dependent children.

If your household income was under $48,000 in 2010, and you want to prepare your taxes electronically yourself for free, we will also be offering TurboTax Freedom Edition, the product Intuit Inc. donated through the IRS Free File Alliance and New York State Free File program, at our Manhattan location only during Tax Prep events.

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FOR YOUR BENEFIT

5

Fund News and Updates

If You Have a Dependent Child and Haven’t Applied for CHP Yet, There’s Still Time Your child may still qualify for Child Health Plus, a New York State program for children up to age 18.

Depending on your income, your child’s health coverage may be fully subsidized, or paid for, by the State or you may need to pay a monthly premium, which varies with each plan, for each child under age 19.

If your child is under 19 years of age and is currently receiving his or her benefits through Fidelis, you may choose to keep your child enrolled there and Fidelis will send you a new ID card. Fidelis will let you know what your monthly premium per child will be. If you would like to choose another Child Health Plus health plan for your child, you can call (800) 698-4543 or visit the State’s website at www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/chplus. You would need to cancel coverage with Fidelis before enrolling in a new plan.

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Of course, if your child is already covered by a health plan other than Fidelis, nothing changes for you and you do not need to do anything.

Children who are 19 years of age or older will need to apply for coverage as adults through New York State’s Family Health Plus program or Medicaid after January 1, 2011. If your child is in college, many schools also offer affordable health coverage for students.You may want to look into this alternative for your child.

We’re Here to Help!

We know this may be a difficult transition for a number of you, and our Member Assistance Program and Outreach Coordinators are available to help you sort through your options and determine whether you are eligible for a subsidy, as well as apply for coverage.

We encourage you to reach out to our Member Assistance staff by calling (646) 473-9200, or contact your Outreach Coordinator.

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This is a summary of the annual report for 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees, EIN: 13-4129368, for the period 01/01/09 to 12/31/09. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Your Rights to Additional Information

Insurance Information

• • •

The plan has a contract with Fidelis Care New York to pay certain life, health, dental, vision and prescription drug claims incurred under the terms of the plan. The total premiums paid for the plan year ending December 31, 2009, were $146,999,201.

Basic Financial Statement The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $19,512,585 as of December 31, 2009, compared to $16,300,013 as of January 1, 2009. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $3,212,572. This increase includes unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the value of the plan assets: that is the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year.

The plan had total income of $170,914,640.

You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The item listed below is included in that report: Insurance information, including sales commissions paid by insurance carriers An accountant’s report, and Financial information and information on payments to service providers

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of The Board of Trustees of 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees, who is the plan administrator, P.O. Box 842, New York, NY 10108 (646) 473-6360.

You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan: 330 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

Rising Costs and Lack of State Funding Mean Significant Changes for Home Care Workers with Children Your 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees is committed to providing you with the health coverage that you need and deserve. But funding the benefit package for 1199SEIU Home Care workers has never been easy. Because the cost of coverage has always been higher than the amount your employers are able to contribute, our Benefit Fund has had to rely on State funding to fill the gap. And the State has not increased its funding to us since 2008. As healthcare costs keep rising and State funding stays flat, maintaining benefits has been an ongoing struggle.While our Benefit Fund, the Union and your employers have pursued every possible option to maintain your benefits, the financial pressures have at times become unsustainable.

Home Care members have experienced the consequences firsthand. First, at the State’s direction, we shifted coverage from our Benefit Fund to Fidelis Care New York through the Family Health Plus Buy-In Program in 2008.

This was supposed to solve our funding problems, but it didn’t. In less than two years, our premium costs with Fidelis have risen by nearly 60 percent!

Our Trustees tried to absorb these costs at first by restricting eligibility for spouses by raising the number of hours that had to be worked per month. When that was not enough, the Trustees were compelled to eliminate spousal coverage altogether, creating a member and child-only plan.

If you currently have children covered by the Benefit Fund, you already received information from the Fund regarding Child Health Plus options for your dependent children who will no longer be covered by the Benefit Fund as of January 1, 2011.

Fund News and Updates

SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT 1199SEIU NATIONAL BENEFIT FUND FOR HOME CARE EMPLOYEES

The Union will do everything in its power to fight for more funding in the next State budget, but if there is no increase, it will be a challenge even to continue to maintain our members’ coverage.

Home Care Premium Increases

This past fall, however, our Fund’s actuaries informed the Trustees that there would not be enough money in 2011 to maintain the current benefit package. Since many of the children in the Fund were subsidized by Child Health Plus already, the Trustees voted to become a member-only health plan as of January 1, 2011, in order to protect the benefits of working members.

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FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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1199SEIU NATIONAL BENEFIT FUND FOR HOME CARE EMPLOYEES SUMMARY OF MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As you know, our 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees has constantly faced funding challenges. Over the years, our Benefit Fund, the Union and your employers have pursued every possible funding source and have fought to maintain your benefits, despite these financial pressures. In our last special Home Care edition of For Your Benefit, back in 2008, we told you about how we had succeeded for the time being by partnering with the State and Fidelis Care to create the 1199SEIU Fidelis FHP plan. In that time, we have worked closely with Fidelis to make sure you are getting the quality care you need and deserve. But as hard as we have worked, lack of any new funding and continually increasing costs have forced our Benefit Fund Trustees to make hard choices.The hardest, and most recent, of these was eliminating benefits for your dependents in order to preserve coverage for working members.We know that this change will be difficult, and want you to know that our priority, as always, is easing this transition for you and your families in any way we can.Your Benefit Fund is here to support you.

In this issue 3

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Rising Costs and Lack of State Funding Mean Significant Changes for Home Care Workers with Children

In this edition of For Your Benefit, we will outline these changes in your plan, and how your Benefit Fund will be helping you through the transition.We include information on applying for alternative coverage for your children and the resources that are available to you. And of course, during this time our Member Assistance Program and Outreach Coordinators, as well as your Union delegates, will be available to help you in any way that they can.

We are also including information on our valuable programs beyond health benefits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit Assistance Program that many of our Home Care members have come to depend on.This tax preparation program has helped 1199SEIU Home Care workers get thousands of dollars back at tax time, and we encourage you to take advantage of it. And you will read about the support we offer on and off the job through our Member Assistance and Citizenship programs, and after retirement with your 1199SEIU pension.

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If You Have a Dependent Child and Haven’t Applied for CHP Yet, There’s Still Time

5

Thousands of Dollars More in Your Pocket at Tax Time?

7

Supporting You On and Off the Job

8

Your Rights Under the Women’s Health and Cancer Act

So be sure to take full advantage of all the benefits your Funds offer. If you have any questions about your coverage or benefits, our Member Services Representatives are always ready to help you at (646) 473-9200.

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During Flu Season, Staying Healthy Is Everyone’s Top Priority

Sincerely,

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1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda Lost 42 Pounds and Found a New, Healthier Way to Live

This Summary of Material Modifications describes changes that affect your welfare benefit plan and updates the Summary Plan Description (employee booklet) that was previously distributed to you. You should keep this summary with your current employee booklet until the booklet is updated to reflect the changes discussed herein.

NOTICE

Pursuant to U.S. Department of Labor Regulation 2520.104-22 (“Regulation”), the 1199SEIU Bill Michelson Home Care Education Fund (the “Fund”) is exempt from the reporting and disclosure requirements of Part 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). In accordance with the requirements of the Regulation, the Fund is providing the following information:

____________________________ The official name of the plan is the 1199SEIU Bill Michelson Home Care Education Fund.

Effective January 1, 2011, Section I.B. of the SPD, entitled “HOW DEPENDENTS BECOME ELIGIBLE,” and all references to dependents and dependent children, are hereby eliminated.

The Employer Identification Number of the plan sponsor is 71-1028611.

____________________________

The plan administrator is the Board of Trustees of the Fund and its duly authorized designees and subordinates.

This summary only highlights the key changes made to the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees. Summaries of material modifications together with the Summary Plan Description make up your official plan descriptions; please keep them together and refer to them as necessary. We have made every attempt to insure the accuracy of the information in this summary and the Summary Plan Description. However, if there is any discrepancy between them and the plan document, insurance contracts or other legal documents, the legal documents will always govern. If you would like to review the plan document or have any questions, please contact the Fund’s Member Services Representatives at (646) 473-9200.

The Fund believes it is a “grandfathered health plan” under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act). As permitted by the Affordable Care Act, a grandfathered health plan can preserve certain basic health coverage that was already in effect when that law was enacted. Being a grandfathered health plan means that this plan may not include certain consumer protections of the Affordable Care Act that apply to other plans, for example, the requirement for an external review process for claims appeals. However, grandfathered health plans must comply with certain other consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act, for example, the elimination of lifetime limits on benefits.

Descriptions of any existing or anticipated future course of study sponsored or established by the Fund, including prerequisites for enrolling in such course, and a description of the procedure by which to enroll in such course, can be obtained by visiting or writing to: Board of Trustees, 1199SEIU Bill Michelson Home Care Education Fund, 330 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Information can also be obtained by calling the Member Services Department at (212) 494-0555.

Copies of this Notice may be obtained by contacting the Member Services Department.

Questions regarding the Fund's status as a grandfathered health plan and which protections apply can be directed to the Fund at (646) 473-9200. You may also contact the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor at 1-866-444-3272 or www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform. This website has a table summarizing which protections do and do not apply to grandfathered health plans.

The plan sponsor of the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees reserves the right to amend or terminate the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund for Home Care Employees, or any part of it, at any time.

Mitra Behroozi Executive Director 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds

FOR YOUR BENEFIT

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1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds 330 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036-6977 www.1199SEIUBenefits.org ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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WINTER 2010-2011

For Your Benefit EN ESPAÑOL p10

Working to Protect Our Health Benefits We know times are tough – make sure you get

THE MOST out of our tax prep program