479 NEWS
Suicide Prevention and Emotional Wellness Workshop
Until our industry returns to work we need to be aware of the importance of caring for our emotional wellness.
This Friday, July 24th, representatives of the Behind the Scenes Mental Health Initiative will conduct a webinar designed to provide an overview of the tools and resources that have been developed specifically for members of the entertainment industry.
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Piedmont Healthcare Back In-Network
The National Benefits Fund has confirmed that Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield reached a new multi-year agreement with Piedmont Healthcare, Inc. and Piedmont Clinic Physician Practices (collectively “Piedmont”). This new agreement will enable our members to continue to (more…)
BlueCross BlueShield Contract Expiration with Piedmont Healthcare
If you are a member of IATSE Local 479 and participate in any of the National Benefits Fund Plan C Health Insurance Plans, then you are a BlueCross BlueShield customer, and you should read the following message very carefully:
At midnight on March 31, the contract between BlueCross BlueShield and Piedmont Healthcare officially expired.
Contracts expiring between health insurance providers and health care facilities are routine, and in most cases it is expected that an agreement will be reached before the expiration date. This time, however, an agreement was not reached, and those of us with BlueCross BlueShield health insurance are now going to be considered OUT OF NETWORK at all Piedmont Healthcare (more…)
Offsetting the Costs of Childbirth
Raising children is an expensive, time-consuming proposition made even more difficult if you work as a freelancer. State laws, not union contracts, govern issues relating to working parents.
If you are a member of Local 479 and are considering becoming a mother you can offset some of the expenses associated with the birth of a child by filing (more…)
Empire Anywhere App
Empire BlueCross BlueShield provides the free ‘Empire Anywhere’ app to its customers using the Android or iOS mobile device platforms. This app provides users with convenient access to much of the same information available from (more…)
Empire BlueCross BlueShield Insurance
This is the first in a series of articles providing an explanation of insurance benefits (medical, dental, vision, and prescription drugs) available to members of Local 479.
Members of IATSE Local 479 receive a variety of benefits under the IATSE National Health & Welfare Fund, Plan C. These benefits include hospital and medical coverage through Empire BlueCross BlueShield (referred to more simply as “Empire”). If you are a member with insurance through Empire you are strongly encouraged to (more…)
Plan C Health Benefits Open Enrollment
At the end of each November the IATSE National Benefits Fund (NBF) sends members an Open Enrollment statement for the IATSE National Health & Welfare Fund Plan C. Open Enrollment is an approximately three-week period in which new members may select insurance coverage and existing members may elect to change their coverage. You must select your desired coverage for the upcoming quarter or you will be automatically assigned a default selection, based on (more…)
Understanding Worker’s Comp Insurance
Understanding Worker’s Comp Insurance
You’ve undoubtedly heard the term “Worker’s Comp” at some point in your life, but like many people you may not know what it is or how it works. Put simply, Worker’s Comp stands for “Worker’s Compensation”, which is a form of insurance designed to provide wage replacement and medical benefits to a worker who suffers injury or illness in the workplace.
If you are so unfortunate as to suffer an injury at work which prevents you from returning to your job you may qualify for Worker’s Comp for the duration of the time you are unable to work. However, there are certain requirements for which you must (more…)
2017 Health & Wellness Day Wrap-Up
IATSE Local 479 Benefits Coordinator Lauralyn Walsh reports that this year’s Health & Wellness Day saw an increase in attendance and looks forward to even more growth for next year’s event. In addition to the screenings mentioned in this year’s announcement, the event also included specialized hearing exams and testing for prostate cancer. The remote mammogram testing team was unable to be secured due to low pre-registration by our membership, which is largely due to our membership’s age skewing younger. (more…)
2nd Annual Family Health & Wellness Event
Local 479 will be hosting its 2nd annual health event on Saturday, March 11th, from 9am to 2pm. This event is designed to encourage our members to be proactive about their personal health and to educate them on how to use their medical insurance for preventative care. Refreshments will be (more…)