Public Employee Press

Health & Security Plan up and running
Benefits flowing to members
Walk-ins welcome

Proving members benefits - especially prescription drugs, which can be matters of life and death - was one of the union's top priorities after Hurricane Sandy," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

Members now have access to most of their benefits electronically and at a number of walk-in sites (see below), and some backlogs that accumulated immediately after Sandy are being eliminated, said DC 37 Health and Security Plan Administrator Cynthia Chin-Marshall.

Plan staff worked day and night to keep benefits flowing to DC 37 members after Sandy dealt the benefit program a harsh blow. Flooding closed the union's building at 125 Barclay St., which housed most plan offices, and the lack of full electrical power made it impossible to run the essential mainframe computers.

Benefit sites and phones

The Information Technology Dept. got the vital computers running when an emergency backup operation finally kicked in after a delay to support benefit operations, but it may take months before the system is 100 percent functional.

The plan worked intensely with drug benefit administrators to ensure that members and retirees continued to be covered for their medications.

Members and retirees can reach the Health & Security Plan at 212-815-1234 to inquire about disability, prescription drug and other Plan benefits.

At the following locations, members are receiving assistance in getting their DC 37 Health and Security Plan benefits:

• The Health and Security Plan centers at 115 Chambers St. in Manhattan and 186 Joralemon St. in Brooklyn are open to service members.
• Health and Pension/Field Services is located on the 16th floor at 65 Court St. in Brooklyn and is sending staff to local meetings to assist members. Call 718-935-4154 or 718-935-4230 for appointments or inquiries. Walk-ins are welcome.
• The Personal Services Unit is taking walk-ins in Suite 1001/1003 on the 10th floor at 1407 Broadway (at 39th St.) in Manhattan. PSU can be reached at 212-815-1250 or, if there is no answer, call 212-815-1234.