When You Become Covered Under the Plan
Active Members who have received the required number of credited hours during the contract year that ended on September 30th of the prior calendar year will be covered on December 30th that year.
The number of credited hours required for coverage under the three benefit Plans are as follows:
| Credited Hour Requirements |
|
1,300 or More Hours |
|
|
1,000 - 1,299 Hours |
|
|
700 - 999 Hours |
|
A contract year begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th. For example: If you received 1,250 credited hours during the contract year, you would be covered by the Basic Plan in the following calendar year. However, if you received 1,300 or more credited hours during the contract year, you would be covered by the Premier Plan.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) Notice The 90-Day Rule and 13-Month Rule
Longshore workers who were not covered in MILA beginning in 2014 but who qualify for MILA coverage based upon credited hours earned in the contract years ending September 30, 2014 and after, will be subject to new rules as to when coverage will begin. Coverage will begin on the earlier of (1) the beginning of the month that is 13 months from the month in which the longshore person earned his/her first credited hour during the contract year and (2) 90 days from the end of the contract year. For example:
- A person who earned his/her first credited hour during October 2013 and earned at least 700 credited hours during the contract year ending September 30, 2014, would have coverage beginning on November 1, 2014 (13-Month Rule);
- A person who earned his/her first credited hour during November 2013 and earned at least 700 credited hours during the contract year ending September 30, 2014, would have coverage beginning on December 1, 2014 (13-Month Rule); and
- A person who earned his/her first credited hour during December 2013 or later and earned at least 700 credited hours during the contract year ending September 30, 2014, would have coverage beginning on December 30, 2014 (90-Day Rule).
A person who was covered in MILA during 2014 and who earned at least 700 credited hours during the contract year ending September 30, 2014, would not be affected by this provision. The MILA benefit in which that person will be covered beginning January 1, 2015, will be determined by the total number of credited hours earned during the contract year ending September 30, 2014, as it has been in the past.
Contributions of Less Than $5.00 Per Hour
If the man-hour contribution rate in a local collective bargaining agreement is lower than the $5.00 per man-hour rate required to be paid to MILA in the Master Contract, the number of hours worked which are required to receive one credited hour will be proportionately higher, based on the level of contributions actually made to MILA. For example, if you worked in covered employment where your employer was required to contribute $2.50 per hour to MILA when the Master Contract rate was $5.00, you would receive one credited hour for each two hours of work.
Note
Coverage for your eligible dependents starts when your coverage does or when they first become eligible to participate under the terms of the Plan. For example, if you get married while you are covered under the Plan, your spouse’s coverage could start on the date you marry. However, you must enroll your new spouse and each eligible dependent with your local Port Administrator or with MILA within 31 days of the date coverage would ordinarily begin. Otherwise, coverage will not begin for the person who is not enrolled until you do enroll him or her.
