How to Pay for your Premiums
If you are not collecting a paycheck, you must pay your monthly premium directly to the “Transit Employees’ Health & Welfare Plan.” You can lose coverage unless you make payments by the first of the coverage month.
Please make sure that your check or money order includes the following information, written clearly:
- Name of the covered individual: If it is NOT the top name on the check, please indicate or write the name of the covered person’s first and last name.
- Account Number: This is a new 10-character identification number provided by the Health & Welfare Plan or your six-digit employee number. Please call the Health & Welfare Plan to learn your account number. Failure to provide the above information may result in your payment being returned.
The Health & Welfare Plan also permits members to enroll in an auto-payment plan. You’ll need to complete and submit an ACH Debit Election Form. You can request an ACH form from the Plan Office.
Members’ Responsibility for Health Premium Payments
to the Health and Welfare Plan
The language below is taken from Appendix B, Section 2 (i) of the agreement between the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Local 689 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, AFL-CIO.
In cases where members’ contributions shall be made by means other than payroll deductions, such contributions shall be due as of the first day of the month for which coverage is provided (e.g., member contributions for September coverage would be due on September 1). Coverage as to any member concerning any contributory benefit shall retroactively cease as of the contribution due date if the required contribution is not paid within thirty (30) days from the contribution due date (e.g., if the contribution for September, which is due on September 1, is not paid by September 30th, the member’s coverage would be terminated as of September 1).
If the coverage of a member is terminated due to non-payment of the required member contribution, such member may again become covered by the Fund for contributory benefits (on a prospective basis) by remitting the required contribution for such future coverage. Coverage for such contributory benefits will re-commence as of the first day of the month following receipt of the required contribution by such member. (However, a member will not be permitted to retroactively reinstate coverage for any period of coverage that terminated due to non-payment of the required contribution.)
If a member fails to make a required contribution, coverage is terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Plan (the member shall remain eligible for any non-contributory benefit to which the member is otherwise entitled under the terms of the Plan. A member who ceases to be eligible for contributory benefits shall be placed in a coverage category limited to the non-contributory benefits to which the member is otherwise entitled (e.g., during any period that life insurance is provided on a non-contributory basis, “life only coverage”). A member for whom coverage has been terminated due to non-payment shall not be eligible for or entitled to any contributory benefit concerning the non-payment period.
