FORMERLY REPRESENTED RETIREES
Alcatel-Lucent offers additional Other Covered Charges (OCC) coverage to supplement the amount automatically provided under the Traditional Indemnity option. Here are a few frequently asked questions about this coverage and how it works.
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OCC coverage is not a medical plan. It is a separate coverage election that enhances the Traditional Indemnity option offered to participants.
The Traditional Indemnity option includes a $50,000 lifetime maximum benefit on those services designated as OCC. Medicare-eligible retirees and their covered dependent(s) can purchase (buy-up) additional OCC coverage for an additional level of insurance. It can be purchased in one of three increments ($50,000, $100,000, or $200,000) and is added on top of the original $50,000 of OCC coverage to create a total OCC coverage amount of:
Healthcare services covered by OCC include:
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Medicare-eligible participants (retirees and covered dependents) enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option for Formerly Represented Retirees.
POS and HMO/Medicare HMO options offered by Alcatel-Lucent do not have lifetime maximum benefit amounts. That means OCC coverage is not needed for those options. While you may have elected OCC coverage for yourself and your dependents, you will not be charged for OCC until you and/or your dependents are enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option.
If you elect OCC and at any point enroll in a POS or HMO option instead of Traditional Indemnity, you will not have access to the OCC coverage (and will not be responsible for the premium costs). If you enroll in the Traditional Indemnity option in the future, the OCC coverage you previously elected will take effect and you will be responsible for paying the premium cost.
You can elect OCC coverage at any time after retirement (not just during annual open enrollment or if you have a qualified status change).
During your initial retirement election period, you can elect OCC coverage by logging on to the Your Benefits Resources Web site at http://digital.alight.com/alcatel-lucent. The OCC coverage will be effective the same date as all other retirement benefits.
After your initial retirement election period, at any time during the year, contact the Alcatel-Lucent Benefits Center at
Once an OCC coverage amount is elected, you can only decrease your coverage amount or cancel it completely. You can never increase the coverage amount or reinstate it once you cancel it.
For Example: A retiree who is currently enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option ($50,000 lifetime maximum) and purchases an additional $200,000 of OCC coverage has a total lifetime maximum benefit of $250,000.
If the retiree decides at any time that he or she no longer wants the additional OCC buy-up coverage and cancels the $200,000 additional coverage:
If the retiree elected $100,000 or $200,000 of additional OCC coverage and decides at any time that he or she wants to decrease the additional OCC buy-up coverage to $50,000 of additional OCC coverage:
OCC coverage amounts elected by a retiree and any dependent(s) do not need to be the same, but the dependent’s coverage amount cannot exceed that of a retiree.
There is no need to drop this coverage. It is in effect only when you are enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option and you will not be billed for OCC coverage when you are not enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option. If you enroll in the Traditional Indemnity option in the future, the OCC coverage you previously elected will take effect again and you will be responsible for paying the premium cost.
No. Once you cancel the coverage you can never re-enroll in it. You will only be charged for this coverage when you are enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option.
Remember, while you can decrease or cancel OCC coverage at any time, you can never increase or re-enroll in OCC coverage if you actively decrease or cancel it.
No. You must be enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option in order access OCC coverage.
Review the list of healthcare services (under the “What does OCC cover?” question) that fall under OCC coverage (contact your medical carrier for additional information). If you receive, or expect to receive, services that may be eligible for OCC coverage, OCC coverage may be right for you.
You will pay for OCC coverage in one of two ways:
Deductions for the OCC buy-up amounts per person are:
Once OCC elections are made, deductions for OCC coverage are taken only:
You will know you are being charged for OCC coverage when you see the premium cost of this coverage in your pension deductions or on your direct bill (depending on how you pay the premium cost for your Traditional Indemnity coverage).
Contact your medical carrier’s Member Services.
You do not file separate claims for OCC coverage. Simply file your claim with your Traditional Indemnity claims administrator (medical carrier), as you would for any claim. The medical carrier is responsible for the determination, application, and tracking of OCC coverage.
