How Other Covered Charges (OCC) Coverage Works

Nokia 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.

General

The Traditional Indemnity option includes a $50,000 lifetime maximum benefit on those services designated as OCC. 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:

  • $100,000;
  • $150,000; or
  • $250,000.
For Example: A retiree who is currently enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option with $50,000 of OCC coverage and purchases an additional $200,000 of OCC coverage would have a total of $250,000 of OCC coverage ($50,000 originally + $200,000 of OCC buy-up coverage = $250,000 total).

Healthcare services covered by OCC include:

  • Hospitalization beyond 120 days;
  • Professional nursing services;
  • Physician visits;
  • Physical therapy;
  • Blood;
  • Prostheses;
  • Durable medical equipment rental/replacement/repair;
  • Local ambulance services;
  • Mammography;
  • Chiropractic care;
  • Podiatric care;
  • Orthotic care;
  • Physical therapy;
  • Hemodialysis/peritoneal dialysis for chronic renal disease;
  • Care received at an extended care facility; and
  • Home health care.

Retirees and their covered dependents enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option for Formerly Represented Retirees are eligible.

POS, UnitedHealthcare® Group Medicare Advantage (PPO) and HMO/Medicare HMO options offered by Nokia 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 covered dependents, you will not be charged for OCC unless you and/or your covered dependents are enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option.

If you elect OCC and at any point enroll in a POS, UnitedHealthcare® Group Medicare Advantage (PPO) or HMO/Medicare 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.

Enrollment

You can elect OCC coverage upon initial retirement, if you experience a qualified status change midyear or during the annual open enrollment period.

During your initial retirement election period, you can elect OCC coverage by logging on to the Your Benefits Resources website. The OCC coverage will be effective the same date as all other retirement benefits.

After your initial retirement election period, should you experience a qualified status change during the year, contact the Nokia Benefits Resource Center.

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:

  • The retiree can never again elect any of the OCC buy-up increments ($50,000, $100,000, $200,000); and
  • The retiree will continue to have the original $50,000 of OCC coverage for Traditional Indemnity 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:

  • The retiree can never again elect either of the higher OCC buy-up increments ($100,000, $200,000); and
  • The retiree will continue to have the $50,000 additional OCC buy-up coverage until he or she decides to cancel the additional OCC buy-up coverage (for a total of $100,000 of OCC coverage).

OCC coverage amounts elected by a retiree and any covered 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 UnitedHealthcare 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.

Cost

You will pay for OCC coverage in one of two ways:

  • Coverage is deducted monthly through pension check deductions; or
  • The deductions will be directly billed to you, if deductions are not taken from your pension.

Deductions for the OCC buy-up amounts per person are:

  • $50,000 ($0.75 per month)
  • $100,000 ($1.50 per month)
  • $200,000 ($2.25 per month)

Once OCC elections are made, deductions for OCC coverage are taken only:

  • Retirees — When you are enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity medical option.
  • Eligible spouse and/or covered dependents — When they are enrolled in the Traditional Indemnity option and you (the retiree) are enrolled in any medical option other than an HMO/Medicare HMO.

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).

Claims

Contact UnitedHealthcare’s Member Services.

You do not file separate claims for OCC coverage. Simply file your claim with your Traditional Indemnity claims administrator (UnitedHealthcare), as you would for any claim. UnitedHealthcare is responsible for the determination, application, and tracking of OCC coverage.