MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Rich Nigro, President, BTF

Date:          January 10, 2024

Subject:     Supplemental Benefits

In December, the trustees of the Supplemental Benefit Fund voted unanimously to make significant increases to the dental and optical benefits that teachers receive through the BTF. All changes will go into effect February 1, 2024.

We will continue to examine ways to further improve benefits for teachers and dependents. We expect to make more improvements for 2025, which will include additional dental and optical increases as well as other enhancements.

A summary of the benefit enhancement is below and more details will be provided in the January issue of the Provocator.

Dental

A 60% increase across the board has been approved. This means that every allowance BTF pays through Delta Dental, for both in-network and out-of-network dentists, will be multiplied by 1.6. This will result in significantly lower co-pays for our teachers and their dependents. In keeping with this increase, annual maximums for teachers and their dependents also will rise 60%. The new annual maximums will be $1,600 for members and $960 for dependents. In addition, the lifetime orthodontic allowance will increase from $1,100 to $1,760 and lifetime periodontal maximums will increase by $500 in most categories. Please view the new allowance tables please click HERE for in-network and HERE for out of network.

Optical

All optical allowances will be see fixed increases effective February 1st ranging from $3 to $5 for each covered service. That includes eye exams, lenses, and frames. Blue light lenses will be added as a service eligible for reimbursement. Please click HERE to view the new optical allowances. Note that the second service for members will no longer be a lesser amount than the first service.

Dependent Age

Effective February 1, 2024, teachers will be able to maintain coverage for their dependents up until their 26th birthday. This now reflects the age up to which dependents are eligible as per the Affordable Care Act for healthcare. This will apply to dependents who have not yet reached age 23 and to dependents who are already age 23, 24, or 25. If you have a child who aged out under the old rules but is now eligible for benefits, you will need to complete a new, blue enrollment card. Cards can be obtained from your delegate chair or by calling the SBF office at 881-5462.

Death Benefit

On February 1st, the death benefit that BTF pays to a dependent when an active teacher passes away will rise from $1,200 to $1,500.

If you have any questions, please contact the Supplemental Benefit Fund Office at (716) 881-5462.