CAPE's Blue Shield Plans: Value, Quality, Providers You Know and Deserve!

CAPE/Blue Shield Special Luncheon Presentation Invite PDF download
2010 CAPE/Blue Shield POS Plans Benefit & Cost Comparisons PDF download
2010 CAPE/Blue Shield Enrollment Brochure PDF Download
Blue Shield of California Announces Streamlined Access to Benefits and Prescriptions for CAPE/Blue Shield Wildfire Victims PDF Download
Blue Shield of California Announcement Concerning H1N1 "Swine Flu" Vaccine PDF Download
2009 Evidence of Coverage--CAPE/Blue Shield Lite plan PDF download
2009 Evidence of Coverage--CAPE/Blue Shield Classic plan PDF download

The CAPE Benefit Trust administers a variety of benefit plans for CAPE's represented employees and other County of Los Angeles employees. Currently, the Trust offers two Medical plans through Choices and a Vision plan offered outside of the Choices benefits. The Benefit Trust also administers benefits available only to CAPE members. The Benefit Trust is run by its own Board of Trustees, working to provide you with excellent benefits at substantial savings.

CAPE-Sponsored Benefits

Medical Plans

Blue Shield Point-of-Service (POS) Medical - Through the vast Blue Shield provider network, the Blue Shield Classic and Lite plans combine the cost savings of HMO plans with the flexibility of traditional Fee-For-Service plans. Each time you need medical care, you decide who provides your care: your Personal Physician, a Preferred Provider in the Blue Shield network, or any other licensed medical care provider. This plan gives you freedom of choice and puts you in control of your health care needs. Both CAPE Blue Shield plans include prescription drug, mental health, chiropractic, and acupuncture coverage.
Chiropractic and Acupuncture - Provided with CAPE Blue Shield coverage, extensive chiropractic and acupuncture benefits are available without a referral from your Personal Physician. Depending on which Blue Shield plan you choose, you can have from 30 to 40 visits (based on medical necessity) per calendar year with either a $10 or $15 co-pay per visit. Coverage is provided by American Specialty Health Plans.
CAPE Blue Shield offers a wide range of programs and discounts to help you get healthier and save money. CAPE Blue Shield's Healthy Lifestyle Rewards is an online, interactive program that pays you cash for adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. Earn up to $175 just for participating by enrolling at www.blueshieldca.com/hlr. CAPE Blue Shield members enjoy discounts on 24 Hour Fitness membership, Weight Watchers, and more by going to www.blueshieldca.com/wellnessdiscounts.

Vision Plan

CAPE is very pleased to offer a vision PPO plan through the nation’s largest vision carrier, Vision Service Plan, VSP. The VSP plan is an affordable plan offering a nationwide network of optometry offices for your examinations, lenses, frames, contact lenses, and discounts on laser vision correction.

Enrollment is easily done through the completion of the CAPE/VSP application (PDF download), and choosing a VSP doctor is available at www.vsp.com/go/cape or call (800) 877-7195. Please note that a twelve month enrollment commitment is required, or as long as you are a County employee, whichever is less. Termination of coverage under a CAPE/Blue Shield medical plan does not automatically terminate coverage with VSP. If you wish to cancel your VSP coverage once the twelve month commitment is over, you must contact our customer service team at (800) 487-3092. The payroll deduction for the VSP plan will continue until termination is done through our customer service team.

For further vision coverage information, click here (PDF download) or contact the CAPE Benefits Department at benefits@capeunion.org or (800) 487-3092.

Member Benefits

Union Plus Mortgage Program

The Union Plus Mortgage Program (PDF download) CAPE membership benefit available to all members, their parents and their children. The program is available when buying or refinancing a home, and includes low or no down payments, lower closing costs and a unique interest-free mortgage assistance benefit that helps you make mortgage payments for up to six months in the event of a layoff or disability. In addition, in case of a strike or lockout, the "union member only" benefits can help make your house payments for you. The program is exclusively provided by Chase Home Finance, one of the nation's leading home lenders, and offers unique benefits at no additional cost that have been developed solely for union members and their families. The program applies whether or not you are a first-time home buyer, have less than perfect credit, desire to lower your monthly payments or just want to add these benefits that protect you in case of unforeseen circumstances. For more information about the mortgage program, contact Union Plus loan officer, George Learn, george.e.learn@chase.com, or call (310) 748-0644.

Group Term Life Insurance

CAPE members are provided a group term life insurance policy automatically upon approval of union membership at no cost. As of July 1, 2008, the CAPE group term life insurance is provided through The Hartford (download CAPE Booklet PDF). In addition to the change to The Hartford, CAPE is pleased to announce that as of July 1, 2008 the life insurance coverage amount increased to $15,000.00.

CAPE members also now have access to an invaluable Travel Assistance service available through The Hartford. The Hartford’s Travel Assistance program provides services for members and their families traveling more than 100 miles from home for either business or pleasure, including Pre-Trip Information, Emergency Medical Assistance, and Emergency Personal Services. These services are provided by Worldwide Assistance, a Europ Assistance Company and part of the world's leading assistance network. Travel Assistance is available at no additional cost on life plans. Please review the Travel Assistance brochure (download PDF), and contact (800) 243-6108 for more information on The Hartford’s Travel Assistance service.

For further information on the group term life insurance plan contact the CAPE Benefits Department at benefits@capeuion.org, or the CAPE office at (213) 484-0400.

Golden State ScholarShare College Savings Trust

Through CAPE payroll deduction, CAPE members can save for a child's college education through the ScholarShare College Savings Plan (See "How Will you Pay For College" flyer PDF). The ScholarShare College Savings Plan is California's tax advantaged 529 plan which offers a method of saving for college with earnings tax-deferred and qualified withdrawals free from federal and California state income taxes. Funds can be used at thousands of institutions nationwide, as well as some schools overseas, and can be used for tuition and qualified expenses such as books, supplies, required fees, and certain room and board expenses.

ScholarShare offers a wide range of investment options including age-based asset portfolios that invest in actively managed mutual funds, or that invest in index mutual funds, and if your child decides not to attend, the funds can be transferred to another family member of the beneficiary, including yourself. The minimum monthly contribution through payroll deduction is $15.00, plus a low monthly administration fee of $0.50 per account. For more information, visit the ScholarShare website at www.scholarshare.com. To start an account and your CAPE payroll deduction (See "How Do I get Started?" flyer PDF), request an Enrollment Kit on the website or by calling toll-free 1-800-544-5248. Enrollment forms must be returned to the CAPE Benefits Department for payroll deduction.

Benefit Trust Board of Trustees

Welcoming our new Board of Trustee

John Fallon
Chair
Unit 502: Senior Electical Engineer

Barbara Volz
Treasurer
Unit 511: Sr. Bldg. Engr. Inspector

Veronica Moser
Vice Chair
Unit 132: Supervising Appraiser

Lisa Andres
Trustee
Unit 131: Appraiser

Nelson Manabat
Secretary
Unit 511: Utility Coordinator

CAPE Benefits Department
1910 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(800) 487-3092
benefits@capeunion.org