1. What is the purpose of the Employee Benevolent Fund? 2. Who is eligible to enroll in the Fund? 3. If I am not eligible to enroll during the open enrollment period because I am not actively at work (either on military leave or on extended leave for other reasons), can I enroll when I do return to work? 5. What is the cost and how do I pay for the Fund? 7. I just enrolled in the Fund and my premium payment was less than $26.00. Why? 8. How will I know when my next premium payment is due? 10. Does the policy cover accidental deaths? 11. In what cases would my beneficiary not receive the death payment? 12. Who will receive the one-time payment of $17,500 if I die? 13. How do I change my beneficiary? 14. Why does my primary beneficiary have to be 18 years old or older? 15. What happens if I go on Leave Without Pay due to illness, injury, or family medical leave? 16. What happens if due to military obligations, I am on LWOP for more than 60 calendar days? 18. Would death benefits be paid if I should die while serving in the military? 19. How do I know my enrollment application was processed? 20. Can a Fund member cancel his or her enrollment? 21. Can I keep this policy, even after I resign from the agency? 22. How often is there an open Enrollment period? 24. Is there a document that explains the coverage and its provisions? 26. Are there any other exclusions or limitations that I should know about before I enroll? 27. What if I still have questions – who do I contact? Q. What is the purpose of the Employee Benevolent Fund? A. The Employee Benevolent Fund (EBF) is designed to provide immediate money to your loved ones upon your death. The Fund promptly delivers a $17,500 death benefit to your designated beneficiary(ies), usually within 24 hours. back to top Q. Who is eligible to enroll in the Fund? A. Enrollment in the Fund is open to all permanent employees – full and part-time who are actively at work (not on official leave, active military duty, or leave without pay status). New permanent full-time and permanent part-time active employees MUST enroll within 60 days of their date of hire (entry on duty date). All other eligible employees can join only during an Open Enrollment period. back to top Q. If I am not eligible to enroll during the open enrollment period because I am not actively at work (either on military leave or on extended leave for other reasons), can I enroll when I do return to work? A. No –you must wait until the next open enrollment period. Only new employees or previous Fund members who lost membership due to active duty in the military are eligible for enrollment outside of the open enrollment period. back to top Q. When does my coverage become effective? A. Your coverage will be effective on the first day of the month following the month your enrollment application is accepted and your premium is withdrawn from your bank account. back to top Q. What is the cost and how do I pay for the Fund? A. The annual cost is $26.00. SAMBA collects payment through direct debit from your checking or savings account. Each year you will be sent an electronic notice via email that will remind you to pay the premium for the upcoming year. back to top Q. Who is SAMBA? A. SAMBA is a not-for-profit association that offers health insurance and other group insurance plans for select federal agency employees and their dependents. Established in 1948, SAMBA works closely with top-rated insurance providers to create plans at affordable rates that meet the specific needs of our members and their families. The result is a suite of insurance and benefit programs that are among the best offered to any federal government employee. back to top Q. I just enrolled in the Fund and my premium payment was less than $26.00. Why? A. The Fund premium of $26.00 is based on 12 months of coverage. The fund year runs from September 1 to August 31; if you enroll and your effective date is any month other than September, your premium will be pro-rated to reflect the number of months you are covered for that first year. back to top Q. How will I know when my next premium payment is due? A. Each August, all Fund members will be sent an electronic notice via email to remind you that their premiums are due. You will be asked to update your banking information online, if applicable. Your bank account will be debited $26.00 around the first week of September. back to top Q. How soon after my death will my beneficiary(ies) receive the death payment? A. Usually, the check(s) totaling $17,500 will be mailed via FedEx or Express Mail to your designated beneficiary(ies) within 24 hours of receipt of notification of death from your agency. back to top Q. Does the policy cover accidental deaths? A. Yes. Whether your death is due to an illness or accident, whether it occurs at home or on the job, your beneficiary will receive the death payment as long as you are enrolled in the Employee Benevolent Fund at the time of death. back to top Q. In what cases would my beneficiary not receive the death payment? A. If you commit suicide, and you have been enrolled in the Fund less than two years, there is no payout. Also, if your beneficiary is found to be responsible for your death, there is no payout. back to top Q. Who will receive the one-time death payment of $17,500 if I die? A. During the enrollment process, you will be asked to designate both primary beneficiary(ies) and contingent beneficiary(ies). The primary beneficiary(ies) MUST be a person(s) at least 18 years of age or older. Minors, estates and trusts cannot be designated as the primary beneficiary(ies), but may be designated as contingent beneficiary(ies). Should the EBF member not be survived by his or her primary and contingent beneficiary(ies), payment shall be made in the following order: member’s spouse; member’s children in equal shares, member’s parents, member’s siblings in equal shares, member’s estate. back to top Q. How do I change my beneficiary(ies)? A. Click on the Change Beneficiary button on the EBF home page and follow the directions. back to top Q. Why does my primary beneficiary have to be 18 years old or older? A. The plan is designed to pay an immediate death payment within 24 hours of receipt of notification of death from your agency. When minor children and/or trusts are designated as primary beneficiaries, SAMBA cannot make immediate payments until certain requirements are fulfilled such as legal guardianship is established or settlement of the trust/estate. back to top Q. What happens if I go on Leave Without Pay due to illness, injury, or family medical leave? A. If you are on LWOP status for less than 365 days, you will remain a member of the Fund (provided your annual membership premium is paid). However, LWOP for any reason for more than 365 consecutive days will result in termination of membership in the Fund at the end of the 365th day of LWOP. You may re-enroll within 60 days following your return to active employment. back to top Q. What happens if, due to military obligations, I am on LWOP for more than 60 calendar days? A. Any Fund member who enters on active duty and is placed on LWOP, or resigns from the agency to perform active duty in the military will no longer be a member of the Benevolent Fund. Employees must re-enroll in the Fund within 60 days following his or her return to active work status with their agency to become an Fund member again. back to top Q. What happens if I am on Military Leave for periods of less than 60 days (typically for two weeks of active duty training while in the military reserves)? A. While on Military Leave, Fund membership is automatically suspended. Upon return to active status with their agency, the Fund membership will be automatically reinstated. back to top Q. Would death benefits be paid if I should die while serving in the military? A. No. Please note that a Fund member is no longer a member while serving in the military and NO benefits can be paid if death occurred while serving on active duty. back to top Q. How do I know my enrollment application was processed? A. All EBF members will receive an email confirmation of their enrollment and a personal coverage statement showing the coverage for $17,500 and the effective date of their enrollment. back to top Q. Can a Fund member cancel his or her enrollment? A. Yes. However, any EBF member who elects to cancel his/her EBF membership will not be eligible for re-enrollment until the next open enrollment period. back to top Q. Can I keep this policy, even after I resign from the agency? A. You have the right to convert the coverage to an individual policy. You must submit your application to the Prudential Insurance Company of America within 31 days after you cease to be a member of the Fund. Contact SAMBA or see the Summary Plan Description for more details. back to top Q. How often is there an open Enrollment period? A. Open enrollment periods are coordinated between SAMBA and the federal agencies and are usually not held more than once every two years. back to top Q. Who administers the Fund? A. SAMBA administers the EBF. The Prudential Insurance Company of America is the underwriter. back to top Q. Is there a document that explains the coverage and its provisions? A. Yes. You will find online the Certificate of Coverage/Summary Plan Description. This is a general document which applies to all members. You may print it for your records if you wish. In addition, at the end of the Online Enrollment process, you will receive your personal Statement of Coverage. back to top Q. The Summary Plan Description includes a Disclosure Notice for residents of certain states. Does this mean that members of the Fund who live in those states may not be eligible for the death benefit? A. The Disclosure Notice printed in the Summary Plan Description contains required language by the state that may not be applicable for all plans. In the event of the death of a Benevolent Fund member living in any of those states, the Disclosure Notice does not apply; therefore, the full death benefit of $17,500 will be paid. back to top Q. Are there any other exclusions or limitations that I should know about before I enroll? A. Two other exclusions exist and are listed below.
Q. What if I still have questions – who do I contact? A. Call SAMBA’s Group Plans representatives at (800) 638-6589 or visit our website at feedback@sambaplans.com. back to top
|
