Member Benefits

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="043a45a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Massachusetts Society of Professors</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Massachusetts Society of Professors"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="about.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MSP 101"><U>MSP 101</U></A>   |   <B>Member Benefits</B>   |   <A HREF="news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MSP News Publications"><U>MSP News & Publications</U></A>   |   <A HREF="legaction.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Legislative News Outreach"><U>Legislative News & Outreach</U></A>   |   <A HREF="contracts.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MSP Contract Policies"><U>MSP Contract & Policies</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Current Bargaining Proposals"><U>Current Bargaining Proposals</U></A>   |   <A 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free half-hour legal consultations on non-tax-related matters with a discount of up to 30% for further legal services through MTA's legal referral service.  Members have the right to vote in all MSP internal elections, the right to participate in MSP General Assemblies, and a voice on important decisions.   Only members may serve as departmental representatives, board members, officers, or expense-paid delegates to the anuual MTA and NEA conventions.</div> <div>  </div> <div> Finally, members receive substantial savings through MTA-sponsored discount group purchasing.  Some of the programs currently offered are:</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="442" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#A6CAF0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="237"><div> Auto Insurance</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Alternative Health Care</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 ><NOBR><div> Home Owners & Renters Insurance</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="186"><div> Credit Cards</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="237"><div> Disability Insurance</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="186"><div> Long Term Care</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="237"><div> Hospital Income</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Home Mortgage Program</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="237"><div> Life Insurance</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="186"><div> Vision Care Plan</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 ><NOBR><div> Travel Accident Insurance</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="186"><div> Travel Program</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="237"><div> Tax Sheltered Accounts</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="186"><div> Hotel Discounts</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="237"><div> Tax Preparation Services</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="186"><div> Auto Rental</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 22 WIDTH="237"><div> Home Heating Oil Co-op</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Theme Park Discounts</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> For more information about these and</div> <div> other MTA-sponsored benefits, please</div> <div> call 1-800-336-0990 or visit the MTA </div> <div> Benefits Website link below:</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.mtabenefits.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mtabenefits.com"><U>MTA Benefits Website</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>OPTICAL BENEFIT</B></div> <div> In addition to the benefits provided by the MTA and the NEA, MSP members are also eligible to receive a local vision discount of 15% off the cost of eyeglass lenses and frames at the Amherst Optical Shoppe, winner of many Advocate Best of the Valley awards.  Amherst Optical is located at 195 North Pleasant Street in the center of town.</div> <bR> <div> <B>NEW VISION ONE EYECARE PROGRAM</B></div> <div> MTA's Health and Welfare Trust Fund which provides dental benefits to MSP members is now offering a new vision care discount benefit through MetLife whereby members and their eligible dependents can receive discounts on eye exams, eyeglasses and contact lenses when they use participating providers such as Pearle Vision, Sears Optical and Target Optical.</div> <bR> <div> This program has been set up to be simple and you can use it as often as you need to.  There are no enrollment forms to fill out and no claim forms to submit.  All you need do is contact a participating provider to schedule an appointment, identify yourself as a Vision One Eyecare Program member and provide your group ID number which is 47039.  The provider will then apply your applicable discount at the time of service.</div> <bR> <div> To find out more about the program and to get a list of participating providers in your area, visit <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.metlife.com/mybenefits" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.metlife.com/mybenefits"><U><U>www.metlife.com/mybenefits</U></U></A></FONT> and enter “Board of Higher Education Massachusetts Teachers Association” under <B>Company Name</B>.  Then click on the Vision Care icon.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>DENTAL BENEFIT</B></div> <div> Our dental insurance, provided through a trust fund negotiated in the union contract, is funded entirely by the University.  The University's FTE contribution increased from $11 per week to $12 when the current contract was funded.</div> <div> Once a person is in the bargaining unit, s/he is automatically enrolled in the dental plan after a 6 month waiting period.  A bargaining unit member's family members can also be enrolled in the plan at no cost by filling out a form found at <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.mackbenefits.com/MTA_Dental_Enrollment_Card.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mackbenefits.com/MTA_Dental_E"><U>http://www.mackbenefits.com/MTA_Dental_Enrollment_Card.pdf</U></A></FONT>.  The dental plan is Met Life Dental. To use the plan, a person goes to her/his dentist, tells them that the dental plan is Met Life Dental and that our <B>group number is MTA93994</B>.  [Met Life Dental does not issue cards.] The individual's number is her/his Social Security Number.  </div> <div> Minimal as our benefits are, MetLife is losing money on us and will be increasing its premiums significantly next spring, which will put a severe strain on the Trust Fund.  This may necessitate reducing benefits, member contributions to the premiums, or some sort of multi-tier benefits structure.  MSP member <B>Melissa Woodard</B> sits on the Board of the Trust and will be representing MSP members' interests as any changes are discussed, but given the financial shortfall most options have problems.</div> <div> The plan can be used with any dentist who will accept it, but Met Life Dental has a list of “Preferred Providers” who have negotiated lower fees and whose services are reimbursed at a higher rate.  To see this list or to find a dentist, go to the Met Life web site <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.metlife.com/dental" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.metlife.com/dental"><U>www.metlife.com/dental</U></A></FONT> or call them at 1-800-942-0854.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>