Summary Plan Description
The Summary Plan Description (SPD) is available in pdf format from the MPIPHP website on the Active Plan page by clicking the image of the family at the beach at the bottom of the page.
Eligibility
Working at Guild signatory facilities brings eligibility into the Motion Picture Industry Health Plans. Eligibility is determined by the amount of hours worked in a given Qualifying Period. New Guild members become eligible for the MPIPHP Health Plans once they complete 600 hours in a Qualifying Period at signatory studios. Assuming a 40-hour work week, that means after 15 weeks of work, all new members have qualified to participate in the Health Plans. New members can initiate health coverage by filling out the forms sent by the Health Plan at the time of eligibility.
The Qualifying and Eligibility periods can be seen on the chart at the Eligibility page on the MPIPHP website.
Typically for new members, eligibility is reached and coverage begins approximately six months after employment at a Guild facility begins.
Bank of Hours
Membership in the health plans is not life-long. Maintaining eligibility for the health plans is achieved by working four hundred hours in an eligibility period. Once eligibility in the health plans has been established, and then after 400 hours have been earned to maintain eligibility for the next period, you bank the remaining worked hours in your ‘Bank of Hours’. The Bank of Hours is capped at 450 and can be used towards eligibility for the next qualifying period. Therefore, depending on how many hours you have banked, you can use the hours stored in your Bank of Hours to continue your health coverage for a six-month period.
This means that even though you may currently not be working at a Guild signatory facility, you can maintain your health coverage through the Motion Picture Industry Health Plans by using the hours accumulated in your Bank.
To determine how many hours you have in your Bank of Hours, call the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plan at (855) 275-4674. At the first menu choose option “1” for Active Participant. At the second menu, choose option “2” for General Questions and ask the representative about your banked hours.
Premiums
Premium costs were introduced to the MPI Health Plan in the 2012 IATSE Basic Agreement negotiations. Starting January of 2013, any MPI participant who is interested in extending coverage to an eligible dependent will have to pay a premium charge. The premium charge varies depending on how many dependents will be covered by the plan.
Premium charges are listed in the chart below:
These charges will be assessed monthly and charged quarterly. The best option for paying these charges is through the MPI Premium Payment System. MPI will also accept payment at their Studio City office or through US Postal Service.
Coverage Options
The following sections will go over the coverage options in broad-stroke terms. To find specifics on the coverage options, use the Summary Plan Description and reference the pages that are noted.
HEALTH PLANS
There are three health plan options, one PPO and two HMOs. The PPO plan is administered by the Motion Picture Industry Health and provided by Anthem/Blue Cross. The details of the coverage can be found between pages 35 and 67.
The two HMO plans are offered through Health Net and Kaiser Permanente. These are offered as options to the PPO plan and not all of HealthNet’s or Kaiser’s standard options are available. The details of the coverage can be found between pages 97 and 108.
MPI/Anthem Blue Cross Summary of Benefits and Coverage
HealthNet Summary of Benefits and Coverage
Kaiser Permanente Summary of Benefits and Coverage
DENTAL
Dental coverage is offered through Delta Dental. There are two options to the dental coverage: Delta Dental PPO and Delta Care USA, which is a pre-paid plan. The details for these plans can be found between pages 119 and 130.
VISION
Vision coverage is provided by Vision Service Plan. The details for their coverage starts on page 147.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
MPI Health Plans have partnered with CVS Caremark/SilverScript Benefits to provide you with comprehensive prescription benefits.
You may now access your personal CVS Caremark account directly through the MPIHP website. Once you log-in to your personal CVS Caremark account, you will be able to learn information about your current prescriptions, benefits available to you and health resources. Plus, you can always print a copy of your pharmacy identification card at this site as well.
To access your personal CVS Caremark/SilverScript account:
- Go to www.mpiphp.org and select “Health” under the Benefits option at the top of the page.
- Scroll down to the “Pharmacy Benefits” section of the page and click on the orange “Your Pharmacy Information” tab.
- You will be directed to a log-in page; once you provide your log-in credentials, you will be automatically redirected to, and logged into, the CVS Caremark/SilverScript website.
Please note, the first time you log in to the CVS Caremark/SilverScript website through MPIHP’s website, you will be asked to create a CVS Caremark/SilverScript account. Once you have created a CVS Caremark/SilverScript account, you will automatically be logged into to it each time you log in through your MPIHP account.
If you have questions about the information included in this email, please email MPI’s Participant Services Center using the “Contact Us” tab at www.mpiphp.org or call toll-free to (855) ASK-4MPI (855-275-4674), from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
MPI has resources that can allow you to get help online. Optum’s website—liveandworkwell.com—with Access Code MPIPHP offers online therapy through the TalkSpace App. You can read more about OPTUM services here.
Kaiser Permanente offers digital emotional wellness tools through myStrength – call to learn more about other therapy options.
Health Net offers personalized wellness coaching – certified coaches are available over the phone or via instant messaging or email to answer questions.