Anyone, regardless of age or type of medical insurance, can be left with extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses if they experience a serious medical issue or require convalescent, custodial or home health care.

The UFT’s state affiliate, the New York State United Teachers, sponsors a supplemental plan that can help cover catastrophic health care costs for members and their eligible family members.

The Catastrophe Major Medical Plan, sponsored by the NYSUT Member Benefits Catastrophe Major Medical Insurance Trust, provides benefits for eligible expenses that a basic health plan may not fully cover, including prescription drugs.

The plan is open to all in-service UFT members (along with their eligible family members) who are dues-paying members of NYSUT. There is no longer a New York State residency requirement to enroll.

You can enroll only between Sept. 8 and Oct. 13, 2023. Coverage will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

This is an in-demand plan with an infrequent (not annual) open-enrollment period for accepting new members.

The open-enrollment period also provides the opportunity to add dependents, so those who currently have this benefit can add a spouse or child. Although retirees can’t join during the open-enrollment period, those retirees who enrolled in the Catastrophe Major Medical Plan when they were in service can add a spouse if they hadn’t previously.

For more information about the program, informational webinars and the enrollment form (which goes live on Sept. 8), visit the NYSUT Member Benefits website.

For questions about the plan, call NYSUT at 800-626-8101.