Yes, the Welfare Fund provides a hearing aid benefit which reimburses the member up to a maximum of $1,500 every three years (counted from the date of your last service) for members and their dependents. You can use the Fund’s panel or choose any provider.

As of March 1, 2022, the UFT Welfare Fund will reimburse a maximum of $1,500, which can be used once every three years. If you use a preferred provider, you can receive at least a 25 percent discount on your purchase. If you are a retiree who belongs to SHIP, the Fund will now also process your claim for the SHIP scheduled payment.

The qualifying event date is the start date of your COBRA coverage. Under the COBRA rules, there can be no gap between when active coverage ends and COBRA coverage starts. Therefore, whether for yourself or a dependent, the qualifying event date should be the day after the active coverage ends.

COBRA is the federal law that enables you to purchase continuation of coverage when you lose eligibility for health coverage. Most UFT members have health coverage from two separate sources: the New York City Health Plan for medical/hospital benefits (e.g. GHI or HIP) and the UFT Welfare Fund for supplemental health-related benefits including prescription drugs, dental, optical and hearing aid. (Welfare Fund COBRA coverage is not available for non-health-related benefits including death, disability, legal, and retiree programs.) To purchase medical/hospital coverage, you must file a City of New York Continuation of Coverage Application (available from your payroll secretary) with your medical plan. To purchase UFT Welfare Fund benefits, file a COBRA application with the Welfare Fund (available by calling the COBRA unit at 212-539-0560).

The Welfare Fund provides up to three months of coverage for members on FMLA Leave, up to four months for Maternity Leave, up to six months for Child Care Leave and up to 12 months for Restoration of Health Leave. COBRA coverage for up to 36 months may be purchased when the covered leave ends.

When a dependent child's COBRA coverage expires, he or she may be eligible to purchase Age 29 Young Adult Coverage. As long as both the member and dependent maintain their eligibility. This benefit will continue until the end of the month of the dependent’s 30th birthday. The Age 29 coverage form (which states the requirements) is available online.

The following are qualifying events for COBRA coverage:
A member (and dependents) who has lost coverage due to:

• termination of employment
• leave of absence 
• end of a covered leave
• retirement and deferred retirement.

A spouse/dependent who has lost coverage due to:

• the death of the member
• divorce or legal separation or termination of domestic partnership
• a dependent child who lost coverage upon turning age 26.

Certain COBRA events allow for up to 18 months of coverage while other events allow for up to 36 months of coverage. COBRA coverage combined with the UFT Welfare Fund Extension of Continuation of Coverage benefit provides all COBRA events with up to 36 months of coverage.

COBRA is an acronym for federal legislation that enables eligible employees and their dependents who lost their health insurance plans due to a qualifying event to continue their coverage at their own expense for a period of time.

Yes, you can ask for a validated certificate under your own name and another one as a dependent of your spouse.