Reminder: Improved Optical Benefit Begins March 1

This is a reminder to Hotel Trades Council members and their families about the improvements in their optical benefits that will take place March 1.

Beginning on March 1 all four Health Centers will have eye care departments where members can have eye exams and receive prescriptions for eyeglasses. On that same date a once-per-year $200 reimbursement will become available for prescription eyewear purchases, including frames and lenses, contact lens fittings and/or contacts.

The $200 reimbursement applies to all eligible members and their dependents, and it will apply each calendar year. It is a roll-over benefit, meaning that after the first $200 benefit is used, unused benefits can be rolled over to the next year to receive a reimbursement up to a maximum of $400 for each eligible member and each of their dependents. Remember, the first $200 benefit must be used before the roll-over feature takes effect. All eligible members recently received a brochure from the Benefit Funds Office detailing how the improved benefit works. You can find a copy of the brochure here.

The way the plan will work is that members will go to their Health Center for an eye exam and prescription and then are free to use any eyewear provider they wish for themselves or their dependents. Members should keep all documents relating to the purchase of the eyewear, including prescriptions, receipts, and checking or credit card statements, and, for the purpose of reimbursement, mail copies to:

HTC-Eye Care
PO Box 36-20953
New York, NY 10129

Members should keep the original documents.

It should be added that if one of the Health Centers is used for prescriptions, there will be no need to send those particular copies because they will already be electronically on file. The same procedures apply to members’ dependents.

Once the relevant documents are provided to the Benefit Funds, a check for reimbursement will be mailed back within 30 days.

Once again, the improved vision benefit, which provides members with an easier way to take care of their vision needs and choose where they purchase their eyeglasses and contacts, will begin March 1, 2016. All eligible members received a brochure explaining in detail how the program will work. As always questions about this particular benefit (or any other benefit) and how the optical reimbursement plan works can be asked by calling the Benefit Funds office at 212-586-6400.

There is one other thing we think members should know: Optometrists recommend that healthy adults ages 18 to 60 get eye exams every other year—if they do not wear contacts and have no factors for health and vision problems. All others should have their eyes examined once a year, a process that takes only 10 to 20 minutes and is now performed at all Health Centers.

Download Pamphlet: PDF