INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS

Local Union 478 Benefit Funds  

IMPORTANT NOTICE - DECEMBER 2025

Season’s Greetings to all IUOE Local No. 478 Benefit Fund Participants and your families.  The Trustees and staff of the IUOE Local No. 478 Benefit Funds extend their best wishes for a safe and healthy holiday season.  This Summary of Material Modifications (SMM) and general information notice includes both practical updates from the IUOE Benefit Fund Office and important regulatory information about your IUOE benefit plans. Please review this notice carefully, as it summarizes recent changes and key reminders that may affect your health, annuity and pension benefits with the IUOE Benefit Funds.

If you have any questions about the information in this notice or would like additional details about any of the changes described, please contact the Benefit Fund Office. You can also visit our website at isite.local478.org for more information, forms, and resources.

Wishing you the Best, Deborah Palmieri, Executive Director.

I.     PENSION FUND

Annual Signature and Eligibility Verification Reminder. The IUOE Local No. 478 Pension Fund now requires all retirees and beneficiaries currently receiving a monthly pension payment to complete an Annual Signature and Eligibility Verification Form to confirm continued eligibility for benefits. This form was required to be notarized and returned to the Fund Office by September 1, 2025, to avoid any delay in future pension payments or direct deposits.  The Board of Trustees sincerely thanks all Pensioners who promptly completed and returned the required form for 2025. Your cooperation helps the Fund maintain accurate records and ensures that benefits are paid only to eligible retirees and beneficiaries. 

Please be aware that any individual who did not submit the form by the deadline above has had their monthly pension benefits temporarily suspended. Payments will resume once the completed and notarized form is received and processed by the Fund Office.  This verification is a critical safeguard against fraud and unauthorized benefit payments, helping to protect both the Fund and its participants.  Looking ahead, the Fund will be conducting a similar verification process in June 2026, and additional information will be sent out in advance. If you need assistance or would like to schedule an appointment to complete the 2025 form at the Fund Office, please contact Christine Klein (866-288-9261, ext. 274) or Maya Pacelli (ext. 270).

Mandatory Direct Deposit Effective April 1, 2026.  The Fund is alerting all pensioners and beneficiaries that beginning April 1, 2026, monthly pension benefits will be issued only through direct deposit, unless a hardship waiver is approved. Direct deposit provides faster access to your benefit, greater security, and eliminates the risks of lost or delayed checks. If direct deposit would create a significant hardship, then you may request a waiver by contacting the Fund Office or submitting a written explanation by February 20, 2026.

Notice of Pension Benefit Statement Availability.  Under one of the federal laws that governs the Pension Plan (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)), you have the right to request and receive, no more than once every 12 months, a statement of the total Pension Fund benefits you have accrued and the nonforfeitable (vested) pension benefits you have accrued, if any, or the earliest date on which your benefits will become nonforfeitable.  To request a statement of your benefits, contact the Fund Office.

Planning for your Retirement. Please be aware that retirements under the Pension Fund require significant attention, as a full analysis of your work history must be completed and the Fund Office has to coordinate with the Fund's professional advisors (e.g., the Fund actuary) on all pension benefit calculations. Please remember that in order to retire on the date of your choice (i.e. the first day of the month of your choosing after you become eligible), you need to properly complete ALL of your retirement paperwork and submit it to the Pension Department at least two months (60 days) prior to your intended retirement date. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Fund Office at least three months (90 days) before your desired retirement date to either request an application or schedule an appointment to complete your application in person at the Fund Office. The Pension Fund retains discretion to make limited exceptions to this 60-day requirement in exceptional circumstances, such as when a vested participant has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Please plan ahead and allow adequate time to make your retirement process smooth, timely, and well-coordinated.

Limited Exception for Specific Pensioners to Engage in Covered Employment in Connecticut Has Been

Extended Through 2026. Please see the enclosed separate Notice regarding the recent continuation of a limited exception to the “Retiree Work Rules” of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 478 Pension Plan for retired Pensioners who return to work in Covered Employment in Connecticut and perform either: (1) crane operator work, (2) crane maintenance work, or (3) asphalt paving crew work.

II.     HEALTH FUND

Surrogacy Related Charges.  Effective for claims on and after January 1, 2026, the Fund has adopted an exclusion for surrogacy-related pregnancy services. Specifically, claims for medical expenses incurred when a participant or eligible dependent serves as a surrogate will not be covered. Connecticut law requires intended parents to provide insurance for these services, and this new exclusion ensures proper use of Fund assets and uniform administration. Claims with dates of service prior to January 1, 2026, will continue to be processed under existing Plan provisions.

Updated Active Health Plan Summary Plan Description.  The Fund is pleased to announce that an updated Active Health Fund Summary Plan Description (SPD) will be mailed to participants in the first quarter of 2026. This updated SPD includes recent Plan amendments, clarifications, and regulatory updates to ensure you have the most accurate and user-friendly information regarding your health benefits.

Reminder: Please Complete and Return the COB Participant Questionnaire.  The Fund kindly reminds all Active participants to complete and return the Coordination of Benefits (COB) Participant Questionnaire as soon as possible, and no later than January 31, 2026. This form is essential to keeping your coverage records accurate and ensuring that your claims are processed correctly and without delay.  Even if you or your dependents do not have any other health coverage, you must still complete and return the form so the Fund can update its records. Incomplete or unsigned forms will be returned, which may delay the processing of your claims.  Please take a few minutes to fill out the form and return it by fax or mail using the instructions provided. Your prompt cooperation helps the Fund protect your benefits and avoid unnecessary claim issues.

Reminder on EPIC Hearing Healthcare. The Fund reminds all members that a hearing aid benefit is available for Active and Retired Members and their Eligible Dependents, with coverage limited to one set of hearing aids every 36 months per individual. The Fund partners with EPIC Hearing Healthcare to provide access to high-quality providers and, in many cases, reduced device costs.  Flyers with additional details are enclosed. For more information or assistance, you may contact EPIC directly at 1-866-956-5400 or visit epichearing.com.

Wellness Program – Hinge Health. As a reminder, the Health Fund implemented Hinge Health’s Wellness Program, a digital musculoskeletal care program which provides both preventive support and post-surgery rehabilitation. It is important to note that this service is included in your Health Fund coverage at no cost to you – your participation in the Hinge Health program and use of its services and equipment are covered on a first-dollar basis, meaning you do NOT have to exhaust your deductible before the Fund covers the program. We have enclosed a flyer from Hinge Health with more detail on the program and its benefits.

Sydney Health Mobile App. For Active Members and their eligible dependents, COBRA and Self-Pay enrollees, and Pre-Medicare Retirees (i.e., those with Fund coverage through Anthem), we want to remind you that you have access to Anthem’s Sydney Health mobile application. Once you access the Sydney Health application, register (if you haven’t already), and log in, you will be able to receive virtual care and support through the application, as well as access other features related to your health care. We have enclosed a flyer from Anthem with more information on accessing virtual care through the Sydney Health application (available for download by searching “Sydney” in your Apple App Store or Google Play, or by using your phone’s camera to scan the QR code on the flyer).

New Option for Infusions. Local Infusion, in partnership with Anthem, is offering eligible individuals a more convenient, affordable, and personalized infusion therapy experience. With flexible scheduling (including evenings and weekends), private care suites, and convenient Connecticut locations with easy parking, Local Infusion is designed to eliminate long waits and reduce costs while ensuring exceptional patient-centered care. To learn more, schedule a tour, or make the switch, contact Ashley Knapp, RN, Co-Founder of Local Infusion, at (631) 856-7348 or ashley@mylocalinfusion.com. A flyer is also enclosed with more details.

Reminder on Medicare Parts B and D. Under the terms of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 478 Health Benefits Plan, if you are covered by the Fund, are entitled to Medicare, and you choose to obtain Medicare Part D coverage (prescription drug) through a different medical plan, then you cannot also be covered under the Fund’s prescription drug coverage. Medicare Part D is Medicare’s prescription drug plan, but our Fund utilizes a separate Medicare Part D option as part of the Medicare retiree benefits. Our coverage is “creditable,” which means it’s as good as or better than the standard Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. This means you do NOT have to enroll in another

Medicare Part D plan if you choose to get your prescription coverage through the Fund instead.  Fund rules state that if you elect a different Medicare Part D coverage and later determine that you wish to cancel that separate Medicare Part D coverage and re-enroll in the Fund’s Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, you will be given a once in a lifetime opportunity to do so. Please also remember that you MUST elect Medicare Part B when you become eligible to do so – if you have any questions, please contact the Fund Office.

Retiree Copay Changes for 2026. For those Retirees, Widow/ers, and their Eligible Dependents who selfpay for Fund coverage, we wish to remind you of the 2026 self-pay rates in effect as of January 1^st. You were previously sent a separate notice with the new rates, but as a reminder, effective as of January 1, 2026 the monthly self-pay contribution rates will be as follows:

(for Widow / Widower + each Eligible Dependent):

Reminder on the Fund’s Compliance with the No Surprises Act. As a reminder and as we previously notified you, effective as of January 1, 2022, you have protections against certain forms of surprise medical billing under a federal law called the “No Surprises Act.”   Specifically, when you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing. In any situation where you believe any type of billing error has been made, we strongly encourage you to contact the Health Fund first.  You can visit: https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers for more information about your rights under this federal law.

Reminder on the Fund’s Behavioral Health Benefit Program. Please take advantage of the Health Fund’s behavioral health program options if you or a family member is experiencing any of life’s difficulties or have any other questions or concerns. You can contact:

• the Local 478 Member Assistance Program (Call 203-833-0194 for Ashley Dwyer);
• Connecticut Counseling and Wellness Center (Flyer enclosed; call either 860-387-2261, or 203-596-7870);
• Anthem to obtain information on Behavioral Health service providers (Call 1-800-810-2583).

2026 Summary of Benefits and Coverage and Uniform Glossary of Terms. If you are a Health Fund Participant, you should have recently received the 2026 version of the Fund’s “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” (SBC) as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)^[1].  The main purpose of the SBC is to provide a short, and easy to understand, summary of the important benefits offered by the Fund.  If you have any questions about the SBC or your Fund benefits, simply contact the Fund Office. Please remember that the terms of the Health Fund’s plan documents will always supersede.

The Health Fund’s Continuing Status as a “Grandfathered Health Plan”. The Health Fund’s Board of Trustees continues to believe that the Health Plan is a “grandfathered health plan” under the ACA. As permitted by the ACA, a grandfathered health plan can preserve certain basic health coverage that was already in effect when this federal law was enacted (back in March of 2010)^[2].  Being a grandfathered health plan means that the Plan may not include certain consumer protections of the ACA that apply to other plans; for example, the requirement for the provision of preventive health services without any cost sharing.  However, grandfathered health plans must comply with certain other consumer protections in the ACA; for example, the elimination of lifetime limits on certain essential health benefits. Questions regarding which protections apply and which protections do not apply to a grandfathered health plan, and what might cause a plan to change from grandfathered health plan status, can be directed to Ms. Deborah Palmieri, the Executive Director, using the information in Section V of this Notice. You may also contact the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, at 1-866-444-3272.  

Compliance with Other Federal Laws; Your Right to Request a Copy of our HIPAA Privacy Notice.

The Health Fund also complies with a vast number of other federal laws, including ERISA, the ACA, the

Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (HIPAA).  We want you to know that under the WHCRA, group health plans like our Health Fund that provide medical and surgical benefits covering mastectomy must provide benefits for certain related reconstructive breast surgery.  This applies to reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy was performed, surgery or reconstruction on the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance, prostheses and physical complications of all stages of mastectomy, including lymphedemas (swelling). This coverage is subject to all of the Health Fund’s normal rules, including co-payments, annual deductibles and coinsurance provisions. Also, as a reminder, if you wish to request a copy of the Fund’s HIPAA Privacy Notice, which will be provided to you free of charge, simply contact the Fund Office using the information in Section V of this Notice. You may also contact the Fund Office with any questions regarding your rights under these federal laws.

III.     ANNUITY FUND

Investment elections, the Annuity Fund’s investment options and the Empower My Total Retirement Program.  Please remember that you have the right, and the responsibility, to exercise independent control over the monies in your Annuity Fund account(s) through the Self-Directed Investment Program which is provided through Empower Retirement, LLC. You can obtain further information about all of the Annuity Fund’s investment alternatives, including the age-based “default” investment options by logging on to the Empower website at www.empowermyretirement.com or by calling Empower at 1-855-756-4738 (toll free). You can also find very helpful Fund investment option information, such as fact sheets, performance and prospectuses, on Empower’s website by clicking on the “Fund Information” tab at the top of the page and then entering the Fund’s “Group ID / Plan number,” which is: 765487-01.

Also, the Trustees would like to remind you of the availability of the “My Total Retirement” program provided by Empower to Fund participants and beneficiaries. My Total Retirement is a program, paid for from your account(s) for an additional fee (which will depend on your overall balance), that gives you access to Empower’s fiduciary investment advisory services. If you choose to opt-in to the My Total Retirement program, an Empower investment advisor will work with you one-on-one to develop a personalized savings and investment strategy to help prepare you for retirement. Enrollees in the My Total Retirement Program are also provided with ongoing monitoring and management of their investments by Empower advisors. Empower also provides access to no-cost, point-in-time online investment advice to all Participants, whether or not you choose to enroll in the My Total Retirement program. For more information on Empower’s My Total Retirement program and other investment advisory services, please call 1-877-630-4015.    

Keep the Annuity Fund’s 401(k) Option in Mind. We also want to remind you that the Annuity Fund allows you to make “401(k) contributions” in addition to your normal hourly employer contributions. These 401(k) contributions, also called “deferral contributions,” provide you with the opportunity to make additional contributions to the Annuity Fund through pre-tax payroll deductions. 401(k) contributions are a great way to lower your overall taxable income AND save additional amounts for your retirement!  

We wish to note that the Annuity Fund’s standard 401(k) election form has been updated and clarified for 2026.  As a result, you must complete the new 2026 401(k) election form (for your convenience, a copy is enclosed to this notice) and provide a copy to your employer and the Fund Office if you wish to start, or continue, making 401(k) contributions to the Annuity Fund at any point in 2026.  

Please note that for calendar year 2026 the maximum 401(k) deferral amount permitted to the Annuity Fund by any Participant under the Internal Revenue Code was increased to $24,500. Also in 2026, for participants eligible to make “normal catch-up” deferrals the maximum is now $32,500, and for those eligible to make “super catch-up” deferrals the maximum is $35,750. A Participant is eligible to make “normal catch-up” deferrals if s/he is at least age 50 in 2026, or will attain age 50 by the end of 2026, and s/he is not otherwise eligible to make “super catch-up” deferrals in 2026. A Participant is only eligible to make “super catch-up” deferrals if s/he is, or will attain, ages 60 through 63 in 2026, and s/he will not attain age 64 in 2026.  Any 401(k) contributions in excess of the relevant limits noted above must be returned in accordance with applicable Plan and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules.

 IV.     ALL/COMBINED FUNDS

Reminder: Protecting Private Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

When Communicating with the Fund Office. When emailing the Fund Office, do NOT include any Private Health Information (PHI) or Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in your email unless it is through a secure email message. Examples of PHI include medical diagnoses, treatment details, medical history, and test results. Examples of PII include your Social Security number. If you need to share PHI or PII in an email to the Fund Office, please redact any identifiable details from the message before sending it. Alternatively, you can call the Fund Office and request that a secure email be sent to you which will allow you to respond securely and ensure compliance with privacy standards. This precaution is essential to protect sensitive information from being exposed in unsecure communication channels, which could lead to unauthorized access, identity theft, breaches of privacy, and potential violations of regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Protecting your information ensures your privacy and mitigates unnecessary risks.

Please Always Keep the Fund Office Updated With Your Contact Information – All Funds. Always remember to keep the Fund Office updated with your current contact information (address, cell / telephone number, email address) in order to ensure that you are receiving all the important information that the Fund Office provides to you regarding your benefits! Also, you must notify the Fund Office of important changes in your life (for example, you divorce or legally separate, you marry, have a child or adopt a child, your child reaches the age of 26, someone in your immediate family passes away, you plan to serve in the Uniformed Services, or you, your spouse, or an eligible dependent becomes entitled to Medicare) within the required deadlines. 

Note that there can be very negative consequences in the event that the Fund Office cannot locate you. For example:

ü  Your Annuity Fund account balance(s) may be forfeited and used to pay Fund expenses if you cannot be located after reasonable efforts (subject to reinstatement of only the forfeited balance amount(s), without any adjustment for net investment results or expenses, if you are found at a later time), and

ü  If you are vested in the Pension Fund, that Fund is required to commence benefit payments to you at your required beginning date (the April 1^st of the calendar year following the calendar year you attain age 72, 73 or 75, depending on your age) in the form of a 50% Joint-and-Survivor (J&S) Pension assuming you are married and that your spouse is three (3) years younger than you. The J&S Pension form can only be altered on a prospective basis if you are found and you provide acceptable evidence to the Fund Office that: (1) your spouse was a different age on your required beginning date, or (2) you were not married on your required beginning date.

Beneficiary Designations – All Funds. Participants in the Pension, Annuity and Health Funds should be sure their beneficiary designations are up to date. Unless you inform the Fund Office in writing of your updated status, we will simply have no way of knowing about it. So, subject to applicable legal rules to pay death benefits to a surviving spouse that the Fund Office has been made aware of in the Pension and Annuity Funds, please remember that the basic rule for all of our Funds is that the last Beneficiary Card the Fund Office has on file at the time of a Participant’s death will control! This means that if you fill out a Beneficiary Card but fail to provide it to the Fund Office prior to your death for any reason, that card will not be valid or honored by the Funds.  Also, even if your beneficiary designation still reflects your intentions, please be sure the Fund Office has up to date contact information (address, cell / telephone number, and email) for both you and your designated beneficiary.  In sum, if you and your spouse (if you are married) haven’t thought about, or updated, your Pension Fund, Annuity Fund and/or Health Fund beneficiary designations in a number of years, now is a good time to be sure that those designations are still accurate.

Reminder On the Contact Information for Benefits.

V.     Questions?  Fund Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Notice or any other item, contact the Fund Office by telephone at 203288-9261 or 1-866-288-9261 (toll free), or by letter to:

Ms. Deborah Palmieri, Executive Director

I.U.O.E. Local No. 478 Benefit Funds

1965 Dixwell Avenue

Hamden, CT 06514

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Subject to applicable law, all Pension, Health Benefits and Annuity Fund benefits are subject to amendment and/or termination as the respective Board of Trustees may, in their discretion, determine. This Notice constitutes a Summary of Material Modifications to the Pension, Health Benefits and Annuity Plans, and we are furnishing it to you in accordance with U.S. Department of Labor regulation §2520.104b-3. Also, in any situation involving benefits from the Pension, Health Benefits and/or Annuity Plans, the documents governing the applicable Plan or Plans will control.  Please keep this Notice with your Summary Plan Description booklets for future reference, and please contact the Fund Office with any questions.

The Fund Office, and the Funds’ Boards of Trustees, wish you and your family good health and a safe Holiday Season!

BOARDS OF TRUSTEES, INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL NO. 478 PENSION, HEALTH BENEFITS, AND ANNUITY FUNDS