ATU Represented Retirees

SCVTA/ATU Pension Plan Benefits

• Vesting period 10 years
• Pension benefits based upon Average Final Earnings
• Age 55 or older with at least 15 years of Eligibility Service
• Age 65 or older with at least 10 years of Eligibility Service
• Age 65 or older with at least 5 years of Eligibility Service upon Board approval
• Early Retirement Window - Age 50-54 with at least 25 years of Eligibility Service
• Vested employees with less than the required ages are eligible for benefits starting at age 65
• Disability pension benefits
• Survivor pension options
• Death benefits paid to surviving spouses of members who die prior to retiring who have 10 or more years of eligibility service, if the sum of the employee’s age at the time of death plus years of eligibility service is equal to or exceeds 70

Retiree Medical Coverage

Only employees who retire directly from VTA are eligible for retiree medical benefits.  For ATU represented retirees who retired before 9/1/04, VTA pays the full cost of retiree medical coverage.  Retirees who retired on or after 9/1/04 pay $25 toward their monthly premium.

Spouses and registered domestic partners of ATU retirees may be eligible for medical coverage at no cost through the Spousal Medical Trust Fund (SMTF). Spouses and registered domestic partners who are not eligible for SMTF may be covered at the retiree's expense. Eligible dependent children may also be added to the retiree's medical plan at the retiree's expense. The cost is deducted from the retiree's monthly pension.

Surviving spouses and registered domestic partners (who are not eligible for SMTF benefits) may purchase medical coverage through VTA after the retiree's death, as long as the surviving dependent was enrolled at the time of the retiree's death. Spouses eligible for SMTF will continue to be covered by the Fund upon the retiree's death (unless they remarry).

ATU Spousal Medical Trust Fund

The ATU Spousal Medical Trust Fund pays 100% of the cost for spouses or registered domestic partners age 55 or over, married or in a registered domestic partnership for at least 5 years at the time of the retirement, and not covered under any other medical plan.

Benefits are funded through a trust. The ability to continue paying benefits depends on the sufficiency of the fixed contribution rate to the trust and investment earnings of the trust. There is no provision for supplemental funding if the trust becomes insufficient to pay benefits in full. If an insufficiency occurs, benefits will be reduced proportionately.

Medicare Eligibility

Retirees (and spouses/registered domestic partners, if applicable) who are age 65 or disabled must enroll in Medicare Parts A & B, and in a VTA Medicare supplemental plan.  Retirees are reimbursed for the cost of the Medicare Part B monthly premium.

As long as retirees retain enrollment in a VTA sponsored Medicare supplemental plan, they should not enroll in Medicare Part D outside of VTA.  Medicare Part D reimbursement is handled by the health plan.   Enrollment is only through the health plan.

Medical Plans

• Valley Health Plan HMO
• Valley Health Plan Medicare Plan
  (www.valleyhealthplan.org)
  
  
• Kaiser Permanente HMO
• Kaiser Senior Advantage Medicare Plan
• Kaiser Out-of-Area Medicare Plan (northern California only)
  (www.kaiserpermanente.org)
  
  
• PacifiCare HMO
  PacifiCare Out-of-Area
  PacifiCare Secure Horizons (Medicare Plan)
  PacifiCare Senior Supplement (Medicare Plan)
  (www.pacificare.com)

Transit Passes

VTA retirees, spouses, surviving spouses of retirees, and dependent children of retirees are eligible for transit passes, at no cost to the retiree, for use over VTA lines, including VTA paratransit services.