Benefits Enrollment Guide
The Guide provides valuable information on your benefit plans, enrollment and eligibility, AFFME rules and guidelines, annual member cost shares, and important contact information.
Who is Eligible?
Seattle Fire Fighters are eligible for Trust health plans the first of the month following the date of hire, usually the first day of Recruit School. To remain eligible, you generally must work 80 hours a month.
Anyone employed as a fire fighter by the City of Seattle and represented by Local 27 is required to participate in the Trust’s medical, dental and vision coverage, with the exception of those who are covered under the LEOFF 1 Pension Plan. LEOFF 1 members are required to participate only in the dental and vision coverage and are not eligible for the medical coverage.
Families of Seattle Fire Fighters
Eligible family members of Seattle Fire Fighters may participate in the Trust health plans as long as they are properly enrolled before the yearly deadline. For more information on eligibility requirements, please see the Trust Benefits Guide.
Choosing a Health Plan
When it comes to medical and prescription drug coverage, you have four excellent options to consider. (Refer to your Benefits Enrollment Guide for detailed information):
- Regence Premium Plan
- Regence Economy Plan
- Kaiser Deductible Plan
- Kaiser Standard Plan
To learn more about the Regence plans and locate an in-network doctor, visit www.regence.com. If you don’t already have an account, this is a great time to create one. Simply go to www.regence.com, click “Sign In,” and select “Register.”
FAQs
Are Dental & Vision covered?
It’s all covered. Regardless of the medical plan you choose, you and your enrolled dependents will automatically receive dental, vision, and hearing benefits. You have a choice of either Delta Dental of Washington or Willamette Dental. Both dental plans are offered through WCIF. Vision benefits are with VSP and are administered through Vimly.
How much do my benefits cost?
Seattle Fire Fighters enjoy some of the best and most affordable health care benefits in our region. Every month, Trust members make a contribution toward the premiums on their health care plan — typically less than $100 out of each paycheck. How much you pay each month will depend on which health plan you select and the dependents who are covered.
Important: Your monthly contribution is calculated based on the “tier” you qualified for in the previous year. There are three tiers:
- Tier 1: You complete the Annual Fire Fighters Medical Evaluation (AFFME) at our Station 2 Clinic before the yearly deadline. This tier gives you the biggest discount on your monthly premium contribution.
- Tier 2: You get a physical exam from another healthcare provider and submit the Exam Verification Form before the yearly deadline. You still receive a discount on your monthly contribution, but a smaller one than if you complete the AFFME at the Station 2 Clinic, which is a more complete test for you and a more affordable test for the Trust.
- Tier 3: You do not complete the AFFME and receive no discount.
Want the biggest Tier 1 discount? Learn more about the Qualified AFFME Premium Incentive Program.
For contribution details, please check your Trust Benefits Guide.
Is my information confidential?
When it comes to protecting your personal health information, we get it. Privacy is critical. All your medical information lives at the Station 2 Clinic and the Trust complies with federal and state law to protect your personal health information. Because the Trust wants to provide the best services it can to its members, anonymous, aggregated data is collected to help understand members’ health needs and to tailor benefits to meet those needs.
Who is the benefits administrator?
Meet our partners
We’re fire fighters, not benefits administrators. That’s why we have surrounded ourselves with a team of helpful partners to advise us, answer your questions, and manage the day-to-day details of our benefit plans.
Who you need to know
Vimly Benefit Solutions is our benefits administrator. Vimly is your go-to source for questions about Open Enrollment, online assistance, eligibility, general Trust benefits, Trust operations. and the hearing benefit.
Think of Vimly as the Trust’s front desk. When you contact the Trust Office, you are really contacting Vimly. They understand Trust benefits inside out, are easy to talk to, and eager to help.
Your SFFHCT Portal is Vimly’s Online Benefits Portal. Here, you can quickly and easily enroll in your benefits plan, make changes during the annual Open Enrollment period, and access rates and benefits information. Access Your Portal.
If you need more information, please contact the Trust Office at (206) 859-2693.