Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1154384
Summer 2019 The Costume Designer 45 Exit, Stage Left By Rachael Stanley Retiring is not something at the forefront of your mind when you are new to your career. It seems like an eternity away, but it will come on you faster than you could ever have imagined. Trying to prepare for retirement in the last few years of your career is not enough to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in your older years. I have always liked the three-legged stool analogy. You must have your pension, your IAP, and personal invest- ments for a well-balanced stool. We are fortunate to have our pension plans negotiated as part of every contract. For every hour you work, money is put into your pension pot and your IAP fund. Over the years, your pension will continue to accu- mulate and grow. Your pension is a set amount you will receive monthly once you retire. Your IAP is an investment fund and can fluctuate with the markets. When you retire, you will need to withdraw your IAP and put it into your private investments. It is important that while you are young, you begin to put money away on a regular basis for your retirement. Whether you invest in the stock market, CDs, or make other choices is up to you and your investment advisor. Find someone when you are young and set up long-term goals. Even putting a mod- erate or small amount of money aside while you are young will make a huge difference over the course of time. Where the Rubber Meets the Road By Bonnie Nipar As Costume Designers, we have so many details to handle that we often put our personal health and wellness on the back burner. Although we are fortunate to have our excellent MPI insurance options,what is we often take our medical coverage for granted. Recently, I talked to a few members who had medical conditions while out of the country that left them with large out-of-pocket expenses or bills not covered by insurance. Their stories prompted my query, "What do we do when we are hurt or sick while out of town?" Whether traveling on vacation or working on location, the best advice is to know your benefits. Although produc- tion will use workman's comp to cover any injury or medi- cal condition obtained on the job, you are usually not cov- ered on off-days or for injuries or illnesses that are not work related. Yes, MPI insurance covers you no matter where you are! You're covered even outside the USA. However, Anthem Blue Shield Health Plan and the HMOs (Kaiser, HealthNet, and Oxford) have different directives for how and where injuries, illnesses, and post care are covered. To utilize the most of your healthcare, with the least amount of out-of-pocket expense, you should familiarize yourself with your particular insurance plan before traveling. Keep in mind the difference between an emergency and urgent care. Emergencies are injuries or severe symp- toms that need immediate care, like severe pain to body parts or organs, excessive bleeding, broken bones, short- ness of breath, or loss of consciousness. Urgent care is when you need prompt medical help for lesser ailments that cannot wait until you get home, like a sprained ankle, minor backaches, the flu, or a high fever. The HMOs have specific lists of which facility to go to for medical care. If you feel it's an emergency, just go to ER! Report your health services to your insurance within 48 hours or as soon as you are stabilized. They will help with how to proceed. You will need pre-approval for any follow- up services after an emergency/urgent care visit, including removing stitches or a cast. While on location in the USA, some providers may bill your insurance directly, but chances are an out-of-the- country provider will insist on payment before/when ser- vices are rendered. Be prepared to pay out of pocket, then submit a claim for reimbursement. Always get proof-of-payment receipts and an itemized bill with description of services for any medical services or prescriptions. All receipts and itemized bills must be in English or transcribed into English before you submit. Keep photo copies for your files. Claims must be filed within 90 days of treatment with forms that can be found on your provider insurance web- site. Be diligent, claims after one year will not be paid. When in doubt or just needing some advice, MPI offers a 24/7 Nurse Hotline to help you with medical questions. Check your healthcare provider website for a toll-free phone number. Some tips: • Make sure you have your medical ID card when traveling. • Think ahead. Remember to order your regular meds for duration of your stay/shoot, and check if you have any doctors appointments or exams that can't wait until you return. • If working or traveling outside the country, it's a good idea to set up a temporary international phone plan and pre-set emergency numbers. The temporary plans are rea- sonably priced and come in handy. • New to our digital world. You can DOWNLOAD the mobile app for your healthcare provider. All your in-net- work medical records and test results are provided there. Great to have in case you lose your wallet with your insur- ance ID card inside! www.mpiphp.org/home