We have put together some frequently asked questions we’ve encountered so far in the process of switching our third party administrator (TPA) from BeneSys to an in-house firm called DC 57 Combined Funds. If you have a question that is not answered below, please call the hall at (412) 276-5758 or contact your service representative.
What is a third party administrator (TPA)?
A third party administrator (TPA) manages our union healthcare, annuity, and some other benefit funds. They collect transmittals from our signatory contractors and ensure that contributions to healthcare, etc go in the correct place. They also manage the wage reimbursement account (WRA), send out healthcare enrollment packets, and anything else that has to do with our health and welfare funds. There are only a handful of companies that can manage these funds, which are called Taft-Hartley funds. We are creating a new company to exclusively work with our DC 57 health and welfare funds.
What is happening?
We are terminating our contract with BeneSys and moving to an exclusive administrator for DC 57’s funds. This TPA will have no other clients, only our union and its members.
When is the switch happening? What happens until then?
The new TPA will officially take over on June 1st, 2026. Until then, BeneSys will continue to administer our healthcare and benefit funds. That means that anything you may need from your healthcare, annuity, or other benefits–except pension, which is managed by our International–should go through them.
Why are we making this switch?
After consistent and unresolvable issues with BeneSys, the DC 57 board of trustees decided that our members deserve better service. Moving the funds to an in-house TPA was the best way to ensure the service that our members deserve.
Will this be cheaper for the members?
We honestly don’t know yet. While we don’t expect it to be MORE expensive, it will probably be a year or two until we know what the cost will be. Keep in mind, we needed to build a new software system to handle our funds.
Last time we switched TPAs, there were blackout periods. Are there any blackout periods this time around?
The WEX Card (also known as the benny card) will have a blackout period. That period will begin on May 20th and last for a number of weeks. As soon as we know the exact length of the blackout period we will communicate that to the membership. During this period, you will not receive reimbursements for any medical expenses. We encourage everyone to send in their reimbursement requests during the blackout period; those will be processed and reimbursements sent out as soon as the blackout is lifted.
Who runs the new TPA?
DC 57 Combined Funds is an entirely separate entity from IUPAT DC 57. They are still governed by the same board of trustees that has overseen our healthcare funds for decades, but the new TPA will be run by a group of professionals with years of experience with Taft-Hartley funds. They will work in a rented office at DC 57’s Carnegie hall, but will remain a separate company. Consider them a brand new company that only has one client and works in the same office as that client.