IN THIS ISSUE

2 Health & Benefit Fair Information

3 Retiree Health Trust Plan Changes

4 Health is Contagious

Update on Healthcare Costs

6 Weight Loss

8 Smartphone Apps on Healthy Eating

9 Prescription Drug Refill Policy

10 The Prevention Plan

11 24 Hour Nurse Triage Line

12 Understanding Your Vision Benefits

13 Blueprint Update: Are You on Track for Retirement?

14 Retired Members

Fund Updates

15 Performance Update

Fund Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

www.ptsmn.org

The Physical and Financial Wellness of Pipe Trades Members is Our Top Priority!As the title suggests physical and financial Wellness are closely related in a num-ber of different ways. To begin with, most individuals do not recognize how much money is spent on unhealthy habits. Members know that unhealthy habits have a negative impact on their health, but at the same time they also drain financial resources.While struggling to pay monthly bills and prepare for retirement, many members spend money on cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, medications, physician visits and hospitalizations. In addition those with medical problems miss more time from work, which also directly reduces income.Amazingly, a significant percentage of chronic disease in the U.S. is preventable and attributed to four major factors; tobacco use, being overweight, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

If members and their families eliminate tobacco use, increase physical activity, and manage high blood pressure & cholesterol, they will not only see and feel their health improve it will also increase personal wealth.

One of our guiding principles is for “Members to be healthy and financially successful in their working careers and in retirement!”We have many resources to help you with both of these goals from our own well-ness centers to financial planning services. Please read the newsletter carefully so you are aware of all the resources available – we’re here to help!

A PUBLICATION OFPIPE TRADES SERVICES MN

SPRING 2014

www.healthandbenefitfair.orgfor more information –

we hope to see you there!

Be Informed – Take Action• Get tips from medical experts and

health coaches• Lifestyle and healthy living information• Health screenings and information in-

cluding blood pressure, BMI and health assessments

• Participate in our “Give Back to the Community” by giving blood and do-nating food to Twin Cities food shelves

• Connect with friends and coworkers in the Pipe Trades hospitality area

• Meet the physicians and staff from your very own Wellness Centers!

Kidz ZoneThe Health & Benefit Fair Kidz Zone is a special area dedicated to kids of all ages. It features special educational sessions, including:

• Safety Education• First Aid Training• Oral Hygiene Education

The Kidz Zone also features fun activities including:

• Magicians• Jugglers• Face Painters• Balloon Twisters• Storytellers• Coloring• Sports Mascots

The Health Fair is Almost Here!

Visit theKIDZ

ZONE!

GIVE BLOOD!

HEALTH TIPS!

PRIZES! for kids

and adults!

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This is being done for a number of reasons • First, to allow for a different contribution rate and

different subsidy amount for retirees by local union. In the future each union could select a different con-tribution and subsidy rate whereas today all locals have to be at the same % rate.

• Second, to improve the members understanding of the value being earned towards retirement cover-age – for example instead of telling a member “you have earned 66.66%” towards the cost of retiree health care – we will now be able to tell a member “you have earned $1,020 per month towards retiree health care”and even provide an annual statement of credit earned.

• Third, with the economic downturn and high unem-ployment, no additional contributions have been put into the RHT for a number of years. >Using a percentage based system there is a sig-

nificant future inflation cost built into the formula and we were trying to fund for future increases based on the % formula. The contribution rate has not kept up with the future inflation costs.

>Using the dollar credit system removes the future inflation funding burden; however the RHT will need to be funded each year based on the actual cost.

>The net effect of this change is that the actual cost today is $1.30 per hour, instead of the $2.30 being contributed. However, it is very important to note that there will be contributions needed each May 1st after this year to maintain the benefit.

>The recommendation is that the $1.00 reduction be put into the Pension Supplement this May 1st and each year starting next May 1st draw from the Supplement for the needed RHT increase.

The plan is also adding a 50% return of contri-butions death benefit. If a member is married there are spousal benefits available in the RHT, however for a single participant there are no current benefits for a beneficiary. Effective May 1, 2014 a death benefit equal to 50% of the contributions will be payable to non-spousal ben-eficiaries. Just as was the case in the pension plan, as the RHT plan matures the goal will be to increase this benefit as well.The Retiree Health Trust is vitally important to our members. This vehicle, although at times difficult to understand provides a valuable benefit by covering up to 2/3rds of the cost of retiree health care, without a tax burden on this portion of the premium.

The RHT is changing from a percentage (%) based credit plan to a dollar ($) based credit plan - effective May 1, 2014

> Right now a member earns 2.22% per year to a maximum of 30 years or 66.66%

> The credit will convert from 2.22% per year to $33.99 per year

> The net effect of this change for 2014 is neutral for the member as $1,531 x 66.66% = $1,020 and 30 years x $33.99 = $1,020

These changes will improve the members understanding of the benefit and its associated costs and will provide each local union the ability to fund at the levels that are important to their own members.

Retiree Health Trust Plan Changes

3

Active MembersMay 1st, which is the beginning of our fiscal year, is fast approaching. We are very pleased to report that for active members there is no change in the monthly premiums and no increase is needed in the hourly contribution rate.

Although medical trend continues to increase at 4% to 7% per year, this is our 4th consecutive May 1st without an increase! There is no magic and no silver bullet – the experi-ence in the PTSMN Welfare Plan has been better than expected and better than medical trend generally, due to a number of factors; most importantly the behav-ior of our plan participants. As we have stated many times before, approximately 50% of health care costs are lifestyle related and are preventable. The utilization of our own wellness centers continues to grow and is showing very positive effects. In ad-dition the various health improvement initiatives we have put forward such as the health fair, health club reimbursement program, health coaching, healthy pregnancy and tobacco cessation programs continue to address the health of our membership in very positive ways. One year may be an anomaly, but four years is a real trend; thank you to all of the members and dependents that are taking charge of your health.

You don’t have to run a marathon or become a weightlifter, you just need to make strides in the right direction with regard to the following: > proper diet (eating more fruits and vegetables, cut-

ting out fast food and processed foods etc.(see the article in this newsletter from one of our physicians on improving your diet and losing weight)

> adding some simple exercises and stretching into your daily routines (our chiropractor can help you with these items)

> getting enough sleep and managing your stress> understanding your family history and the associ-

ated risks> managing your medications properly> not smoking or using tobacco products > establishing a relationship with a primary care phy-

sicianAfter four years the pressure will continue to build for increases in the premiums and contribution rates – however, you as members have a lot to do with this trend. Let’s make this our healthiest year ever – be a good consumer of health care services, take advantage of the programs being offered, especially the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness Centers and let’s set a goal of another year with no contribution increase for active members.

Important Update on Health Care Costs

continued on next page

Studies have shown that family members, friends and colleagues all have an influence on an individual’s eating habits, exercise, body mass index and smoking habits. The data suggests that employees are more likely to engage in wellness, start healthier eating habits, lose weight, exercise more or quit smoking if peers or family members do as well.It’s important to note that this fact is not about anyone becoming a health fanatic, but rather the realization that we are all in this together.

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Retired MembersFor retired members we also had a very good year – the experience was not as positive as it was for the ac-tive members so there will be a slight increase in the premiums. Please keep in mind there has not been an increase in the retiree premiums for each of the past three years.

Pre-Medicare RetireesFor retirees not on Medicare the premium will in-crease from $1,531 to $1,540. The number of years credit in the retiree health trust (RHT) will determine your premium, for example a member with 30 years of credit is currently paying $511 per month and the credit from the RHT is $1,020 per month ($511 + $1,020 = $1,531) for this member the new premium will be $514 and the credit from the RHT will be $1,026 ($514 + $1,026 = $1,540) so the net effect for a member in this category is a premium change from $511 to $514 per month.The costs for the pre-Medicare retirees has actually gone up more than this, but after the three good years of experience and this one year with an increase, the Trustees decided to wait one more year to review the experience. Just as with the active members, the be-havior of retired members is the number one influence on cost. We know that costs continue to rise as we get older, however the same health improvement programs are available to you and you are still able to utilize the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness Centers. Take charge of your health – it can make a real difference!

Medicare RetireesFor most retirees on Medicare there will also be a slight increase in the monthly premium. Similar to the pre-Medicare retirees there has been no increase for the past two years and as a matter of fact the premi-ums were reduced last year based on funds received from the early retiree reimbursement program.• For May 1, 2011 and 2012 the total premium was

$613 and for a member with 30 years the member portion was $205 and the RHT portion was $408 ($205 + $408 = $613)

• For May 1, 2013 the total premium was lowered to $598 and for a member with 30 years the member portion was $200 and the RHT portion was $398 ($200 + $398 = $598)

• For May 1, 2014 the total premium will be $621 and for a member with 30 years of service the member portion will be $207 per month and the RHT portion will be $414 ($207 + $414 = $621)

Please keep in mind that these premiums are based in large part on premiums we are charged by Medica for a fully insured Medicare product. We have much less control or input into these rates than we do with our other self-insured rates. Also, Medicare members are not able to utilize the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness Centers at this time due to Medicare billing issues. We hope to provide services to our Medicare population at some point in the future.

Medicare Retirees – retired before 1992For Medicare retirees that retired before 1992 the member premium has been $40 per month for many years and will remain at $40 effective May 1, 2014.

Understanding what wellness offerings are available, making small strides to improve our own health and encour-aging our family members and co-workers in their health successes and challenges has a positive effect not just on health care costs but on improving your quality of life! Our members work hard and the goal should be to enjoy a happy and healthy retirement after a long healthy working career.

health is...Contagious!

Encourage your family and co-workers – you can and do make a difference!

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Health & Wellness Centers – Changing Lives!

Wondering why you can’t lose despite exercising?

Wondering why you can’t lose even though you have cut back?

What should you make of all these “fad diets”?

What supplements really work for weight loss?

Sometimes your hormones are playing a role in that problem, and I can help you sort it all out!

The Insulin FactorOne important hormone our body produces in response to carbohydrates (starchy or sugary foods like pasta, pop or cookies, anything other than meat and eggs has carbs!) is insulin. Insulin helps bring the glucose from those foods into the cells in your body. However, some people produce too much insulin and it causes fat storage (aka insulin resistance). The more fat you have, the more resistant to insulin you become, and the more insulin you have to produce, and the more fat you store- a vicious cycle! There are three solutions;• One is to lower the amount of carbohydrates you put in your body, • Another is to exercise, which sensitizes the body to insulin, and• The third is to help insulin get into the cells with a medication called

metformin. Doctors often screen for diabetes with a glucose or blood sugar test, but that doesn’t look at your insulin levels. If you come in fasting, I can check your insulin levels for you with a simple blood test. If you have insulin resistance, you are at risk for diabetes. If you lose 10 pounds, walk 30 minutes 5 days a week, you cut your risk of diabetes in half! Metformin decreases your risk of diabetes by 30%.

The Thyroid GlandAnother well-known factor in weight control is the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is in your neck just below your Adams apple. It controls how fast or slow you burn calories. If it is underactive, you gain weight, get cold, lose hair, have dry skin, get constipated, retain water. If it is overac-tive, you get hot, shaky, lose hair, sweat, and lose weight. We can also check your thyroid levels at the clinic through a blood test.

Questions about losing weight? I can help!I am Dr. Kimberly Turinske,

a physician at the new Pipe

Trades Clinic in White Bear

Lake. I have been working here

since March, 2014. I am a family

practice doctor, but I also have

certification in non-surgical

weight loss medicine (also

called bariatrics)

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Vitamin DA final hormone that helps with weight is vitamin D. Vitamin D is absorbed through sun rays, which are obviously difficult to get in Minnesota during the winter. There are a few food sources of vitamin D including milk and salmon and some fortified foods, however we need 1,000 to 2,000 units a day in Minnesota and there are just 100 units in a glass of milk. We can check your vitamin D levels at the Wellness Center and replace your D if it is really low. Vitamin D also helps your mood and energy, and helps your bones and makes you less achy. It is stored in your fat cells, so if you are overweight, less is available for your body to use.

Food - Quality not CaloriesThere are also foods known to help you lose weight, and foods that cause weight gain. Good fats are important like monounsatu-rated fats and polyunsaturated fats from olive oils, nuts, seeds, avocado, and salmon/tuna. Nuts such as almonds help people lose, even though they have a lot of calories: It is the quality of the food, not always the calories that count. Yogurt like Fage or Chobani which are low in carbohydrates but high in protein and probiotics also help people lose weight. High protein foods such as eggs and chicken and fish help you feel full when you are los-ing weight and help you keep your muscle mass and just lose the fat mass (muscle burns more calories than fat). The higher the nutrient content of food, the more satisfying- so eat your kale, berries, and salmon!

BREAKFASTEggs or greek yogurt with blueberries and walnuts (skip the granola- too many carbs!)

LUNCHChicken on spinach or kale with sunflower seeds, baby red bell peppers or cucumbers, tomatoes covered with olive oil and vinegar dressing or ranch dressing made from greek yogurt, or a low carb wrap with turkey and lettuce with veggies on the side.

DINNERFish with asparagus or broccoli, quinoa (an ancient grain full of vitamins and protein) or brown rice/wild rice, guacamole (mash an avocado and add lime and garlic) with celery

SNACKSString cheese, raw almonds, natural no sugar peanut butter on an apple or celery, hummus with snap pea pods, or a homemade smoothie made with greek yogurt, milk, banana/berries, and almond or peanut butter and ice

SAMPLE MENU

Your weight is an investment in your futureKeeping a food diary helps people lose twice as much weight. You can write it on paper, or you can do it on your phone or comput-er; myfitnesspal.com is a great app and it’s free! If you will bring in your food diary to me, I can help you fine tune your habits to help you maximize your weight loss. Think of your weight as investing in your future, it has the better rate of return than your 401K, as diabetes and heart disease are the most costly diseases. You would never put diesel in your unleaded car, so why put the wrong fuel in your body if you want it to run properly.

Come see me, and I will help you tune up, have more energy, and run smoothly for life!

—Dr. Turinske

TIPS FOR EATING OUTEating out adds loads of calories and sodium, so make it yourself if you can.

If you have to eat out, go low carb

> Ask for no bun and have grilled chicken

> Ask for veggies or salad instead of French fries.

> Healthier fast food examples include Culvers salads,

Wendy’s chili, scrambled eggs at McDonalds, stir fry

(skip the rice and noodles), or the unwich at Jimmy

John’s (meat and lettuce instead of the bun). Sub-

way is touted as healthier; however, there are a lot

of carbs in the bun!

> If you are at a convenience store, go for the jerky,

nuts, or string cheese and grab an apple!

> Avoid liquid calories from pop, even diet pop causes

weight gain. Go instead for unsweetened coffee or

tea, or water with lemon or sparkling water. Even

Gatorade has a lot of carbs. Cutting out just one pop

a day will help you lose a pound a week.

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The purpose of the Health & Wellness Centers is threefold:• To change the way health care is delivered – by utilizing

employed physicians that only need to think about “What’s best for the patient”

• To change the way health care is paid for – by eliminating the insurance, paperwork and billing aspects of the current health care system

• To engage members in improving their health and the health of their families.

We treat the member – not just the symptomsEmployed physicians at our health & wellness centers are not compensated based on the number of tests or procedures they perform; they are also not incented to see as many pa-tients as possible. Their goal and the goal of our health & wellness centers will be to spend the time necessary with our members.

✔ No deductible for office visits at our health & well-ness centers

✔ No office visit copay for visits at our health & well-ness centers

✔ No deductible for chiropractic visits at our health & wellness centers

✔ Generic prescription drugs with no copay will be dispensed by the physician at the time of the office visit. (most common generic prescription drugs)

An important point to keep in mind is that members using our health & wellness centers should be ready and willing to make lifestyle changes; to understand the key role that a pa-tient has in partnership with a physician to improve their own health and the health of their family members.Thank you for taking charge of your health and for your pa-tience as we grow this new and unique model to improve the health and lives of our members.

You have a chance to make good choices about your health every day!

There are smartphone apps for just about everything, especially to help people choose healthy foods, track their activity or lose weight. We are excited about the partnership with US Preventive Medicine as they have a great app that we will be rolling out at the Health Fair.In addition there are some other free apps that provide good information and that are easy and fun to use.Here are just a few to get you familiar with using your phone for improving your health.

My Fitness Pal – This app helps you set weight loss goals and allows you to easily track your food and activity. Record what you eat, track your exercise and connect with friends for support.

Fooducate – This app offers ideas for healthier food choices. In addition, you can scan the barcode of any product and see the “nutrition grade”. This easy to use tool helps evaluate the nutritional value of a product with a simple scan and pro-vides the basis for the grade.

Map My Run (Map My Walk, Map My Ride) – This app allows you to track your workouts with street maps of your area. It tracks your speed; calorie’s burned and saves your routes. Track your progress and get access to popular routes in your area.

Just go to your phone’s app store, enter these apps by name, download and get started!

Stop by the PTSMN area at this year’s health fair to get signed up for the USPM Prevention Plan

SMARTPHONE APPS FOR HEALTHY

EATING AND FITNESS

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WHITE BEAR LAKE LOCATION4520 Centerville Road

White Bear Lake MN 55127Conveniently located just off

Highway 35E and County Road 96

MAPLE GROVE LOCATION13998 Maple Knoll Way Maple Grove MN 55369

Conveniently located just off Highway 94 and Weaver Lake Road

Please see our website at www.ptsmn.org for more information on the physicians, hours and directions

Call 651-348-8851 for appointments or more information

The Welfare Fund also has the following programs to support you in your commitment to be as healthy as you can be!

Health Coaching, Healthy Pregnancy and Tobacco Cessation For information on any of these programs contact the Pipe Trades Health & Wellness Hotline through Medica at 1-866-343-5717

Fit Choices – Get Paid to Exercise! This health club reimbursement program is very popular and utilized by over 800 Pipe Trades members. Members and spouses can receive a $20 per month credit by exercising at a participat-ing club 8 times per month.

Prescription Drug Refill PolicyIn order to continue to serve you best, please allow 24 hour notice on all medication refills. This is very important as all medications; even refills must be reviewed and approved by a physician. It is not possible for us to fill prescrip-tions for members that stop by the wellness centers unannounced. The purpose of this policy is to make sure that you are taking the cor-rect medications in the correct doses. In addition, many prescriptions will require periodic blood work or even a follow-up physician visit. Also, please review the Wellness Center website for our refill hours as according to regulations medical personnel must be on site to actually dispense the medication to a patient. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please do not hesitate to call us for more information. We are always here to help, Thanks – The Wellness Team

It’s your health and we are here to support you in any way we can – however, the first step is yours. Make an appointment, sign the “Wellness Commitment” and establish a relationship with one of our primary care physicians.You’ll be glad you did!

R 9

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Pipe Trades Services of MN forms a Partnership with US Preventive Medicine to bring you The Prevention Plan©

We are excited about the opportunities, education and support the prevention plan will bring to our members and their families.The Prevention Plan is a customized program that is accessed via your computer and more importantly via the convenience of your smartphone.The Prevention Plan brings a team of medical special-ists and tools into your life to focus completely on YOU and helping you improve your health. It starts with a health risk appraisal that will review your fam-ily history, medical conditions, lifestyle and more. Results from lab tests can also be entered into the system (If you are treating at the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness Centers we can make this part of the process seamless for you). At this point your top five health risks are identified as well as step-by-step plans to lower your health risks.

MOTIVATION• The Prevention Plan puts you in control of your

health and gives you peace of mind• Helps you make healthy decisions to lower your

health risks• Tracks your progress year to year• Customized prevention schedule keeps you proac-

tive

CONVENIENCE• Retrieve your secure prevention plan anywhere,

anytime on your smartphone• Easy to use and educational website• Personalized just for you

PRIVACY• No outside providers will ever have access to this

information unless you decide to share• State-of-the-art private, encrypted site and email

DON’T WAIT! Take action so you will have more

good years ahead!

Stop by the US Preventive Medicine exhibit at this year’s

Health Fair to learn more and sign up for your very own personalized Prevention Plan

CORRECTION TO WINTER 2014 NEWSLETTER➤ In the last edition of the newsletter a number of screening tests were listed for both men and women. Inadvertently, tests for high blood pressure, glaucoma, colonoscopy and dental exams were listed under the “Men Only” tests and should have been listed for both “Men and Women”. We apologize for this error – please discuss all screening exams with your physician.➤ Medicare members on the Medica Choice Passport plan, for those whose residency is outside of the MN area, have NO benefit available toward the purchase of glasses or contacts. Contact Medica or PTSMN to find a contracted eye doc-tor for full coverage on a routine eye exam. Only Medica Group Prime Solution members have a $150 benefit for glasses or contacts in addition to coverage for a routine eye exam with a contracted provider

Prevention Plana customized program

that is accessed via your computer and

your smartphone

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24/7 Nurse and Triage LineThe Pipe Trades Welfare Plan is pleased to announce the new 24 hour nurse triage line for our mem-bers available through a partnership with US Preventive Medicine.You can’t predict when you or your child will become ill or need urgent medical assistance. Nothing is more comforting than having an experi-enced, compassionate nurse avail-able anytime to answer your health questions, assess symptoms, and provide care recommendations Staffed by highly skilled, registered nurses, the USPM team is available 24/7 to assist our members with their health concerns. Through a call center triage mod-ule, nurses have access to the most trusted clinical information in the industry, including symptom-based triage guidelines specifically written for adult, women’s and pediatric topics. In addition to providing triage care for current symptoms; the nurses can also help our members better understand their diagnoses, pre-scribed medications and where and when to go for more help. They will also have information about the services available to our members at the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness Centers.

A significant percentage of calls to a nurse triage line are re-solved with at-home treatment.

24 Hour Nurse and

Triage Linenow available for PTSMN members

EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2014

651-348-8851 For your convenience this is

the same number as the clinic. During business hours you

will reach the clinic directly. After hours you will reach

a triage representative.

How will it work?➤ Patient calls and talks to a tri-

age representative who imme-diately documents the call and follows the protocol for nurse follow-up.

➤ Nurse calls patient back and directs patient to appropriate level of care.

Using the nurse line to quickly and accurately assess a pa-tient’s condition and determine the appropriate treatment for their issue has proven to get members the care and peace of mind they need and also to reduce unnecessary doctor and ER visits.

➤ As the nurse handles the call, the system documents all the details of the encounter. The information is then available for follow-up with their physi-cian by the next morning.

➤ During business hours the callers are referred back to either care managers or health coaches.

➤ The callers, during business hours, will also be able to be directly transferred to the provider's office if requested.

Other Important Notes:• All calls are recorded for docu-

mentation of proper protocols and servicing

• All are licensed registered nurses• The average call back time is

less than 30 minutes

Please keep in mind the Nurse Triage Line does not replace your physician but compliments their care for you. Members are always encouraged to discuss all of their health concerns with their physician. However, the opportunity to discuss additional symptom or disease-related information or to ask a health-related question at any time, day or night is one more way PTSMN members can take an active role in their healthcare.

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VSP Doctors Non-retired members receive enhanced benefits with VSP Doctors – Full-service locations that provide thor-ough eye exams and the widest selection of quality eyewear. Plus, beginning January 1, 2014, members will automatically get an extra $20 to spend on featured frame brands like bebe®, ck Calvin Klein, Flexon®, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Nike, and Nine West. At your appointment tell your doctor that you are a VSP member. By adding four (4) zeroes in front of your member number they can access your VSP benefits online

Additional benefits include: • Value-added savings and discounts on lens op-

tions, contact lens services, and sunglasses• Integrated medical management with our Eye

Health Management Program®• Guaranteed member satisfaction• 24-hour access to emergency care

Retail Chains In addition to the independent physicians in the VSP Network, there are Retail Chain Affiliate Partners including Costco® Optical, Visionworks® and Wiscon-sin Vision to provide members with more choice and convenience.

• Members enjoy a covered-in-full benefit experi-ence with equivalent benefits

• Secure, HIPAA-compliant systems confirm eligibil-ity and bill VSP directly

• No forms are required - Members only pay co-pays, costs over coverage amounts, and/or for non-covered options

In-Network • Eye Exam covered in full• $175 benefit allowance to be used toward frames

or contact lenses plus an extra $20 on featured frames

• For glasses—standard lenses (single vision or bifo-cal) are covered in full

• Additions to the lenses (i.e. scratch coat or tint) are not included in the benefit

Out-of-Network • Members always have the freedom to choose any

other provider• You will get the best value from your benefit by

using a VSP doctor. If you see a non-VSP provider, you’ll typically pay more out of pocket. You will pay the provider in full at the time of service and have 12 months to submit a claim to VSP for ben-efit reimbursement

• The out of network benefit allowance is $250 per person per calendar year. The benefit allow-ance can be used for exam, lenses, frame, contact lenses and fitting

Understanding Your Vision Benefits with VSPVSP® Vision Care puts our members first and guarantees your satisfaction

Keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear with VSP!

Contact VSP at 1-800-877-7195 or go to VSP.com

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Financial Wellness - Are you on track to meet your retirement goals? There are many questions to ask yourself to find out if you are financially fit. As a great starting point take a look at the following list of questions – after spending some time on this list make an appointment with Sentry Retire-ment Consultants for a retirement and financial planning session.

1 How much income will you need in retirement?

2 Are you saving enough to meet your retirement goals?

3 How even small changes can help you get back on track.

4 Do you keep all your financial papers in one, safe place?

5 Have you set financial goals?

6 Do you have an emergency fund?

7 Do you track how you spend money?

8 Do you understand the advantages and disadvantages of credit?

9 Do you have savings or investments in addition to your retirement plans?

10 Do you understand the real value of your pension and retirement health benefits?

BLUEPRINTUPDATE

Sentry Retirement Consultants provides PTSMN members with unbiased financial planning advice, with no out of pocket costs to the members. Contact Sentry today so you can become financially fit!

Sentry Retirement Consultantswww.sentry-retire.com

John and Steve Ehlers952-697-3707john.ehlers@lpl.com

1660 South Highway 100, Suite 500 St Louis Park, MN 55416

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WELFARE FUNDTarget Stores are SelectCare contracted providers for Durable Medical Equipment (DME). Members must show their PTSMN medical cards at the Target pharmacy counter to make covered purchases (ie. glucometer, breast pump) and to receive the network benefit.

PENSION FUNDPension plan statements are now available on the website. After logging into the site click on the pension tab to see your pen-sion statement and related information. Contact the fund office if you need assis-tance logging into the secured member site.

PENSION SUPPLEMENT FUNDThe PTSMN Pension fund reached a mile-stone this month reaching over $800 mil-lion in assets. This fund will play an impor-tant role in your overall retirement success. Please see the information in this news-letter with regards to making a financial planning appointment with Sentry Retire-ment Consultants. They will take the time to listen and put together a strategy that will give comfort while helping you with a customized retirement plan.

RETIREE HEALTH TRUST (RHT)Please read the article in this edition of the newsletter regarding the changes to the RHT Plan.

FUND UPDATES

Retired Members

Retired Members on MedicarePre-Medicare retired members - please remember that you are still able utilize the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness Centers. Even though you may have an established relationship with an-other physician it’s still okay to check us out. There will be no out of pocket costs to you so make an appointment for a physical or a medication checkup and give us a try. Medicare Retirees – Even though you are not able to utilize the services of the Pipe Trades Family Health & Wellness centers at this time – please remember you can contact Medica at the “Cen-ter for Healthy Aging”They have a great website that can be found at www.medicacen-terforhealthyaging.com, which has a number of health related resources for you. Like it or not, we’re all getting older. But that doesn’t mean we have to stop living or enjoying the activities we love. The Medica Center for Healthy Aging was created as a resource to help you get the most out of life at any age. They are your source for infor-mation about all things related to health and wellness as we age; you’ll find lots and lots of information that can help you age better and live healthier.We believe age is not a number, but an attitude. The team at Medica’s Center for Healthy Aging wants to help you maintain a positive attitude about getting older and make it as rewarding as possible.Check out the website, send them an email or give them a call - they would love to hear from you!

> Website - www.medicacenterforhealthyaging.com> Phone - 800-234-8755> Email - CHAWrittenTeam@medica.com

Rochester UpdateIt’s only been three months but the Roch-ester members, benefits and claims pro-cessing have been fully integrated into the PTSMN Welfare plan. As always we are here to help with any questions or issues you may have. When something is new or different it’s not always easy to figure things out – so please don’t hesitate to call or email if we can be of assistance.

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Investment QuestionsContact Sentry Retirement Consultants at 952-697-3707 or by email at john.ehlers@lpl.com.

Investment ChangesThrough the website at www.ptsmn.org or on the Voice Response Unit (VRU) at 877-645-8278. On both systems, your user ID is your social security number and your password is the month and year of your birth (MMYY). When on the VRU, you can either follow the prompts, or press “0” to speak to a live person.

Operations or Administration IssuesCall the Pipe Trades office at 651-645-4540.

?Lingering Questions?

P E R F O R M A N C E

UPDATE AVERAGE ANNUALIZED RETURNS (%)TOTAL RETURN (%)

LESS RISK MORE RISK

10-Year or Since As of Quarter Year-To-Date 1-Year 3-Year 5-Year Inception

Galliard Retirement Income 2/28/14 0.38% 0.25% 1.79% 2.18% 2.79% 4.80%

PIMCO Total Return 2/28/14 0.90% 1.87% -0.35% 4.44% 7.36% 7.98%

Income Fund of America 2/28/14 3.52% 1.79% 15.95% 10.93% 18.00% 11.44%

MFS Value 2/28/14 2.64% -0.03% 25.93% 14.40% 21.50% 7.99%

Vanguard Total Stock 2/28/14 4.17% 1.48% 26.83% 14.62% 23.99% 7.72%

Mairs & Power 2/28/14 2.90% 0.41% 25.76% 16.98% 24.79% 1.56%

Hartford Capital Appreciation 2/28/14 3.82% 1.25% 33.76% 12.34% 22.77% 5.70%

JP Morgan Mid Cap Value 2/28/14 5.02% 2.44% 25.74% 16.78% 26.14% 13.63%

Columbia Acorn A 2/28/14 4.78% 1.73% 25.00% 12.77% 25.31% 10.43%

Royce Low Price 2/28/14 4.09% 2.64% 15.81% -0.36% 19.56% 11.80%

Neuberger Berman 2/28/14 0.48% -2.12% 24.82% 13.29% 22.64% 12.95%

Fidelity Advisor Diversified Intl 2/28/14 3.56% 1.00% 24.40% 8.09% 18.52% 7.79%

Capital World Growth & Income 2/28/14 3.95% 1.89% 22.40% 10.67% 19.09% 11.42%

INDUSTRY INDEXES

Barclays Aggregate Bond 2/28/14 1.44% 2.02% 0.15% 3.82% 5.12% 6.88%

S&P 500 Stock 2/28/14 3.51% 0.96% 25.37% 14.35% 23.00% 7.16%

Russell 2000 Growth 2/28/14 5.13% 3.02% 37.06% 15.97% 28.04% 7.70% * Performance history prior to December 1993 is that of the host fund, also advised by Morley Capital Management**Quarter, Year-To-Date, 1-Year, and 3-Year are Admiral Share Class, Inception 11/13/00; all others are Investor Share Class.***Weighted returns based on each fund’s representation in the Model Portfolio

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Member Reminders Keeping the following items in mind will help us to serve you better!

PIPE TRADES SERVICES MN700 TRANSFER ROAD ST. PAUL MN 55114 EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR: JAMES HYNESPHONE: 651-645-4540 TOLL FREE: 1-800-515-2818 FAX: 651-645-8119E-MAIL: QUESTIONS@TCPT.ORGWEBSITE: WWW.PTSMN.ORG

This newsletter is intended to communicate information which may be useful to individuals who participate in one or more of the Pipe Trades benefit plans. Receipt of this newsletter does not imply that you are entitled to benefits under any plan, and this newsletter does not take the place of or modify the terms of any Pipe Trades benefit plan, or Summary Plan Description (SPD) which describes the benefits available under those plans or modify eligibility or other participation criteria.

> Make sure you are using the new member ID cards that have the LaborValue Rx logo in the upper right corner

> Don’t miss this year’s Health & Benefits Fair

> Make sure to let the fund office know if you move or have any changes in the insurance status of your spouse or other dependents.

> Don’t forget www.ptsmn.org as a resource for many of your benefit questions. Call the fund office if you have not yet registered for the member only site.

Welfare Fund Retiree Health Fund Pension Fund Pension Supplement FundDoug Jones Doug Jones Joe O’Shaughnessy Joe O’ShaughnessyMaggy Kottman Maggy Kottman Russ Scherber Russ ScherberScott Gale Scott Gale Tom McCarthy Tom McCarthyTom Vail Michael Tieva Rick Eilers Rick EilersMichael Tieva Tom Vail Steve Pettersen Steve PettersenPaul Batsche Paul Batsche Paul Jordan Paul JordanJeff Huberty Jeff Huberty Rick Magler Rick MaglerGary Thaden Gary Thaden Bill Daugherty Bill Daugherty Jeff Motsenbacher

Benefit Fund Trustees

PIPE TRADES SERVICES MN700 Transfer RoadSt. Paul MN 55114