activities · 6
what they do
direct service · 6
- Administers health plan adjustments for life eventsProvides guidance and plan adjustments for participants experiencing qualifying life events such as birth, adoption, a dependent turning 26, disability, death of a family member, retirement, return to work, military service, relocation, or turning 65. Support includes plan modifications and ongoing administration.
- Administers retirement and pension benefitsAdministers monthly retirement benefit payments for life, beginning on the first of the month following approval, delivered by check or electronic transfer. Offers lump sum payouts for benefits valued at $5,000 or less, with rollover options. Benefits are based on employer contributions and include provisions for survivors and participants returning to work under a WGA agreement.
- Maintains and updates health benefit coverage Seasonal and Pandemic Vaccine AdministrationContinues to cover COVID-19 vaccinations without changes to coverage and has expanded infertility benefits to include pre-surrogacy services.
- Manages employer contributions to pension planAccepts and administers employer contributions exclusively from entities signatory to a WGA collective bargaining agreement or included in the Trust Agreement, ensuring accurate contribution tracking and benefit calculations through regular audits.
- Partners to expand access to specialized health services Telehealth Consultations & Virtual CarePartners with Lantern to provide covered participants nationwide access to high-quality surgery procedures at no cost-sharing, and offers virtual muscle and joint pain support through Hinge Health, monitored by a physical therapist-led care team at no out-of-pocket cost for eligible participants.
- Provides pension plan communications and disclosuresIssues annual funding notices for the Producer-Writers Guild of America Pension Plan, including PBGC-guaranteed benefit information, and sends individualized benefit statements at least once every three years to show accrued benefits and vesting status.
strategies · 13
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Contribution-Based Benefit Calculation contribution-based benefit calculationCalculates retirement benefits based on employer contributions, subject to benefit and compensation limits, aligning payout with employment-related funding inputs.
- Curated Provider Network curated_provider_networkUses a curated network of high-performing surgical providers with dedicated care advocacy and full cost-sharing elimination to improve access to surgery and enhance health outcomes.
- Deadline-Based Processing deadline_based_processingUses a deadline-driven application process to determine pension start dates, with no retroactive payments if deadlines are missed, ensuring timely and administratively efficient processing.
- Default and Lock-In Policy default_and_lock_in_policyDefaults to Joint & 50% Survivor Annuity for spouses if documentation is incomplete and locks in benefit elections permanently at retirement date, reducing ambiguity and ensuring long-term financial protection.
- Electronic Benefit Delivery electronic_benefit_deliveryUses electronic funds transfer as a secure, free, and reliable method to deliver pension benefits, improving accessibility and reducing administrative friction for beneficiaries.
- Formula-Based Pension Calculation formula-based pension calculationUses a formula-based approach to calculate monthly pension benefits by incorporating employer contributions, an annual benefit multiplier, age factor, and retirement option to determine equitable and standardized payouts.
- Fraud Prevention Through Verification fraud_prevention_through_verificationRequires notarized or witnessed signatures on verification forms to prevent fraud and protect beneficiary confidentiality, ensuring the integrity of benefit claims and distribution.
- Life Event-Based Benefits Management life_event_based_benefits_managementOrganizes health plan support services around key life events to facilitate timely adjustments to coverage and benefits, ensuring members receive appropriate care and support during critical transitions.
- Professional Investment Management with Board Oversight professional_investment_management_with_board_oversightUses professional investment managers guided by investment policies set by the Board of Directors and Finance Committee to manage pension assets in alignment with funding objectives, ensuring fiduciary responsibility and long-term sustainability.
- Regulatory Compliance Communication regulatory_compliance_communicationFollows a compliance-driven communication strategy by issuing annual funding notices to inform participants about pension plan status and federal guarantees, ensuring transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements regardless of funding condition.
- Retirement Eligibility Through Employment Cessation retirement eligibility through employment cessationRequires a break in employment during the first calendar month of retirement to qualify for benefits, ensuring clear administrative boundaries for benefit initiation.
- Vesting and Age Eligibility vesting_and_age_eligibilityRequires members to be vested and at least age 52 to qualify for retirement benefits, establishing minimum thresholds for benefit access based on tenure and age.
- Virtual Care with Technology Monitoring virtual_care_with_technology_monitoringDelivers virtual physical therapy using motion capture technology and a physical therapist-led care team to monitor and support patient progress, combining clinical expertise with digital innovation.
named programs · 5
what they call their work
Pension Plan
Defined benefit pension plan providing monthly retirement benefits to eligible writers based on employer contributions, years of service, and age at retirement
Pre-Retirement Death Benefit
Provides death benefits to beneficiaries of participants who die before retirement
Producer-Writers Guild of America Pension Plan
Defined benefit pension plan providing monthly retirement benefits to eligible writers based on employer contributions, age, and service years
Second Retirement Benefit
Additional retirement benefit for participants who return to work in WGA-covered employment after retiring before age 65, with new contributions building toward a second pension
Terminal Illness Benefit
Early retirement benefit available without age restriction for participants diagnosed with a terminal illness, provided they are not otherwise eligible for retirement
relationships · 13
who they work with
- Administrative Office Government — Handles receipt and processing of retirement applications and supporting documents.
- Administrative Office Partner — Handles beneficiary designation forms and administration of death benefits.
- Anthem Government — Main health care provider for cost transparency reporting under the Consolidated Appropriations Act
- Express Scripts Partner — Pharmacy services provider for the health plan, offering mail order, refills, specialty pharmacy, and drug list resources
- Fair Health Government — Source for out-of-network cost information as required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act
- Hinge Health Partner — Partnership to provide virtual muscle and joint pain support using motion capture technology and a physical therapist-led care team.
- Lantern Partner — Partnership to provide nationwide access to high-quality surgery procedures with no cost-sharing for covered participants.
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Government — Provides information to participants about benefit payments guaranteed by the PBGC, a federal insurance agency.
- Rula Partner — Partnership to help participants find in-network mental health therapists covered by the health plan.
- VSP Partner — Provider of vision care benefits, including provider directory, claims forms, and benefit information
- Writers Guild of America Government — Employers contributing to the Pension Plan are signatory to a WGA collective bargaining agreement, linking the plan to the Writers Guild of America.
- Writers Guild of America, East Partner — Representative organization for writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable and new media industries; linked as a resource for members
- Writers Guild of America, West Partner — Representative organization for writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable and new media industries; linked as a resource for members