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THE TRUSTEE 

 June 2025
Vol XVIII, No. 180

Summer Safety Tips

Summer is a time for fun in the sun, but it also brings unique health and safety challenges. Whether you're heading to the beach, planning a hike, or firing up the grill, a few simple precautions can keep you and your family safe all season long.

Skin Safety -Sunburn and skin damage are common summer concerns. Protect your skin by:

• Applying sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every two hours, especially after swimming or sweating.
  
• Wearing protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses with UV protection.
  
• Seeking shade during peak sun hours, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  

Activity Safety-Outdoor activities are great for fitness and fun, but it's important to stay safe:

• Hydrate regularly, especially in hot weather or during intense activity.
  
• Take breaks in shaded or cool areas to prevent heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
  
• Use safety gear for sports, biking, and swimming, and never swim alone.
  

Insect Protection:Ticks & Mosquitoes-Ticks and mosquitoes can transmit serious illnesses like Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Stay safe by:

• Using insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and clothing.
  
• Wearing long sleeves and pants in wooded or grassy areas.
  
• Checking for ticks after spending time outdoors, especially around the scalp, armpits, and behind the knees.
  
• Removing standing water from your yard to reduce mosquito breeding grounds (e.g., buckets, birdbaths, clogged gutters).
  

Food Safety-Picnics and barbecues are summer staples, but they can pose food safety risks:

• Keep cold foods cold by using insulated coolers with ice packs.
  
• Cook meats thoroughly to safe internal temperatures (e.g., 165°F for poultry).
  
• Avoid leaving perishable foods out for more than two hours—or just one hour in temperatures above 90°F.
  

By taking a few precautions, you can enjoy everything summer has to offer while staying safe and healthy!

Summer Travel Season

With summer comes the summer travel season and the frequently asked question “Do I need travel health insurance?” If you are traveling within the United States, your health insurance coverage is sufficient. However, if you are planning a trip out of the country, the Plan ALWAYS recommends travel insurance. Our health plan does have foreign travel coverage, but if something happens, you will have a foreign copay, and out of network deductibles, since there are no in-network providers outside the United States. Additionally, the foreign provider can bill you 100% above and beyond any allowable amount. It can become extremely expensive, very quickly. Purchasing travel insurance is definitely a great idea and a worthwhile investment. Hopefully, you will not need it, but if you do, you will be glad you have it!

Retiree Dental Premium Holiday

 Members currently enrolled in the retiree dental plan will not receive the traditional purple dental billing in June this year. At the recent Trust meeting, the trustees voted to institute a premium holiday for the 2025-2026 plan year. This means that current retirees who are enrolled in the KTF dental insurance will not have a premium  payment for the 2025-25 plan year. New retirees should follow the instructions for maintaining health and dental benefits in retirement listed in the Welcome to Retirement letters they receive.

Retirees not currently on the dental plan may opt in. Interested members will need to remit the semi-annual premium prior to July 1. Contact KTF Compliance to have an invoice sent to you. (enrollment@ktftrustfund.com or 844-583-3863, prompt 1)

Information for New Retirees


To maintain your health and dental benefits in retirement, new retirees should follow the instructions in the Welcome to Retirement letters they receive. Newly retired members should submit payment for dental insurance by July 1, 2025.

Retirees who have had the Trust’s Guardian Life Insurance will be terminated as of July 1, 2025. The policy is in effective until retirement or until the age of sixty-five.

Members enrolled in the Long-Term Care insurance retain their group policy when retiring, and the Trust will continue to pay the monthly premium.

 
In Memoriam

Eileen Gulisano