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Player Benefits Forms

Health & Life Insurance:

Major League - Benefit Plan Enrollment

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This form registers you with the Benefit Plan Office for your insurance and pension, including making sure your spouse and dependent children are covered for health care. Your Club should provide this to you when you are added to the 40-man roster, but you can call the Benefit Plan Office directly if you are unsure.

Major League - Beneficiary Designation Form (Life Insurance)

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Use this form to name a beneficiary or beneficiaries for your life insurance and make sure you keep this up to date whenever anything changes (e.g., married/divorced, etc.). It is important to protect your family by keeping your beneficiaries up to date to avoid any confusion related to your insurance proceeds going where you want them to go in the event of your death.

Major League - Change of Address Form (Welfare Plan)

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If you change your phone number, email or mailing address, use this form (and call the Benefit Plan Office) to keep these up to date – they need to know how to reach you for important things related to your healthcare, pension and other benefits.

Major League - Add/Drop Dependent Form (Welfare Plan)

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If you become married, divorced, or have a child, use this form (and call the Benefit Plan Office) immediately to make sure your spouse or child are added to your health insurance coverage, which will cover them for any medical, dental, or prescription drug needs.

Major League - Newly Inactive Player COBRA Election Forms Information

If you were on a 40-man roster last year but are not on the 40-man roster after Opening Day, “COBRA” is for the continuation of your health care benefits under the Major League Plan. These forms will be mailed to you, but you can also call the Benefit Plan Office to complete the forms and start paying the premiums to keep your health care coverage for you and your family for up to 24 months. Note that (1) you can choose from 3 lower to higher cost options, (2) your Club will start paying the premiums if you are called back up to the Major League team, and (3) if you do not continue your coverage, the only way to get back on the Major League health care Plan is if you return to active Major League service as a Player or designated coach.

Major League - Inactive Player Health Care Coverage Letter & Enrollment Forms

Call the Benefit Plan Office and use the form they provide after the 24-month COBRA period ends AND/OR to switch between the 3 health care Plan options up to once per year. Inactive Players with 4 or more years of Major League service who have completed the 24-month COBRA period may stay on the plan (and continue paying the premiums) past that time, and must elect one of the inactive plan options if they want to continue coverage.

Vanguard 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan:

Major League - Vanguard Enrollment Form

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As an active Major League Player, do this every year to specify how much you want to contribute to your 401(k) on both a pre- and post-tax basis – if you select an amount higher than the law will allow you to contribute in addition to what your Club contributes on your behalf for that year, any overage will either not be deducted or will be refunded back to you. This form is typically provided to you by your Club’s traveling secretary in Spring Training or when you are called up if you haven’t filled it out for that year.

Major League - Vanguard Beneficiary Form

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Do this to name a beneficiary or beneficiaries for your 401(k) in the event of your death, and make sure you keep these up to date. If you are married, it is automatically your spouse unless signed consent is given on the form to name an alternative beneficiary or beneficiaries. Important times to use this form are the first time you are called up, or if you get married or divorced.

Major League - Vanguard Online Access Instructions

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If you have not already done so, follow these instructions to enroll for online access to your 401(k) investment account (Vanguard website and app) using the plan number.

Misc.

Major League - Pension Calculator

Use this for a quick estimate (in today’s dollars) of your annual benefit amount based on your total Major League service time and the age at which you start taking it. You can try various combinations of service time and starting age to see how the annual amount varies, and you can also call the Benefit Plan Office for an official estimate.

Major League - Common Scenarios

Know when and how to take action. If you get married, divorced, have children, get called up to a 40-man roster, etc.)

Major League - Electronic Signature Policy

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The Major League Baseball Players Benefit Plan accepts electronic signatures (“eSignatures”) for the completion of certain forms, but others must be signed by hand and submitted by mail.

Major League - Key Contacts for your Benefits

You can call the Benefit Plan Office at 1-800-669-2255 (or at +1 443-977-4686 if you are outside the US) or to the following MLBPA Staff members.

All Players have access to Health Insurance, Life Insurance and a Vanguard 401(k) Investment Plan. In addition, Major League Players who have accrued at least 43 days of Major League service time participate in the Pension Plan.

Below are some of the most commonly used forms. Click “Major League” or “Minor League” above to view the appropriate forms based on where you are in your professional baseball career, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the MLBPA with any questions.

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