Chair Talk
November 2009
On Thursday, November 5, Alvin Whitfield and I appeared at the Public Employee Health Care Reform Committee. We testified on behalf of SERA members and State Retirees regarding HB 5345. Our testimony consisted of giving a brief history of SERA and the questions/issues that concern us about HB 5345.
Medicare Advantage will no longer be the Health Plan for Medicare-eligible retirees beginning on January 1, 2010. The State has made the determination to return to the Medicare Supplemental Plan that we had prior to 2008. There will be a Retiree Benefits Bulletin and a Summary of Benefits that will be mailed to retirees in the near future. Starting January 1, 2010 you will need to go to providers that accept Medicare. You will need your red, white and blue Medicare card and a State Health Plan card (BC/BS will be mailing new cards soon) to present to your providers. If you do not have your Medicare card you will need to contact Social Security as soon as possible to obtain a replacement. You can go to Social Security Website: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/IMRC/main.html or call (800)772-1213 or visit the nearest Social Security office.
I have received notice that there will be a Last Chance Open Enrollment period for a supplemental term life insurance plan. Letters will be sent to all defined benefit retirees. This is a program that is part of the Voluntary Benefits for Life. Retirees who enroll in this life insurance plan can have premiums deducted from the pension payments. The Open Enrollment period ends on December 4, 2009.
There had been a decision made by Purchasing to select Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Medco) as the vendor for the Prescription Drug Plan (State Employees/Retirees) and Catalyst as the Rx vendor for MPSERS (Public school retirees). The decision on these vendors was to be taken up at the Administrative Board on November 3 for final approval of the contracts. Within the time-frame allowed for protests, Express Scripts filed a court action to stop final approval. After the litigation was filed the Rx approval was removed from the agenda of the Administrative Board. As of this date we have no idea what may take place as far as a prescription drug vendor being named for either the State or MPSERS account.
I recently reviewed the ORS website and the Civil Service website as it pertains to insurance coverage for dependents and noticed that there are significant differences in the eligibility guidelines. I am aware that ORS will no longer allow adding children that a retiree has guardianship for. In the CS guidelines you can have a dependent that is a student on your insurance until they reach the age of 25 — ORS cuts them off at 23. CS allows insurance coverage for step-children — ORS does not. These are significant changes and ORS probably will not advertise these changes. We need to take some concerted action (informational picket?) against these anti-family changes that ORS feels the need to make.
Editor’s note: Bob Kopasz is Chair of the Michigan SERA Council. He may be reached at P.O. Box 692, Mt. Morris, MI 48458; phone 810/240-8380
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