Category: Chair Talk

By Cheryl Streberger At the May Coordinating Council meeting we had as our guest Arva Overton, who many of you know is retiring at the end of May. We presented her with a plaque of appreciation for all that she has done for the SERA retirees. She has attended numerous chapters and coordinating council meetings… Read more

By Cheryl Streberger Dear Lansing SERA members, it has come to my attention that the Lansing SERA executive board voted on March 5, 2025, to sever the relationship between your chapter and the SERA Coordinating Council.  The Lansing chapter was the second SERA chapter to join the Coordinating Council in 1975; the Jackson chapter was… Read more

By Bob Kopasz SCRAP THE CAP — SB 1144 and HB 6089. We still need SERA members/retirees to contact their State Representatives and State Senators (phone call or emails) and urge them to have the House and Senate bills move forward in their respective Labor Committees, hold hearings and hold committee votes then move the bills… Read more

By Bob Kopasz Well, the elections are finally over. Many retirees are pleased and many are not pleased. No matter how you vote, thank you for doing so. I think we can all agree that we are relieved to see political signs, hear political TV/radio ads and listen to phone calls/texts no longer. The Michigan… Read more

By Bob Kopasz On Monday, September 9th, Cheryl Streberger, Mary Pollock and I met with Bethany Beauchine and Keri Rust of the Employee Benefits Division to discuss any changes in the Medicare Advantage Plan. There are no changes in insurance rates, deductibles, copays, co-insurance or out-of-pocket maximums in our Health Plan or prescription drug plan.… Read more

By Bob Kopasz The October 4, 2024, Coordinating Council meeting will have an Optum Rx representative as the presenter of our program on prescription drugs. I expect that we will have representatives from Employee Benefits attend this meeting as well. If your SERA Chapter is interested in having a zoom meeting with an Optum Rx… Read more

By Bob Kopasz The Coalition of Secure Retirement (CSR) has scheduled a Legislative Lobby Day for Wednesday, May 22, 2024 (9:00am to 2:30pm). Breakfast and Lunch are provided. CSR will schedule individual meetings with your Representative and Senators. This Lobby Day is centered around Public pensions. You will be given information about Public Pensions and… Read more

By Bob Kopasz SERA has been busy the past 5 or 6 months on 2 issues that affect all retirees. Those issues are: Regaining SERA’s ability to receive contact information of new retirees.About 3 years ago we were no longer receiving lists of new retirees from ORS. Apparently, the AG’s office determined that that information… Read more

By Bob Kopasz Welcome to 2024! Hope you all had happy holidays. This Chair Talk will be brief as the legislature is not in session yet. There seems to be nothing earth-shattering about our benefits. Two HMO’s will no longer offer health benefits to active employees, retirees and/or dependents. Those health plans are Physicians Health… Read more

By Bob Kopasz At our November 3, 2023 Coordinating Council Meeting we had Bethany Beauchine, Keri Rust and Alexis, a new staff member from Employee Benefits give the program. We learned that rates for Health, Dental and Vision were not going up. Recently you should have received the Retiree Benefits Bulletin. HANG ON TO IT!… Read more