By Cheryl Streberger
As some of you may have heard, there was an article from University of Michigan Health (UM Health) regarding their negotiations with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM). When I read this article, it indicated that Medicare and Medicaid recipients will not be affected by this. I immediately reached out to the State of Michigan and BCBSM as to what this means to our retirees. I don’t always believe what I read because I was not comforted by the statement that Medicare recipients would not be affected. I do not want our population to be a last-minute bargaining chip. Many providers will have a negotiation with BCBSM to review their reimbursement rates, which goes on all the time, even with the State of Michigan. (Access the article.)
What concerned me is that BCBSM didn’t get out ahead of the UM Health negotiations and many patients had already received notices from their physicians about the issue. Now they have until June 30, 2026, to come to an agreement and I am confident they will. Both State of Michigan Employee Benefits Division and BCBSM are monitoring closely and will keep us updated about the progress.
If further clarification is needed, contact UM Health at uofmhealth.org/bcbsm or call (734) 615-0863.
SERA Coordinating Council (CC) Executive Board Meeting
At our last CC Executive Board meeting it was brought up that we should purchase ad space in local newspapers to attract new members. This has been done in the past through several chapters, and it was not successful. So, spending what little resources we have would not be fiscally responsible at this time.
Another issue brought up was that the State of Michigan has Crypto investments. Apparently, we have about a $2 billion investment in Crypto currencies. Whether you agree or not, I have full confidence in the Treasury Department Bureau of Investments to invest wisely on our behalf.
I hope everyone enjoys the nice weather we are getting in between the not so nice weather. Spring is just around the corner!
Editor’s note: Cheryl Streberger is Chair of the Michigan SERA Coordinating Council. She may be reached at cstreberger@yahoo.com or 517/515-9815.