SUAA
continues to meet with Central Management Services (CMS) on a regular
basis. Today we met to talk about the current health insurance
initiatives and issues regarding the State Health Insurance Program for
retirees. Changes are coming and should be coordinated within the next
month. However, other than a State sponsored Medicare program which will
include HMOs and a Nationwide PPO there isn’t much to report at this time.
The
content or plan design for the State-sponsored Medicare program is not
finalized as yet. CMS is working to coordinate by October 1. People will
need to make a choice of opting out or staying with the their current federal
Medicare.
Those
who are Medicare age but not Medicare eligible with 20 years of service will be
provided a $500 incentive to leave the State-sponsored Medicare Plan.
This incentive will be provided for their life-time.
A
person who chooses to continue in the State-sponsored Medicare plan will have
to pay a premium which is still 1% of their pension for this year and in
addition the cost of Medicare Part B. It seems that a prescription plan
will be included.
There
will be seminars held to help educate those who are affected. (No dates are set
as yet).
In
addition, those who are community college retirees will see changes to the
College Insurance Program (CIP). A meeting will be held for the
stakeholders later just as was done for TRIP. See notice below since CIPs
changes will be much if not all the same as TRIP.
Neither
CIP nor TRIP will be given a $500 incentive to leave their respective health
insurance plans.
This
is all of the concrete information that can be provided at this time.
While IEA lists the possibility of a Medicare Supplement Plan, it doesn’t seem
that at this juncture that is going to be available.
SUAA
will be kept in the loop as progress is made. We will keep you updated as
we are able to make solid informational reports. Visit the CMS website on a regular basis. Much
will happen in the next few weeks!
Copied from the Illinois Education Association -
On
Aug. 21, the Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) Committee met with
the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). The
committee is made up of representatives from the Illinois Education Association
(IEA), Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Illinois Education
Association-Retired (IEA-R), Illinois Retired Teachers Association (IRTA) and
school management. Items discussed included program funding and plan
design. In addition, CMS announced that TRIP Medicare primary retirees would be
required to enroll in a state-sponsored Medicare plan. The premiums and
plan design of the state-sponsored Medicare plan have yet to be made public.
The
State of Illinois requested bids for a state-sponsored Medicare plan on June
21. It is the goal of CMS to have a contract in place by Oct. 1, which
will allow an enrollment period to make choices that will be effective Jan.
1. One or more of the following options will be available choices for
coverage for anyone who has Medicare as their primary coverage:
- Medicare Advantage Plan
- HMO
- Nationwide PPO
- Medicare Supplement
Once
the contracts are in place, CMS will schedule informational/educational
seminars regarding the new health plan options for those retirees who will be
affected. The locations and times of the seminars will be posted on the IEA and
CMS websites once they are scheduled.
More
information will be posted as it becomes available. Please check back
often.
Note: At this time, members who have one or more dependent(s) on their
coverage, who do not have Medicare as their primary coverage, will not be
required to change to one of the new Medicare plan options.
The
committee will be meeting again in October. All stakeholder groups will be
working together to continue to keep you updated on the Medicare plan.
Have a great weekend! Summer
is unfortunately coming to an end!
Linda L. Brookhart
Executive Director
State Universities Annuitants
Association
