*2024 Ohio Retired UPMA Luncheon is October 2nd! Register with the below form!*

Thanks to all who attended the state convention this past weekend.  A special thanks to our National President Charley Peters who spent the entire weekend with us.  It gave everyone ample opportunity to ask any questions they may have had on the new health benefits program or anything else for that matter!  We are hopeful that he may be able to join us for our fall meeting in Plain City in October also.  

Much of the information is available at Home - Keepingposted.org (www.keepingposted.org if you are typing it in) and he encouraged all to carefully look over all the plans before making your decision.  There will be changes, so it may not work well to just go with what you've always had.  If you do nothing, you will not lose your coverage, but it may differ considerably from what you have had in the past. You will be rolled into a plan that is chosen for you.  

If you are not currently enrolled in Medicare Part B, you may now do so without any penalty to you.  This must be done by September 30.

There is information in the publications and emails from the National office (UPMA Leader, In The Mailbox, Gold email). NARFE also has much information as well as valuable webinars.  Let me know if you are not receiving any of these and would like to.  

Please do the research and take the time to review the available plans, and don't wait until the last minute!  We are so fortunate to have the great choices that we do!  We tend to take it for granted, but shouldn't - there are so so many without adequate health insurance available, and that means inadequate health care as well.  The information on participating plans will be available before open season and you should be receiving mailings throughout the fall.

Sarah Kreitzer, Vice President Ohio Chapter Retired

2024 RETIREES MEETING AGENDA

Call to order
Invocation Deb Justice
Pledge of Allegiance- Sara Kreitzer
Secretary report - Minutes of last meeting
Treasurers report- Tracy Gebhart
President’s report
Scholarships
National candidates
Vice President’s report
National Veterans project
Unfinished Business
By Law changes
Election of Oficers
New Business

Guest Speaker- Charley Peters- Retiree National President

UPDATE ON SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD (SEP): from President Charley

   Here's an update on the PSHB Special Enrollment Period for Medicare Part B. The SEP is for those who were eligible for Medicare Part A, but chose not to enroll in Medicare Part B when they were first eligible. To be eligible for the SEP, you must be an Annuitant and have been eligible for Medicare Part A and not enrolled in Part B as of 1/1/2024. If you become eligible for Medicare Part A after 1/1/2024 (normally 65 years old), you are not eligible for the SEP. That date has already passed. Covered family members are subject to the same rules as the Primary insured. You have the opportunity to enroll in Medicare Part B without penalty, 3 months prior to your 65th birthday, the month of your birthday and 3 months after the month of your birthday (total of 7 months). 

   If you retire after the age of 65, your Individual Enrollment period begins on your retirement date, and you will have 8 months to choose Medicare Part B without penalty. If you fall into the category of being required to take Medicare Part B and you miss your Individual Enrollment period, you will be subject to a Medicare Part B Penalty, and you could also lose your PSHB coverage because you are required to have Medicare Part B to keep your PSHB coverage. If you are currently retired by 12/31/2024, you are not required to choose Part B. If you are 64 years of age or older and still employed, you will not be required to enroll in Medicare Part B when you retire and eligible for Medicare. If you are under 64 years of age and still employed, you will be required to take Medicare Part B when you retire and eligible for Medicare.

    For more information on the Special Enrollment Period for Medicare Part B, and answers to some of your questions, such as: What to do if you believe you are eligible to participate in the PSHB SEP and do not receive a notification letter by mail in March. This site also has sidebar Resources for other information on PSHB. https://www.keepingposted.org/pshb-sep.htm

MEDICARE PART D PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN IN A NUTSHELL:

from Retired President Charley Peters

               Blue Cross Blue Shield sent out introduction letters early on. I received mine dated October 18, 2023, explaining this new drug benefit, FEP Medicare Prescription Drug Program (MPDP), and how to opt out. It is for FEP members enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or B. You will keep your current FEP medical plan coverage (no changes to your medical coverage). Part D gives access to additional covered prescription drugs in tiers 3 and 4, which could mean lower out of pocket cost for higher cost drugs. You don't pay a separate premium; the new MPDP is included in your FEP premium. With this you have access to Tier 1 Generic drugs, Tier 2 Preferred brand name drugs, plus Tier 3 Non-preferred brand name drugs, and Tier 4 Specialty drugs. The traditional BC/BS drug coverage was for Tier 1 and 2 only. The new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (MPDP) also added a maximum $3,250 out of pocket that is not in the traditional Rx coverage.

               You are automatically enrolled unless you opt out. You can opt out anytime if you find it is not working for you. If you opt out, you will revert back to your traditional BC/BS prescription drug coverage, but you will have to wait until the next Open Season if you want to get back in. BC/BS worked with Medicare and OPM to offer this Medicare Part D Prescription Plan, but you are not paying the Part D Premium separately, it is just an additional benefit of your BC/BS FEP Plan. You have to get your prescriptions at an in-network retail pharmacy or FEP Mail Service Pharmacy. There are more than 65,000 in-network or preferred retail pharmacies.

               As stated, there is no additional cost for the new plan, UNLESS your individual income is more than $103,000 or $206,000 as a couple, and you are already paying an income related Medicare Part B premium. Like Medicare Part B, you will pay an additional Income Related surcharge for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. This surcharge goes up as your income increases but if you crunch numbers, you could find that your Part D coverage savings might offset the additional surcharge. If you are not making $103,000 or more, then you don't have to worry about that.

               Remember: If you give it a try and then decide to opt out, you can do that anytime during 2024, or you can contact BC/BS or Medicare now and opt out. For a full description of benefits in your Basic Option Evidence of Coverage, go to fepblue.org/medicarerx or call 1-888-338-7737. You can use their Prescription Drug Cost tool at fepblue.org/rx to see what your drug costs at local pharmacies and via the FEP Mail Service Pharmacy or you can call 1-888-338-7737..

               On a personal note, I recently received in the mail a 2024 FEP Medicare Prescription Drug Program Basic Option Member Kit. I will wait and see if my Prescription Drug costs increase or decrease with the Medicare approved drug plan payments.

               It is important to note that many insurance carriers in the FEHB Plan have already implemented the Medicare Advantage Plan. GEHA automatically enrolled their members in a Medicare Advantage program, and they had to also choose to opt out. Some of the Union Insurance programs did similar.  BCBS is just implementing the Plan in 2024. These are changes made by the Health Insurance Providers and approved by OPM.

Click on this Link to the Federal Retirement Newsletter:

https://www.myfederalretirement.com/ira-contirbutions-secure-act/