Just a reminder it is almost time for the Fall Luncheon.  It will be Oct 4th at Der Dutchman in Plain City.  If you haven't sent it in your reservation yet, please do, or contact Tracie Gebhart  if you have any questions.

Minutes of our Ohio UPMA Retirees Meeting

at Hocking Hills Lodge in Logan Ohio

 June 3, 2023.

 President Lou Stuckey called the meeting to order at 1:09
Joe Cinadr opened in prayer, Sara Kreitzer led us in the Pledge of  Allegiance.
 Unfinished Business
 Lou presented the Retirees members that are running for election 
    Charlie Peters running unopposed for President Retired.
    Kathy Frame and John Powell are running for National VP Retired.
Lou encouraged us to gain membership, membership, membership!
 Lou encouraged us to contribute to National Scholarship Fund.
 Retiree project needs stationary and stamps.

 Tracie Gebhart gave the Treasurer’s report and it was filed for audit.
 Deb Justice gave the Secretary’s Report from the previous meeting.
  Joe Cinadr moved to accept and Roger Roe 2nd 
 Discussion:
Scholarship Fund postponed til our Fall Luncheon Meeting. ( discussion on whether to increase the dollar amount, expand the boundaries so we could get more applicants etc)
 Lou- Reimbursement of the board. (Committee not present) Jordan Davenport advised Lou to leave it as it is currently. 
 New Business:
Upcoming Insurance 2024
 Sara Kreitzer- talked to us about membership and we will earn 25.00 for each new member we get. 
 Election of Officers
 Julie Paule nominated Lou Stuckey for President.
 Julie Paule nominated Sara Kreitzer for Vice President.
 Lou declared nominations closed. Both run unopposed and were elected.
 Fall Luncheon October 4, 2023 at Der Dutchman in Plain City Oh
 Motion to adjourn by Deb Justice at 1:50

POSTAL SERVICE HEALTH BENEFITS FACT SHEETS:                 4/18/23

The attachments are a list of facts regarding the PSHB Program for Annuitants (Retirees) and USPS employees. There is a Fact Sheet for USPS Employees and a separate Fact Sheet for Postal Service Retirees. Please note that there is a QR Code in the "Looking Ahead" section that you can use to look up additional information and you can sign up to receive information and updates via text messaging notifications by texting "PSHBP" to 39369.

The new PSHB Program will be effective on January 1, 2025. Note that there are guidelines for Annuitants as of that date, for Active Employees as of that date and requirements or instructions for those eligible for Medicare Part B, so if you are currently employed but plan to retire by or before January 1, 2025, you should become familiar with both sets of Fact Sheets. We hope these Fact Sheets will answer or clear up questions that you may have or will have about the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program. More information will be released as it is updated by OPM.   

Here is the Fact Sheet for Annuitants

Here is the Fact Sheet for Employees

If any questions, contact: Charles Peters, UPMA Retired National Vice President

crpeters0219@gmail.com

PROPOSED CHANGES TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND NATIONAL BYLAWS:  www.unitedpma.org

The 2023 proposed changes to the UPMA Articles of Incorporation and the UPMA National Bylaws are posted on the www.unitedpma.org website under the “Resources” tab and then under the Articles of Incorporation-Bylaws section.  They are posted to allow all members to see them and especially to allow the active members to familiarize themselves with them prior to voting on these proposed changes at their chapter conventions. It should be noted that the members of UPMA Retired that are present and registered for the National Convention in Denver this year will be casting ballots for the adoption, or rejection, of proposed Bylaws changes numbers 1, 3, and 4.

MORE ABOUT THE POSTAL HEALTH PLAN: from Patrick Harkin            2/18/23

Stop listening and stressing over all the rumors about the new Postal Health Plan and Medicare Part B.

Here are a few facts, not rumors: 

** The law was passed by Congress & signed by President Biden. It is the law of the land. There is no "If it is implemented". And no, the USPS does not have to negotiate with the unions or management organizations - THIS IS THE LAW!

** The law requires OPM to set forth guidelines this April and make such guidelines public. Although there is a provision which allows OPM to request an extension on this timeline, I I don't know the mechanisms for granting such an extension.  However, I am confident we will know in a timely manner. 

** The law requires the USPS, with oversite by OPM, to provide training to ALL Active and Retired Postal personnel, Survivor Annuitants & Survivor Dependents. Such training to include the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for anyone 65 and older who chose not to enroll in Medicare Part B and the procedure to enroll in Medicare Part B with the USPS assuming the 10% annual penalty cost rather than the participant assuming this penalty. Those opting into Medicare B with a penalty being paid by the USPS will be REQUIRED to enroll in one of the new USPS Health Plans during Open Season 2024. Further, the training will explain who will be required to take one of the available plans during the 2024 Open Season and subsequent Open Season enrollments, and who will not be required to take a USPS Health Plan.

** There will be information on which Health Insurance Companies have opted-in to carry a USPS Health Plan. Premiums and benefits for these USPS Health Plans will be announced in 2024 prior to the FEHBP Open Season. All new plans will take effect January 1, 2025 for Annuitants, Survivor Annuitants and Survivor Dependents and the first full pay period in 2025 for active Postal employees.

** Please do not fall victim to rumors! Don't stress over something we will all learn more about over the next year and one half. As a UPMA Retired Member and a licensed insurance agent for health & life insurance as well as Medicare & Medicare Supplements, I will do my best to keep you informed through UPMA GOLD & In The Mailbox Publication

EQUAL COLA ACT: from Dave Cook. UPMAR Legislative Chairman              2/18/23

U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly. 11th District of Virginia has introduced H.R.866 - To amend title 5, United States Code, to achieve parity between the cost-of-living adjustment with respect to an annuity under the Federal Employees Retirement System and an annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System, and for other purposes. The Equal COLA Act would make the annual COLA for both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) equivalent to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). This change would institute long-overdue parity between the two federal retirement systems and result in a more just retirement benefits system for all federal workers.

Fr more information go to: www.house.gov