SENIOR NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION (SNEMT) PROGRAM
REAOC wants to share information with our retirees about the following County Service through the Office on Aging:
The Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (SNEMT) Program provides transportation to older adults who are in need of low cost transportation to and from medical appointments, dentists, therapies, exercise programs, testing and other health related trips.
For more information about the Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Program in Orange County, please call the Office on Aging at:
800.510.2020
714.480.6450
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)
On February 21, 2024, the OCERS Board of Retirement approved a 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all OCERS retirees and qualified beneficiaries.
This adjustment will result in a 3% increase in allowances for all benefit recipients who will begin receiving benefits on or before April 1, 2024, with the remaining 0.5% allocated to their “COLA Bank.” Members can expect to receive this COLA adjustment included in the benefit payments beginning on the May 1st check.
To read more about the COLA, click here.
COUNTY OF ORANGE HEALTH PLANS RATES FOR 2024
The rate charts can be accessed by clicking here.
If you have questions, contact the Benefits Service Center at 1-833-476-2347. Normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
LUNCHEON REMINDER
Our luncheons are now held at the Elks Lodge located at 1751 South Elks Lane, Santa Ana, CA 92705. All the luncheons will provide a main dish, a salad with vegetables, rolls and dessert. Coffee, tea, and ice water will also be served.
The Elks Lodge is next to the OC Credit Union building on St. Andrews Place. The major cross streets are Grand Avenue and Edinger in Santa Ana. You will find plenty of parking spaces!
We hope to see you at our next luncheon on May 22, 2024! For more information, please click here.
MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAMS
If you or someone you know is having trouble paying for healthcare costs, there may be ways to save money on Medicare premiums and other costs. You can get help from your state paying your Medicare premiums. In some cases, Medicare Savings Programs may also pay Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments if you meet certain conditions. Please click here for additional information.
REAOC BOARD OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
The REAOC Board monthly meetings will continue to be held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month and we will utilize the online Zoom platform. If you have any issues or questions you would like to have us discuss, please contact the REAOC office at (714) 840-3995.
WHEN YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGES
If you move, get a new or change your e-mail address or telephone or if you have a name change, there are actions that are necessary so that you continue to receive your benefits, newsletters, e-mails, etc.
If any of the above pertains to you, you need to notify REAOC, the Orange County Employees’ Retirement System (OCERS) and the County of Orange Employee Benefits Center with the new information.
To contact REAOC – call (714) 840-3995 or go to http://reaoc.org/email-us/ to e-mail the new/changed information.
To contact OCERS – call (714) 558-6200 or go to https://www.ocers.org to go to their website and sign-into “MyOCERS” to update your information.
To contact the County of Orange Employee Benefits Services Center – call (833) 476-2347 or to go to the benefits website by contacting My OC Benefits™ directly through IntraOC, or on the internet at mybenefits.ocgov.com.
NEWSLETTERS
Click here to read the latest Informer newsletter.
Click here to read the latest CRCEA Intercom newsletter.
NEWS WEEK OF APRIL 15, 2024
Fully repeal unfair Social Security penalties
The National Education Association writes: “More than 2.5 million hard-working Americans, including many educators, have their Social Security benefits reduced—or lose them entirely—due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act (S. 597/H.R. 82) would fully repeal both the GPO and WEP. Fully Repeal Unfair Social Security Penalties. Support the Social Security Fairness Act to fully repeal both the GPO and WEP.” The Association advocates “Take Action – Urge your senators and representative to support the Social Security Fairness Act to fully repeal both the GPO and WEP.” (Read More)
How Gavin Newsom’s budget sidesteps the growing cost of CalPERS pensions, for one year
The Mountain View Voice printed this CalMatters article: “More generous-than-expected raises for California state workers are nudging up the cost of public employee pensions, according to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. But, for one year, Gov. Gavin Newsom has a plan to save some money that otherwise would have to be spent on those retirement plans. He wants to take money set aside 10 months ago to pay down CalPERS’ debt and instead use it for part of next year’s state worker pension costs. That’ll save the state general fund $1.7 billion, making it a small but important part of Newsom’s plan to manage California’s yawning budget deficit. There’s one catch: the independent Legislative Analyst’s Office wrote that Newsom’s pension plan ‘appears unconstitutional’ because of the way it relies on a previously scheduled debt payment.” (Read More)
California’s debt continues to grow
The introduction to this Governing article: “After borrowing billions from the federal government to pay for unemployment during the pandemic, the state’s debt now stands at about $21 billion and growing. The state also currently accounts for about 20 percent of the nation’s unemployment. California’s massive budget deficit, coupled with the state’s relatively high level of joblessness, has become a major barrier to reducing the billions of dollars of debt it has incurred to pay unemployment benefits. The surge in unemployment brought on by the COVID pandemic pushed the state’s unemployment insurance trust into insolvency. And over the last year California’s joblessness has been on the upswing again, reaching 5.3 percent in February, the highest among all states. – – – – – To keep the safety-net program operating at a time when the taxes paid by employers and earmarked for jobless benefits are insufficient, Sacramento has been borrowing billions of dollars from the federal government .” (Read More)
Business groups and lawmakers battle over ballot measure to limit California tax increases
CalMatters reports: “Hoping to leverage popular resistance to tax increases, business and anti-tax groups in California have qualified a measure for the November ballot that would make raising state and local taxes much more difficult. It’s a showdown that’s been building for nearly five decades.” (Read More)
ABOUT OUR LUNCHEONS
WHY
REAOC luncheons are held for the purpose of bringing Orange County retirees together for an afternoon of camaraderie, entertainment, and information. Friends and family are always welcome! Each luncheon features a different theme, with door prizes, and special gifts. As an added bonus, there is a valuable Progressive Drawing. They also serve as a general meeting for the membership.
WHERE
Please note that we have a new venue for our REAOC luncheons. We will hold our luncheons at the new Elks Lodge in Santa Ana! The Elks Lodge is located at 1751 South Elks Lane, Santa Ana, CA 92705. All the luncheons will provide a main dish, a salad with vegetables, rolls and dessert. Coffee, tea, and ice water will also be available.
The Elks Lodge is right next to the OC Credit Union building on St. Andrews Place. You will find plenty of parking spaces! Attend and have fun visiting with your friends and guests at the Elks Lodge. Please see your upcoming Informer newsletter for additional information.
For directions, see map below showing where the Facility is located. Please DO NOT call the Facility to make reservations. Reservations are made by sending in the reservation form in The Informer or by calling the REAOC office at (714) 840-3995.
WHEN
For 2024, the luncheons will be held on Wednesdays on the dates listed below:
January 24, 2024
March 27, 2024
May 22, 2024
September 25, 2024
December 4, 2024
To ensure a parking spot please arrive by 11 a.m. Please carpool if possible.
We hope to see you at the REAOC luncheon!
Cost for the luncheon is $20.00 per person. A reservation form is provided in The Informer (on the current Luncheon page), in the “Forms” section of the REAOC web site or you may email the REAOC office of your request (reaoc@reaoc.org).
Reservations for the May 22, 2024 luncheon must be received by no later than May 15, 2024.
NEW HEALTH CARE PLANS AND RATES FOR 2024
The Board of Supervisors approved the new Health Care Plans and Rate for 2024 at the Board meeting on July 18, 2023. The rate charts can be accessed by clicking here.
HEALTH PLAN RATES FOR 2023
The County of Orange Board of Supervisors approved the new rates for the retiree health plans for 2023 at their meeting on July 19, 2022. The rate charts may be seen below.
Click here for the PPO rate charts (Wellwise and Sharewell)
Click here for the HMO rate charts (Kaiser, Scan and Blue Cross)
THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS RESOURCE LINE – MY OC BENEFITS™
Call the My OC Benefits™ Line toll-free at (833) 476-2347 or they may be reached at mybenefits.ocgov.com
SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE BENEFITS
For information about the supplemental insurance including dental and vision coverage, please click on the link below.
Supplemental Insurance Benefits
