NEW EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONTACT TO SERVE ORANGE COUNTY RETIREES
There is a brand-new way to contact the County of Orange, Employee Benefits. To help you learn how to utilize this new service, the County has developed a comprehensive, personalized reference guide for managing your County of Orange benefits — My OC Benefits™. This Quick Reference Guide highlights the features of My OC Benefits,™ which provides you with a one-stop resource to learn about, enroll in and make changes to your benefits from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Click here to see the Reference Guide. If you have any questions regarding this new service, please call the County of Orange Employee Benefits at (833) 476-2347.
CORONA VIRUS INFORMATION
Please click here to read the latest information from the County of Orange, Health Care Agency’s information on the Corona Virus.
SENIOR AND CARETAKER RESOURCES
Supervisor Lisa Bartlett from the County’s 5th District, has shared a resource for seniors and caretakers. Click here to see the information that you may find of interest to you.
ALERT REGARDING STIMULUS CHECKS
People are accidentally throwing out stimulus checks because they look like junk mail. NBC News reports “Some Americans may be unwittingly throwing their long-awaited stimulus payments in the trash. That’s because, starting last week, the Treasury Department and the IRS started sending out economic impact payments in regular white envelopes that could be confused for junk mail.” Click here to read the article.
To obtain more information about the stimulus payments, click here.
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM OCERS
Please click here to see a video about the current OCERS situation from the CEO, Steve Delaney.
REAOC has been asked by the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) CEO, Steve Delaney, to share the link to a message from OCERS with their response to the safety of our pensions.
Please note that while you received your Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) on your May pension check, you did not receive the pension stub/notice. In order to produce those, OCERS staff must be in the office. As they are working from home, at this time they are not able to produce a hard copy. Please check on their website, www.ocers.org and click on the “MyOCERS” link to sign into your account where you are able to see the pension stub.
OCERS has provided an update on their website regarding the impact to them from the corona virus. You can click here to find the latest information. You are encouraged to utilized the “myOCERS portal” on their website to help you with your issues and to limit the direct telephone calls if at all possible. REAOC is in frequent contact with OCERS. OCERS has ensured that pension checks will be issued as expected.
NEW BENEFITS CENTER
The County of Orange has contracted with a new Benefits Center. You will have the same benefits but a new fresh way to access them. On June 1, 2020, the County will transition from Secova to Alight Solutions for health and welfare benefits administration for retirees and active employees. This transition will allow the County to offer enhanced tools and resources to all of the benefit plan participants. Don’t worry: • You don’t have to take any action now. • Your benefits are not changing as a result of this move. • You’ll learn more about this transition in the coming weeks.
Click here to read additional information.
REAOC BOARD OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
The REAOC Board will still continue to meet on a monthly basis although we will follow the CDC guidelines and not meet in person. Our Board 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.
REAL ID DELAYED
Due to circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the national emergency declaration, the Department of Homeland Security, as directed by President Donald J. Trump, is extending the REAL ID enforcement deadline beyond the current October 1, 2020 deadline. They will grant a one-year extension, until Oct. 1, 2021.
Click here to read the press release from the Federal Homeland Security.
Click here to read the LA Times story regarding the REAL ID delay.
IMPORTANT MESSAGES FROM THE HEALTH PLANS REGARDING TELEHEALTH
Several of the health plans have shared information regarding telephone appointments during this crisis. Please follow-up with your individual health plan if you have any questions.
Click here to see the Kaiser telehealth information.
Click here to see the Scan telehealth information.
Click here to see the Anthem telehealth information.
Click here to see the Anthem information regarding COVID-19
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 Center – call (800) 858-7266 or go to https://countyoforange.ielect.com to go to the benefits website.
NEWSLETTERS
Click here to read the latest Informer newsletter.
NEWS WEEK OF JUNE 22, 2020
Orange County pension to increase private-equity pace
This headline from the June 25 on-line Wall Street Journal reports on a decision by the Investment Committee of the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) to “pledge more money to private-equity funds and add more firms to its portfolio in the coming years.” The article also says, “this is being done to “ramp up its private equity investment pace to reach a 13% target allocation by 2027.” (Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, this story is accessible only to on-line subscribers of the Wall Street Journal.) (More)
CalPERS investment committee backs hiking opportunistic strategies target
Pensions and Investments reports that the CalPERS Investment Committee voted to support lifting the 3% ceiling on how much of the fund can be invested in “opportunistic investments” to 5%. Read the article for considerable detail. (More)
How Fresno’s County Pension Fund Is Helping Finance its Recovery
This story from a newsletter called The Bottom Line describes the importance of pension fund money to the Fresno County economy. It begins with “if you live in Fresno County, California, and over the past year you got your first home mortgage, or a small business loan, or a loan to develop some new affordable apartments, there is a chance the local county employee pension fund financed it.” (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
The Mile Square Park Banquet Facility located at 10401 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, California, 92708. For directions, call the Mile Square Banquet Facility at (714) 962-5541 or 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
Luncheons are held the 4th Wednesday of January, March, May and September, and on the first Wednesday of December at Noon. To ensure a parking spot please arrive by 11 a.m. Please carpool if possible as the parking lot at this facility can be quite busy.
Luncheons for 2020 are listed below:
January 22 March 25 May 27 September 23 December 2
Please Note: The March 25 and May 27 luncheons have been cancelled. In light of the unknown facts and drivers surrounding the Coronavirus REAOC strongly believes caution is of utmost importance when it comes to the health of our membership. This is a challenging time for us all. Being mindful of recommendations by health experts to avoid crowds, the REAOC Board of Directors unanimously agreed that cancelling the upcoming luncheons is the most pro-active, appropriate action to take at this time.
Cost for the luncheon is $17.00 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).
HEMET CHAPTER LUNCHEONS
Luncheons in Hemet have been traditionally held on the second Tuesday during the months of February, April, June, October and December. Attendees arrive around 11:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in the Fellowship Hall located at 515 E. Kimball Avenue in Hemet and lunch is served between 11:45 and noon. The cost is $9.50 per person. The Hemet Chapter would like new members and encourages all REAOC members who live in the area or within driving distance to join them for the luncheons.
Luncheons for 2020 are listed below:
February 18 April 21 June 16 October 20 December 15
Please Note: The April 21 and June 16 luncheons have been cancelled. In light of the unknown facts and drivers surrounding the Coronavirus REAOC strongly believes caution is of utmost importance when it comes to the health of our membership. This is a challenging time for us all. Being mindful of recommendations by health experts to avoid crowds, the REAOC Board of Directors unanimously agreed that cancelling the upcoming luncheons is the most pro-active, appropriate action to take at this time.
REAOC’s Hemet Chapter will hold its next luncheon on Tuesday, October 20th at 11:30 AM at the First Presbyterian Church.
Make your reservation for the next luncheon by calling Mary Little at 951-485-7738 or Jane Pabitzky at 951-237-3240 by no later than October 6, 2020.
MAP TO MILE SQUARE PARK
Below is a map showing the general location of the Mile Square Park Banquet Facility located at 10401 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, California 92708.
If you need exact directions from your house you can go to MapQuest and click on “driving directions.”
HEALTH PLAN RATES FOR 2020
Please click on the links below for the charts provided by the County for the 2020 Health Plan rates:
Click here for the retiree PPO rates
Click here for the retiree HMO rates
For information about the supplemental insurance including dental and vision coverage, please click on the link below.
Supplemental Insurance Benefits
