THIS MONTH’S HOT TOPICS
Approval of New Health Plan Rates for 2020
On July 16, 2019, the Board of Supervisors in their regular Board meeting passed agenda items 21 & 23 without any discussion on a 5-0 vote. These agenda items were the approval of the Health Plan Rates for retirees for 2020.
Click here for the retiree PPO rates
Click here for the retiree HMO rates
2020 Open Enrollment Message from the County of Orange
The Open Enrollment for the 2020 health plan year will be from October 25 through November 15, 2019. Your Open Enrollment package should arrive at your home mailing address just before Open Enrollment and will contain your 2020 health plans rates and options. If you have moved, please report your new address to the Benefits Center at 1-800-858-7266.
The Open Enrollment meeting on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at Mile Square Park will be hosted by REAOC and attended by Employee Benefits and representatives from the Retiree Health Plans for Non-Medicare and Medicare Retirees. The session for the Medicare eligible retirees will be from 9:30 – 11:30 AM. The session for the pre/non-Medicare retirees will be from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.
Based on attendance this will be the only live Open Enrollment presentation for Non-Medicare retirees and we will be introducing recorded webinars
The schedule for remaining Medicare retiree live presentations will be in your OE package.
Some important things to be aware of while you await your OE package:
Changes to the Sharewell Retiree Health Plan
Beginning January 1, 2020, OptumRx will be the prescription claims administrator for the Sharewell Retiree Health Plan. Effective 1/1/20, this change will result in utilization management programs being added and a change in the list of covered medications (formulary). These changes are designed to provide members with clinically appropriate medication(s) while saving you and the plan money.
2020 Premium Rates for County Retiree Health Plans
Some plans will be experiencing significant increases for 2020. The retiree health plan increases will be addressed by the County in the upcoming Retiree Newsletter that will be delivered to your home address mid-October.
For more information about these changes you can attend an Open Enrollment Presentation. Additional communications with important details about these changes will be mailed later this year. Be sure to open and carefully read all the information mailed to you by Employee Benefits and OptumRx in the weeks and months ahead so you have all the information you need on resources and deadlines, especially if you want to consider changing plans.
The Benefits Center call center representatives will be ready to answer your detailed questions once Open Enrollment begins on October 25, 2019. Please hold your questions until that date so staff can be trained and provided all the details needed.
When your contact information has changed
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 click here to e-mail with the new/changed information.
To contact OCERS – call (714) 558-6200 or click here 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 click here to go to the benefits website.
REAOC Informer Newsletter
Click here to read the latest Informer newsletter.
CRCEA Intercom Newsletter
Click here to read the latest newsletter from the California Retired County Employees Association (CRCEA).
CRCEA Conference
Click here to read the notes from the Spring 2019 CRCEA conference.
NEWS WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2019
OC Sheriff costs soar – requiring shift of funds
The priority list of the Orange County Board of Supervisors has always placed public safety programs at the top. This story in the Voice of OC reports that remains true, and that a budget over-run of the Sheriff’s Department of $33 million in the fiscal year ending June 30 prompted the Supervisors to shift unspent funding from other departments and agencies, including the Health Care Agency and Probation Department. The article attributes much of the cost over-run in the Sheriff’s Department to payroll, including raises granted to deputies and the cost of employee health care and retirement. (More)
Editorial – Keep politics out of public pension funds
While to those who have experience dealing with politicians the plea seems unlikely to succeed, this Pensions and Investments editorial takes California’s Governor to task for trying to dictate pension investment policy based upon anything other than sound financial analysis. (More)
San Diego unions sue over pension reform vote
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that “City labor unions in San Diego have filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate 2012’s controversial Proposition B pension cut measure, which made San Diego the only city in California to eliminate pensions for most newly hired workers.” The article notes that the State Supreme Court has said San Diego skipped key legal steps when putting Proposition B on ballot. (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 2019 are listed below:
December 4
Please Note: Reservations by phone or mail for the December 4th luncheon must be at the REAOC office by Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
Luncheons for 2020 are listed below:
January 22 March 25 May 27 September 23 December 2
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 noontime. 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.
REAOC’s Hemet Chapter will hold its next luncheon on Tuesday, October 15th at 11:30 AM at the First Presbyterian Church in the Fellowship Hall located at 515 E.Kimball in Hemet.
Luncheons for 2019 are listed below:
October 15 December 17
Make your reservation by calling Mary Little at 951-485-7738 or Jane Pabitzky at 951-237-3240 by no later than October 8th, 2019.
Luncheons for 2020 are listed below:
February 11 April 14 June 9 October 13 December 8
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
On July 16, 2019, the Board of Supervisors in their regular Board meeting passed agenda items 21 & 23 without any discussion on a 5-0 vote. These agenda items were the approval of the Health Plan Rates for retirees 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
HEALTH PLAN RATES FOR 2019
If you have any questions regarding your health plan, please contact the County’s Employee Benefits section at (800) 858-7266.
Please click on the links below for the charts provided by the County for the 2019 Health Plan rates:
2019 Sharewell and Wellwise Health Plan Rates
2019 HMO and PPO Health Plan Rates
For information about the supplemental insurance including dental and vision coverage, please click on the link below.
Supplemental Insurance Benefits
