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.

It is particularly important that you read all materials that will be sent to you by the County of Orange, Employee Benefits, regarding the new plans.  Many of the questions you may have will be answered in the Open Enrollment booklet and the Open Enrollment in-person meeting. The tentative date for the Open Enrollment meeting is Monday, October 16, 2023.  It will be held at the County Administrative Building South.  More information will be posted on the REAOC website as it becomes available.

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 September 27, 2023!

COUNTY OF ORANGE HEALTH PLANS OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2024 – 

A Message from Employee Benefits

Open Enrollment will be from Wednesday, October 18, 2023 to Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Elections made during Open Enrollment are effective January 1, 2024.

Mark your calendars with the important dates below.

 What’s New?

The County will be offering:

• New plan options to both Medicare and Non-Medicare retirees
• Anthem Blue Cross plans are no longer available as of 1/1/2024
• Humana Retiree Medicare PPO will replace all of the Medicare Advantage Anthem Blue Cross Plans
• For more information regarding this change please visit:https://hrs.ocgov.com/anthem.phase.out
• Non-Medicare retirees will be able to enroll in health plans offered to current employees effective 1/1/2024
• New rates for Medicare and Non-Medicare retirees
• Separate elections for Medicare and Non-Medicare family members (Split Family) enrollments will replace the Mixed Medicare enrollments

Now is the time to ensure you have the right coverage for you and your family. We encourage you to take advantage of the tools and resources made available to you before and during Open Enrollment.

To ensure you receive all the vital information, take a moment to verify your settings in your communications preferences on the Benefits Service Center website: mybenefits.ocgov.com. If you do not have easy access to a computer or mobile device, you can call the Benefits Service Center at 1-833-476-2347.Your final Open Enrollment Confirmation of Benefits will NOT be mailed to you if you have your communication preference set for email.  It is also very important to report any change of address to the Benefits Service Center promptly.

Open Enrollment Retiree Solicitation –The Benefits Service Center will be mailing the Open Enrollment solicitation to your home address to help prepare you for the upcoming 2024 Open Enrollment

During Pre-Open Enrollment October 11 – October 17, you can access essential benefits information by visiting mybenefits.ocgov.com and clicking the banner “Get Ready for Open Enrollment, Prepare Now”. This banner allows you to view the new 2024 health plan options and rates, confirm your 2024 Grant (if applicable), and view the Retiree Medical Plan One Page Benefits Summaries to compare your health plan options before the start of Open Enrollment.

On Monday, October 16, join us for an in-person Open Enrollment presentation at the County Conference Center, 425 West Santa Ana Boulevard, Santa Ana, CA 92701. REAOC, Employee Benefits, and all the health plan providers, including our new retiree providers for Cigna Choice Retiree HMO, Cigna Select Retiree HMO, and Humana Retiree Medicare PPO, will share resources and allow you to ask your questions and get answers. The Open Enrollment Medicare presentations will be at 9:00 am, and the Non-Medicare presentation will be at 1:00 pm.

On October 11, 2023, we will host a virtual presentation specific for those that want to learn more about Humana Retiree Medicare PPO. Information regarding other retiree Open Enrollment presentations will be shared in the County’s Open Enrollment Retiree Newsletter and on the REAOC website. You can also find more information regarding Open Enrollment and the presentations on the Employee Benefits website: https://hrs.ocgov.com/retiree.benefits.

Grant eligible retirees may receive a monthly Medicare Part B Reimbursement. If you decide to enroll in a different retiree health plan that costs less than your Grant amount, please submit your 2024 Medicare Part B premium statement by December 31, 2023, to the Benefits Service Center.

If you are eligible for the monthly Medicare Part B Reimbursement for 2024, you will receive the lesser of $1planur monthly Grant amount or your actual Medicare premium cost per month. Each year we ask you to provide a copy of the upcoming plan year Medicare premium statement to the Benefits Service Center. If your documentation verifying the new Medicare Part B premium is received and processed on or before December 31, 2023, your Part B Reimbursement will reflect the new amount on your February pension. You will receive an adjustment on your February pension to include January’s reimbursement. If received on or after January 1, 2024, the new amount will be effective the first of the month following receipt of your acceptable supporting documentation by the Benefits Service Center with no retroactive adjustments.

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. During Open Enrollment, from October 18 through November 7, 2023, the Benefits Service Center will remain open for an additional two hours from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. During that extended time, representatives will be available to assist with Open Enrollment elections and related inquiries.

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.

NEWS WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in Social Security: proposals for a new proportional formula 

This is a Congressional Research Office report that begins with: “Social Security is a work-based federal insurance program that provides monthly cash benefits to workers and their eligible family members in the event of a worker’s retirement, disability, or death. Although participation in Social Security is compulsory for most workers, about 6% of workers in paid employment or self-employment are not covered by Social Security (i.e., earnings are not taxable or creditable for program purposes). – – – – – If a person has earnings not covered by Social Security, those noncovered earnings are shown as zeros in their Social Security earnings records. As a result, the regular formula cannot distinguish workers who have low career-average earnings because they worked for many years at low earnings in covered employment from workers who appear to have low career-average earnings because they worked for many years in jobs not covered by Social Security.” (Read More)

What exodus? 37 reasons to stay in California 

Real Estate Columnist Jonathan Lansner reacts to the parade of articles about people fleeing California to live in other states he writes: “If I’ve learned anything in observing the Golden State’s economy, it’s that the story is rarely as gloomy as told. Life isn’t centered on just our giant urban hubs. Business isn’t just Apple, Google or Hollywood. And the landscape is more than Yosemite, Big Sur or Disneyland.  California’s true charm – and its underlying resilience – is an accumulation of noteworthy curiosities that don’t fit popular narratives. So, to honor “Quirky California” as I celebrate another workplace anniversary, let me offer my 37 reasons for staying in California.”  Orange County Register. (Read More)

Diane Feinstein, centrist stalwart of the Senate, dies at 90 

Friday morning the media erupted with news of the Senator’s death and speculation about who California Governor Newsom will name to fill her seat.  This is but one article – The Washington Post. (Read More)

Opinion: Dianne Feinstein — the most important woman in the modern history of California 

The Los Angeles Times presented this tribute to Senator Feinstein. (Read More)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs law to raise minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour 

The Associated Press reported: “A new law in California will raise the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour next year, an acknowledgment from the state’s Democratic leaders that most of the often overlooked workforce are the primary earners for their low-income households.  When it takes effect on April 1, fast food workers in California will have the highest guaranteed base salary in the industry. The state’s minimum wage for all other workers — $15.50 per hour — is already among the highest in the United States.” (Read More)

New law says California schools must provide gender-neutral bathrooms 

The Los Angeles Daily News reported this development under the banner of “Politics”: “Amid a bevy of parental notification policies appearing in California school districts — policies that compel school staff to inform parents if their child may be transgender — a new law will require the state’s public schools to ensure gender-neutral restrooms are accessible for students in the coming years.  Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom over the weekend, Senate Bill 760 requires each school district, as well as charter schools and county education offices, to provide at least one gender-neutral bathroom for students by July 2026.”  (Editor’s Note: Readers may encounter a pay wall on this article limiting access to paying subscribers.) (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 served.

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 2023, the luncheons will be held on Wednesdays on the dates listed below:

January 25, 2023

March 15, 2023

May 31, 2023

September 27, 2023

December 6, 2023

To ensure a parking spot please arrive by 11 a.m. Please carpool if possible.

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). Reservations for the September 27, 2023 luncheon must be received by no later than September 20, 2023.

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.

REAOC’s Hemet Chapter have not yet been scheduled for 2022.  We hope to once again meet in 2023. 

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