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 22, 2024
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)
How California’s huge raises for fast-food workers will ripple across industries
According to this Bloomberg News “With the state’s new law mandating a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers taking effect April 1, a separate rule requiring salaried staff to earn double the minimum wage has triggered a chain reaction. – – – – – When California Governor Gavin Newsom touted the effects of the landmark wage law, he said it would lift pay for 500,000 low-income employees throughout the state. That’s looking like a vast understatement now. The law is already creating spillover effects from janitors to hotel cleaners, as well as higher-paid workers within the fast-food business. That’s just the start. As many as 5 million of the state’s low-wage workers, both in fast food and adjacent industries not covered by the law, could also get raises, according to Bloomberg Economics.” (Read More)
25 best independent senior living homes in CA: U.S. News
US News reports: “Experts reviewed over 3,500 communities to find the best independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care. A total of 38 out of 381 Independent Senior Living Communities were identified as “the best” places for your loved ones to begin their sunset years in California, according to a recent U.S. News & World Report study. – – – – – Independent Senior Living Communities are designed for 55-year-old and older residents with no special medical needs.” (Read More)
It all started with “you have a letter from the DMV”
This Los Angeles Daily News article focuses on what drivers who have turned age 70 face when it is time to visit the Department of Motor Vehicles to take a written test and an eye examination in order to renew their license: “No matter how long you’ve been driving, brush up on the rules of the road before you have to take the DMV test – – – – –
‘What if you flunk?’ my wife asked, offering me her usual 100% support. ‘I’m not driving you around.’ Flunk? Out of the question. I’ve been driving 57 years; I know the rules. At least I think I do. What is it again you can’t do when there’s a broken white line on the highway, and is it a green or white curb that’s a loading zone? What if she was right? Could I possibly flunk my written test, and be stranded in L.A. without a license to drive? In California, 55% of the people taking the test do flunk it.” (Read More)
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has posted its recommendations for different age groups. (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
