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Agawam’s Retirees Achieve First Victory |
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JULY 2001 - New Organization Off and Running - Among the several local organizations, to which many of our members belong, is the Agawam Retired Employees Association (AREA).AREA
was formed by a group of Agawam retirees and survivors for the purpose
of improving benefits for former workers of that Western Massachusetts
city.
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Ban On Balance Billing Saves State Millions |
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JULY 2001 - GIC Uses Law To Set Market Rates - Nearly
five years after the Association successfully battled the Mass Hospital
Association and Medical Society to institute a ban on balance billing
under the state’s insurance plans, the Group Insurance Commission has
utilized the law (Chapter 80, Acts of 1996) to save nearly $85 million
over the past three years.Chapter
80 was originally passed to prevent doctors, hospitals and other
medical providers within Massachusetts from charging members, insured
under the state plan, for the balance left unpaid by the GIC. Expanding
on this prohibition, Chapter 80 has allowed the GIC to institute a
Market Based Reimbursement System (MBRS) for paying medical providers.
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Despite Strong Interest Dental Plan Is Delayed |
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JULY 2001
- Crafting Affordable Coverage Proves Challenging - Members, who had hoped to have retiree dental benefits made available
to them this year, will have to wait a little longer. The ambitious
effort by the state Group Insurance Commission and the Association to
craft a dental plan, to be implemented this July, has been delayed
until July 1, 2002.It
has been determined that, in order to develop an affordable dental
plan, that can be purchased by a large number of retirees, more time
will be needed. On the other hand, efforts are underway to offer
discounted vision care to retirees beginning later this year.
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Dental Survey: Initial Results Show Strong Interest |
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MAY 2001 -
For the past several months, the Association has been working closely
with the state Group Insurance Commission and the consultant Boston
Benefit Partners to develop a retiree dental/vision plan. A key
component to this work is a survey of retirees, which is nearing
completion.
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Prescription Copayments Draw Attention |
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MAY 2001 -
Insurance Committee Fast To Act - It should come as no surprise to members that issues regarding
prescription drugs remain a hot topic on Beacon Hill. In fact, so much
interest has been drawn to the topic that the Joint Committee on
Insurance addressed two of the more pressing bills at the Committee’s
maiden hearing on March 20.Chaired
by Senator Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) and Representative Ronald
Mariano (D-Quincy), the joint committee was quick to act favorably on
H3353 filed by Rep. Robert Koczera (D-New Bedford). The bill requires
the Group Insurance Commission to establish an appeal process to
address complaints regarding the new three-tiered copayment system.
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Whately Votes To Pay 50% Of Insurance |
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MAY 2001 -
Voters in the small western Mass. town of Whately, population 1,470,
have voted to pay 50% of their retirees’ health insurance. Previously,
retirees paid the full cost.
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GIC Keeps Insurance Rates In Check |
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MAY 2001 -
State Increase Well Below National Average - For the second straight year, members insured under the state Group
Insurance Commission’s Indemnity or OME plans will see a very small
increase in their monthly premium. In contrast, most members, insured
under one of the various HMOs, will see a double-digit increase in
their monthly premium for the second straight year.
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Healthcare 
