Articles about Health Insurance that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees
Recent Insurance & Pension Reforms May Lower Costs
APRIL 6, 2012: On Thursday, the Special Commission to Study Retiree Healthcare held the first of its seven scheduled meetings at the State House. With 9 of its 11 members present, the Commission heard from a series of experts who outlined the complex issues under consideration.
Focus On Retiree Insurance Cost
APRIL 3, 2012: As we have previously reported, the Association will take part in the Special Commission on Retiree Health Care that gets underway Thursday, April 5.
The eleven-member Commission, created within Chapter 176, Acts of 2011 (Pension Reform), is tasked with further exploring various means by which retiree health insurance costs might be lowered.
By Steven Syre
Globe Columnist
March 30, 2012
The most interesting social experiments start with one basic question: What does it take to make people change the way they do something important?
Health insurance companies doing business in Massachusetts are wrestling with that question right now. They are rolling out all kinds of new medical insurance products, trying to figure out what kinds of limits and restrictions people are willing to accept in order to save money on their premiums.
15 Statewide Health Fairs Scheduled
MARCH 19, 2012: The Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission will hold its annual Open Enrollment period from April 9 through May 7, 2012. During this period, all retirees and employees insured under one of the GIC plans may switch their insurance coverage.
During this time period, the GIC will hold a series of Health Fairs across the state - fifteen in all.
MARCH 19, 2012: Massachusetts cities and towns have reached nearly $80 million in first-year savings from municipal health care reform and are on pace to exceed by far the initial estimate of $100 million, according to the most recent data compiled by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.
Focus On New Municipal Insurance Law
FEBRUARY 14, 2012: Association members were among the over 200 attendees at a recent forum on the new Municipal Health Insurance (MHI) law, that was held at Boston Fire Local 718’s Florian Hall in Dorchester. They gathered together as the retiree designees on the Public Employee Committee (PEC) for their community or school district.
Local Insurance Mitigation Funds Essential
NOVEMBER 2011 VOICE: A major point of negotiation during the Municipal Health Insurance Reform debate was the issue of mitigation funds being set aside to help offset the increased costs to be borne by retirees, survivors and employees under the new Municipal Health Insurance Law (Chapter 69, Acts of 2011).
Includes Part B Refund
Arlington has become the first municipality to join the state Group Insurance Commission (GIC) under the new municipal health insurance law (Section 23). Town officials have contacted the GIC before October 1, so that the transfer will be done on January 1, 2012.
Medscape Medical News
October 28, 2011 — More prudent use of medical services and tougher competition among healthcare providers has slowed the growth of Medicare spending, allowing for Part B premiums to be lower than projected, federal health officials said yesterday.
Monthly Premium of $99.90 Begins in January
OCTOBER 28, 2011: The federal government has announced that the standard Medicare Part B premium for 2012 will be $99.90 per month. Under the Medicare program, eligible retirees are responsible for 25% of the total cost of Part B, with the federal government subsidizing the remaining 75%.
Since 1968 the Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Association has been the leading voice for Massachusetts public retirees and their families. Join with our 62,000 members as we continue the fight.
