Articles about Local Insurance that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees
July 11, 2012
By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff
Massachusetts officials said today that a new law designed to help municipalities and school districts reduce their health insurance costs has saved more than $175 million in premium costs for 127 municipalities and districts.
3% State & Teacher COLA On $13k Base Included
JULY 9, 2012: On Sunday, Governor Patrick signed the $32.6 billion FY13 state budget into law. Contained within the budget is a new 3% State & Teacher COLA, a minimum survivor pension increase for disability retirees’ survivors and access to the Group Insurance Commission’s retiree dental plan for municipal retirees insured under the state plan.
Tasked With Reducing Retiree Insurance Costs
JULY 2012 VOICE: Retiree and labor advocates are keeping a close eye on the new Special Commission on Retiree Healthcare that is now entering its 3rd month of deliberations.
Cite Current & Future Costs
JULY 2012 VOICE: As the strongest advocates for cuts in pension and healthcare benefits, neither the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation (MTF) nor the Mass. Municipal Association (MMA) should be unknown to most public retirees.
Peabody & Orange Eye January Entry
JUNE 20, 2012: A newly enacted change to insurance law has opened the door for mid-year entry into the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC). Unless otherwise provided by special act, enrollment in the GIC has traditionally begun on July 1.
Under Chapter 118, the FY13 Supplemental Budget signed into law by Governor Patrick on June 19, 2012, municipalities may now also enter the GIC on January 1, if they notify the agency of their intention to do so by July 1 of the previous year.
State's 1.43% Bucks Trend
MAY 2012 VOICE: With national health costs struggling to stay below 100% increases and our state’s public sector critics crying “budget busters”, the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission’s (GIC) FY13 rate increase of just 1.43% has to be headline news.
Prohibits Mid-Year Copayment/Deductible Increases
MAY 2012 VOICE: Following through on a commitment made during the Municipal Health Care Reform debate last summer, Governor Deval Patrick has signed into law a provision that prohibits the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) from mid-year increases in copayments or deductibles.
11,000 New Municipal Enrollees
MAY 2012 VOICE: Lowell is not the only municipality whose retirees and employees will be enrolled in the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) beginning July 1 (see March Voice). Seven other communities have also notified the GIC that they will be transferring their retirees and employees this July.
Presents Report To Special Commission
JUNE 1, 2012: The Special Commission on Retiree Healthcare held its second meeting on Thursday, May 31. Similar to its inaugural meeting in April, the Commission used this meeting to continue its fact-finding inquiry into both state and local retiree healthcare benefits.
3% COLA Approved & GIC Rates Maintained
APRIL 25, 2012: This week, debate is underway in the House of Representatives over the Fiscal Year 2013 State Budget. The weeklong debate will consider over 850 amendments to the $32 billion budget proposal.
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 52,000 members as we continue the fight.
