Turning 65: Important Updates to Medicare Enrollment Process for MPSERS members
If you are already receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits or railroad retirement checks, you will be contacted a few months before you become eligible for Medicare. If you are not already getting social security benefits, you should contact the Social Security Administration about three months before your 65th birthday to sign up for Medicare. Their number is 800-772-1213.
Several months prior to your 65th birthday, Medicare will send you a red, white and blue Medicare card showing whether you have Part A, Part B or both. In order to receive coverage through MPSERS (Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System), you must have Part B. Keep your card in a safe place so you will have it when you need it.
Upon receipt of your Medicare card, you MUST contact the Office of Retirement Services at 1-800-381-5111 and provide them with your Medicare ID number. Failing to do this step could result in a gap or loss of coverage. This allows Medicare and MPSERS to coordinate your benefits. When you turn 65, your coverage will be Medicare Plus Blue Group PPO. This a Medicare Advantage plan. You will also continue to receive your prescription drug benefit from MPSERS.
MARSP suggests that just before you turn age 65, you contact MPSERS and BCBSM to ensure that your enrollment in Medicare is complete.
VANGUARD – Fall 2018
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Priority Health announces 2018 MPSERS informational meeting schedule
Priority Health recently announced their 2018 MPSERS informational meeting schedule.
You may join online or in person.
You’ll learn:
- Important tips to consider before choosing a plan
- What to expect from your health insurance company during retirement
- How you can save money with Cost Estimator
- How to choose the best plan for you
October 3, 2018 – Webinar @ 10am
In-person meetings (2:00 – 3:30 pm):
October 8, 2018 – Traverse City – Hotel Indigo
October 9, 2018 – Kalamazoo – KRESA Service Center
October 10, 2018 – Wayne – Wayne RESA
October 11, 2018 – Clinton Twp. – Wayne State University Macomb Education Center
October 17, 2018 – Grand Rapids – Kent ISD
Click here to register for the time and date that works best for you.
What is MARSP and why should you join?
2018 MPSERS Fall Health Care Seminar Schedule
Leading from strength: MARSP chapters have a strong message
Have you ever thought about the nature of leadership and what it takes to maintain a vital and robust organization? I’ve been considering it a lot lately, after participating in a series of training workshops with dozens of chapter-level MARSP leaders throughout the state.
In June, I met with 130 participants representing 50 MARSP chapters at workshops held on consecutive days in Kalamazoo, Auburn Hills, Gaylord and Escanaba. It’s an exchange of ideas on how to meet the needs of current and potential members that occurs every other year.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that we continue to grow MARSP and ensure Michigan public school retirees have a loud, collective voice in protecting the health care and other benefits that they worked so hard to earn during their careers.
My key takeaway from the workshops: While we certainly need to adapt and evolve to ensure we’re communicating with new and potential members in the way that they prefer – whether it’s a brochure sent through good old-fashioned snail mail or by social media outreach – there’s still no substitute for face-to-face interaction.
For example, it’s important for MARSP chapters to maintain a physical presence in their local school districts and buildings to cement relationships with future retirees. We’ve long accomplished this by staging retirement planning workshops at the local level. But we don’t need to wait until public school workers are nearing retirement to make our presence known.
Consider how the MARSP Foundation Inc. recently funded the classroom project requests of more than 60 teachers across the state through DonorsChoose.org. The $10,000 donation benefited 62 teachers in 54 different Michigan schools from Detroit to the Upper Peninsula, in projects that ranged from buying books and art supplies to bugs and flexible classroom seating. In total, we were able to fund 65 projects that benefited more than 3,300 students. It was a cost-effective way to make a big impact in classrooms.
And as an offshoot of the effort, we were able to make connections with a sizable number of potential future MARSP members – potentially further strengthening the organization for the collective benefit of all current and future Michigan public school retirees.
No matter our role with MARSP, it’s in our best interest to help potential members understand the importance of banding together and strengthening our voice in Lansing as the organization advocates for policies that best serve public school retirees. We shouldn’t shy away from directly asking current or former public school employees to join MARSP and making them aware of the sacrifices that previous generations made to gain the benefits they now enjoy, including by going on strike at the risk of their own livelihoods.
To avoid sliding back and losing hard-earned benefits, we must continue to look forward. For MARSP chapter leaders, that might mean adapting the latest communication techniques to ensure we are effectively reaching younger potential members on social media platforms.
The good news is that, while we might want to change the delivery method, we don’t need to change our messaging. It’s as true now as it was then: For more than 60 years, MARSP has been the only organization totally dedicated to promoting and supporting the rights and needs of retired public school personnel and serving as their legislative voice.
That’s a message that I’m confident will still resonate when the next round of leadership workshops are held in 2020.
VANGUARD – Summer 2018
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Public school retirees donate $10,000 to fund classroom projects in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week
Important health plan updates from MPSERS announced
There have been several updates concerning the MPSERS Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plan. Each update or change is listed below. Please note that these changes and updates effect those members on the Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plan only. Members who participate with the HMO plans are not impacted by these changes.
2018 Verification of Coverage survey
The 2018 Verification of Coverage survey will be mailed to all retirees in May. Members must complete this form for themselves and anyone else covered by their retirement system health plan. They must respond to the survey, even if they don’t have other coverage. If they don’t respond to the survey, their retirement system medical plan and prescription drug coverage will be cancelled.
The Verification of Coverage survey asks them to identify any other health coverage they or their dependents might have in addition to their retirement system coverage. The information is used to determine their eligibility in the retirement system’s health plan.
Questions about the Verification of Coverage survey?
Check out the Verification of Coverage Survey webcast at www.bcbsm.com/mpsers. You’ll find the webcast by clicking on the For Members tab, then clicking Webinars.
Source: Spring 2018 – Best of Health – Medicare & Non-Medicare members
New Medicare cards starting April 2018
Medicare will be removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards and issuing new cards to help guard against identity theft.
New Medicare cards will show an 11-digit Medicare number that is unique to individuals. Medicare will mail new cards gradually between April 2018 and April 2019. Mailing everyone a new Medicare card will take some time. A member’s card may arrive at a different time than their friends and neighbors. Be sure to tell members go to www.ssa.gov to update their address on file with the Social Security Administration if they’ve recently moved.
Individuals enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B before April 2018 don’t need to take any action. Medicare will provide their new Medicare numbers to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, OptumRx and Office of Retirement Services (ORS).
If members have a family member who becomes eligible for Medicare Part A and Part B after April 2018, ORS will mail them instructions on how to update their insurance enrollment with their new Medicare number. Tell ORS their family members’ Medicare numbers as soon as new Medicare cards are received. Once ORS receives the Medicare numbers, they will be sent to Blue Cross and OptumRx and their insurance rate will be adjusted as a result of their family members’ enrollment in the Medicare plan.
Source: Spring 2018 – Best of Health – Medicare & Non-Medicare members
Medicare members only: Important change to durable medical equipment and diabetic suppliers
Effective Jan. 1, 2018, Northwood, Inc. network providers will issue members’ durable medical equipment (DME) and J&B Medical Supply will issue members’ diabetic supplies. This change increases the number of in-network providers. If members have used other providers in the past, they’ll now want to choose a Northwood, Inc. or J&B Medical Supply network provider for medical equipment and diabetic supplies to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Here’s what they need to know about the 2018 DME and diabetic supply benefits.
What is durable medical equipment (DME)?
Special equipment, such as a wheelchair or oxygen tank, your doctor may order to maintain your quality of life when recovering from an operation or an illness.
What are the out-of-pocket costs for DME and diabetic supplies?
Members’ out-of-pocket costs are the same whether they live in Michigan or in another state. They’ll have the lowest out-of-pocket expense when they choose Northwood, Inc. for durable medical equipment. Below is the cost-share amount:
In network = 10% coinsurance plus deductible
Out of network = 30% coinsurance plus deductible
Diabetic supplies are covered at no cost to members when they use in-network or out-of-network providers. Select J&B Medical Supply as the in-network supplier to receive quality, cost-effective treatment through a convenient mail-order process. Injectable insulin, needles and syringes for injectable insulin are covered under the prescription drug plan.
How do members get DME or diabetic supplies?
Just like medication, the doctor will write a prescription for the equipment or supplies needed. Members can usually choose to rent or buy durable medical equipment. To keep costs to a minimum, have the prescription filled by a Northwood, Inc. or a J&B Medical Supply provider.
How do members find a Northwood, Inc. provider?
- Visit www.bcbsm.com and select Find a Doctor.
- Click on Get Started. Enter username and password. If members haven’t registered, click Register for a new account and follow the instructions to create your account.
- Click on the arrow next to Your Plan.
- Select Employer Group Plans, then choose Medicare Plus Blue (PPO).
- Enter your desired location in Your Location.
- Type “Durable Medical Equipment” in the search box.
- Click Search to see a list of providers that match your criteria.
How do members find a J&B Medical Supply provider?
Call 1-888-896-6233 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday or email info@jandbmedical.com. TTY users should call 1-868-520-9624.
If members have questions about their DME or diabetic supplies benefits, they should call Blue Cross Customer Service at 1-800-422-9146, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. TTY users should call 711.
Source: Spring 2018 – Best of Health – Medicare members