Vermont Retired State Employees' Association, INC.
The State Benefits Office has informed VRSEA that effective September 1, 2021, there is a group of diabetic medications that are capped at a maximum $25 monthly out of pocket cost (copay) for retiree health plan members. The list of drugs is attached in the following link: Good News on Diabetes Drugs
If you have been paying more than $25 out-of-pocket for a 30 day supply of one of these drugs, your future copay will be only $25 per month for that drug. The $25 maximum copay is per drug, per month. If you order a two-month supply of a listed drug, your maximum copay will be $50, and for a three month supply it will be maximum of $75. If you have been paying less than a $25 copay per month for one of these drugs, your copay will remain the same. This change will be most beneficial for those who have been paying more than $25 per month out of pocket for each of the drugs on the list.
Greetings to our VRSEA members! We bring good news! VRSEA has learned that State employees and retirees will be receiving a “premium holiday”, due to a surplus in the State Employees Health Plan fund. Because there are 26 and not 24 active pay periods, State employees will receive less than a full month’s premium holiday (2 pay periods). The State has figured that to be 92% of a month. Hence, State retirees will get 92% of a monthly premium holiday, and will pay only 8% of the normal premium in the August 31 pension check. After that, regular monthly medical deductions will resume. Every little bit helps. We hope you are well and enjoying the summer.
Our first social event for VRSEA is on August 19, 2021 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. We have reserved the pavilion at our Lake Bomoseen State Park - 22 Cedar Mountain Rd, Fair Haven, VT 05465. Driving towards Rutland, take Rt 4 South, the Rt 4 North, exit off to Rt 30 North to Park. We encourage car-pooling when possible. Free Park entrance by using the Green Mountain Passport available to seniors and veterans for $2 at your Town Clerk’s office or by visiting your local library. It is valid all year long.
A tour is scheduled at the Glen Lake Syncline in the Park to learn about Vermont’s famous geological structure. If you do not wish to walk to the Glen Lake Syncline, please join your VRSEA President, Shelley Martin, under the Pavilion during the tour. At the pavilion, we are excited to present Castleton University Geology Professor, Helen Mango.
Pulled pork sandwiches will be served to go with the potluck items. Please RSVP to our email: retevents@gmail.com as to how many plan to attend and what you plan to bring for the potluck. We look forward to seeing you. If you know of a fellow retired State Employee - please bring them. We encourage you to stay and enjoy the park when the event is over.
October 2, 2021 VRSEA plans to be present at Barre’s Fall Festival sponsoring games in the park. Any new information will be posted on our website - stay tuned. Again, please bring a fellow retired State Employee to enjoy the festival, have fun in the park and get information from our table on Main Street.
This committee is working hard to find ways for you to get some fresh air filled with activities and fun, to help members visit with other State retirees, and to make new connections. We have taken your many responses from our survey to heart and are focusing on the types of social gatherings you preferred.
We will have a way for you to offer your opinions at the events you are attending and any you wish to see as well as other activities you would like to be involved in.
REMINDER: Please attend our Annual Meeting August 11, 2021 at Noon by Zoom. Information on this meeting was sent to our members in our last newsletter (which was also the warning for the Annual Meeting).
This settlement, arising from a class action antitrust lawsuit called In re: Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation MDL 2406, N.D. Ala. Master File No. 2:13-cv-20000-RDP (the “Settlement”), was reached on behalf of individuals and companies that purchased or received health insurance provided or administered by a Blue Cross Blue Shield company. Class Representatives (“Plaintiffs”) reached a Settlement on October 16, 2020 with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (“BCBSA”) and Settling Individual Blue Plans. BCBSA and Settling Individual Blue Plans are called “Settling Defendants.”
Plaintiffs allege that Settling Defendants violated antitrust laws by entering into an agreement not to compete with each other and to limit competition among themselves in selling health insurance and administrative services for health insurance. Settling Defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing and assert that their conduct results in lower healthcare costs and greater access to care for their customers. The Court has not decided who is right or wrong. Instead, Plaintiffs and Settling Defendants have agreed to a Settlement to avoid the risk and cost of further litigation.
If approved by the Court, the Settlement will establish a $2.67 billion Settlement Fund. Settling Defendants will also agree to make changes in the way they do business that Plaintiffs believe will increase the opportunities for competition in the market for health insurance.
To make a claim and receive a payment, you must file a claim form online or by mail postmarked by November 5, 2021. Claims may be submitted online or by mail to:
Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement c/o JND Legal Administration PO Box 91390 Seattle, WA 98111
If you select the Alternative Option, you must submit relevant data or records showing a higher contribution percentage. Otherwise the Default Option will be used. Instructions for submitting your claim are on the claim form, available here. When required, sufficient documentation shall include an attestation signed under penalty of perjury when other documentation is no longer available.
The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the Settlement. Payments will be made if the Court approves the Settlement and after any appeals are resolved. Please be patient.
Full details can be found with the following link:
2021 VRSEA Annual Zoom Meeting Warning
This year, out of an abundance of caution, VRSEA will hold its Annual Meeting remotely, via Zoom. You may recall that last year’s Annual Meeting was cancelled due to Covid-19. We hope that in 2022 and beyond, we will be able to resume the VRSEA in-person Annual Meeting Luncheons. It’s always more fun to see each other in person and enjoy the camaraderie!
Time:
The VRSEA Annual Meeting will begin at 12:00 noon on August 11, 2021 via Zoom.
Agenda:
Welcoming Comments – President Shelley Martin
Business Meeting – Call to Order – President Shelley Martin
Secretary’s Report – Usually a review of the prior year’s Annual Meeting minutes. However, as there was no 2020 Annual Meeting, this item will be tabled.
Treasurer’s Report/Proposed Budget/Auditor’s Report – Treasurer Roger Dumas
Report of the Nominating Committee – Bert Smith, Chairman
Voting on Trustees
President’s Report/Wrap-up – President Shelley Martin
The meeting agenda will be followed closely and votes for Trustees will be conducted during the meeting. There will be a separate voting block for you to cast your ballot via a polling feature in Zoom. Meeting attendees will be afforded time to submit votes via poll, and the results will be shared during the meeting, as well as being archived for official record.
How to Access the Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83421324753?pwd=SDlHMGRJdGhWRE1lL3RUdVJZZnN2UT09
Meeting ID: 834 2132 4753
Passcode: 988409
Many members may be familiar with the format of Zoom meetings, but here are a few hints to help you along:
To get into the meeting, use one of the following methods: If you received an electronic copy of this newsletter, you can right-click on the link above, or copy and paste the URL into your browser. If you received a hard copy newsletter, just go to https://zoom.us Once there, you can enter the Meeting ID number and you can join the meeting in that fashion.
When you join the meeting, you will enter a “waiting room” and will be granted access from there. This may take a minute or so, then the moderator will let you in. Your microphone will be muted, by default, but can be activated once you are in the meeting. To maintain order during the meeting, please remain muted unless you are recognized to speak.
Zoom has a “raise hand” feature available for participants who wish to be recognized for a comment or a question. Also, there is a chat feature available that allows you to type in a question or comment for consideration during the meeting. We will have moderators who will monitor the “raise hand” alerts, as well as the chat module.
VRSEA Special Events Survey Results:
Now that we can gather together again, the VRSEA Special Events Committee has been busy finding opportunities for us to do so! Recently, members with emails on file with VRSEA participated in a Special Events survey. The list of potential get-togethers included many possibilities developed by the VRSEA Special Events Committee. We are pleased that 295 VRSEA members responded with their choices, and the top 5 vote getters were as follows:
Lots more information to follow soon - stay tuned!
Vaccine Supply: While the state is prepared for any amount of vaccine, it is very important to know that supplies of COVID-19 vaccine provided by the federal government are still currently limited. Vermont is receiving about 8500 doses each week. That is why the Administration has developed a vaccine distribution plan that focuses on Vermonters who are at greatest risk of losing their lives, and those who care for them. The goal is to administer vaccines as quickly as they come into us, ensure all eligible Vermonters who want the vaccine are able to receive it, and prevent as many deaths as possible.
Next Phase of Vaccine Distribution: We are nearly complete with vaccinations in Phase One, which included residents of nursing homes, long term care facilities and other congregate living facilities for the sick and elderly, as well as frontline health workers and first responders. The next phase will be for Vermont residents who are 75 years and older.
Starting January 25, people in Vermont who are 75 years and older can make an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine clinics will start on January 27. Based on the number of doses currently available, it could take up to 6-weeks to vaccinate the roughly 49,000 Vermonters who are over age 75.
You can see how many doses have been sent to Vermont – and how many we have administered – by visiting our vaccine dashboard:
https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine/covid-19-vaccine-dashboard
Registration Details: Details will be released closer to the 25th. In addition to announcements from the Governor and Health Department updates, the state will work with health care practices, pharmacies, employers, and the media to communicate registration details.
There will be options to register online, or by phone. We are strongly encouraging a relative or friend to help their older loved ones register online to leave phone lines open for those who don't have help, and to avoid overwhelming the call center.
The forthcoming details will be the only way to register and make an appointment. You will not be able to make an appointment by calling any other Health Department phone number, your health care provider, or a hospital. However, if you have questions about whether you should get the vaccine, you should talk to your health care provider.
Stay up to Date: There are ways you can stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including who can get the vaccine and who will be eligible next. Check this website often:
https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine/about-covid-19-vaccines-vermont
All links provide information updated continuously by VDH. Also, a comprehensive link is provided on the VRSEA website under the Helpful Resources tab:
COVID-19 | Vermont Department of Health (healthvermont.gov)
We wanted to let you know that the State, led by efforts from DAIL staff, launched a new portal for Vermonters to offer their services, in either paid or unpaid capacities, to assist with the COVID response across the state, particularly in the state’s Long-Term Care facilities that have been challenged by staff exposures and quarantines. The Tagline is “Heroes Work Here”.
The link to the new portal is:
https://www.vermont.gov/covid-staffingd-sta
The volunteer positions are offered through the Medical Reserve Corps and SerVermont. The paid positions are being managed by TLC Nursing, who have been engaged by DAIL to provide emergency assistance to LTCs.
We’d appreciate it if you could add this link to your VRSEA website to help boost awareness among our retired employees.
Thanks so much!!
Dan
Dan Pouliot | Deputy Commissioner| Vermont Department of Human Resources
120 State Street | Montpelier, VT 05620-2505 | Main: 802-828-3491 | Direct: 802-828-2027 |Cell: 802-735-4816 | Fax: 802-828-3409
Recently there have been press reports about the State Employees' Health Plan being “moved into” the OneCare Accountable Care Organization. Some of this information has been misleading . What follows is a quick summary that VRSEA has put together to bring our members up to date on this issue.
This is not a simple subject to explain, but we hope this info is of value to you. We will keep you posted with further details as they become available.
Sincerely,
Hello Retired Vermont State Employees,
As part of Vermont’s COVID-19 response we are encountering a number of needs to serve COVID-19 positive individuals in Vermont’s most vulnerable populations. Some areas of current need are in Vermont’s long term care facilities, securing foster homes to provide short term care for youth who are COVID-19+, programs addressing food insecurity and shelter programs. All COVID-19+ situations will include appropriate PPE and applicable health/safety training. If you are willing and able to serve COVID-19+ individuals please do consider signing up at the below links or seek out local opportunities as the needs are many. There are of course opportunities as well to serve Vermonters that are not COVID-19 positive in each. If you aren’t in Vermont, feel free to check with your local agencies to see how you can be of service.
The Medical Reserve Corps:
We have an urgent need for medical volunteers to help respond to the spread of COVID-19 in Vermont. If you are a healthcare professional (licensed or non-), person with a health care administration background, or have experience in working with displaced people, please considering registering so that we may use your skills.
http://oncallforvt.org/medical-reserve-corps/how-to-join/
Vermont DCF Foster Care:
You can help make sure children are safe and well cared for while they can’t be at home.
https://dcf.vermont.gov/foster
General Volunteers:
Thank you for answering Governor Scott’s call for volunteers and being willing to help other Vermonters in this time of need. The COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly developing, so we are calling on Vermonters to sign up, let us know what skills they can offer, and be ready to serve if needed. If we need you and your skills, we will be in touch. Our hope is to develop a large pool of people willing to help should any rapidly developing situation require additional volunteers.
https://www.vermont.gov/volunteer#gsc.tab=0
Many thanks for considering this request.
Be safe and well,
DHR - Commissioner's Office
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