Chair Talk
July 2010
SERA representatives will be meeting with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Employee Benefits on Monday, July 12th to discuss various issues that have come to our attention involving the Health plan and Prescription Drug Plan. We will report on the meeting at the August CC meeting.
I have asked Arva Overton and Chris Hollman (Pharmacist) of Blue Cross/Blue Shield to be our program presenters at the August meeting. We will also have someone from Employee Benefits at the meeting. If you have questions about any of our health benefits this would be the meeting to ask them.
We have not been informed of any changes in our Health, Dental, Vision or Prescription Drug Plans.
Governor Granholm has recently appointed Douglas Johnson (Lansing) as the new retiree member on the State Employee Retirement Board. Mr. Johnson’s name was submitted by SERA and his appointment was “pushed” through with the help of Bruce Andrews and the Governor’s Upper Peninsula Office Director (Ann Jousma-Miller). Bruce Andrews was instrumental in getting this appointment moving. Mr. Johnson will attend the August SERA meeting. Mr. Johnson was also the SERA representative for the Prescription Drug Joint Evaluation Committee.
There has been no movement on House Bill 5345/substitute H-1 that have been introduced by Speaker Andy Dillon. The legislature is currently in recess for two weeks. There may be some action taken by the Speaker to move the bills after the August primary. The coalition (that we are a member of) has been watching the bills closely. It is our belief that the Speaker does not have the votes to get the bill out of committee at this time.
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE TUESDAY AUGUST 3rd
Editor’s note: Bob Kopasz is Chair of the Michigan SERA Council. He may be reached at P.O. Box 692, Mt. Morris, MI 48458; phone 810/240-8380