Chair Talk

August 2015

Retirees that are enrolled in the State Health Plan PPO will soon be receiving a mailing about an added discount program for hearing aids. This plan is in addition to the current hearing benefits we have. The program is administered by TruHearing. Additional information and contact numbers will be included in the mailing you receive. There are no other changes in the Health Plan.

I have not received any calls/complaints about our current health benefits. As far as benefits go it appears that there are no issues and everything is going well.

An update on the Okrie v State of Michigan will be posted on our website and also distributed at the August CC meeting.

I have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the office of Retirement Services regarding new retiree lists. After signing the MOU we received the list of new retirees (Jan. to June) that included over 1200 names. The list was turned over to the Hantz administered SERA-PLUS program for recruitment purposes.

Lisa McClain, Hantz Vice-President, will be giving us an update on the SERA-PLUS program at the August CC meeting. We will be discussing the program and what Hantz will be doing in their efforts to increase SERA membership.

The State and State Employee Unions are currently in negotiations for their next contracts. We will be talking to our contacts in an attempt to see what impact negotiations might have on our health benefits.

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.