Greater Bridgeport Retired Teachers' Association

President's Letter

Dear Colleagues,

As summer quickly fades and we eagerly await the cool, crisp days of autumn, GBRTA resumes its fall and winter activities.

On October 6th we will return to the beautiful Mill River Country Club in Stratford for our fall meeting which will focus on Health Insurance issues. Walt Ciplinski and Jane Wilson of the Retired Teacher Health Insurance Advocates (RTHIA) will be our speakers. Also present will be Lisa Bosco of the Association Member Benefits Advisors (AMBA). Our November meeting honors our veterans. Captain Daniel Geraghty, Trumbull High School teacher/Army Vet/Airborne Ranger, 911 survivor and author will be our presenter.

December will see the return of the Trumbull High School Chamber Singers, under the direction of Chris Waske, entertaining us with sounds of the holiday season. Check back here for details.

If you are aware of any educators who do not belong to GBRTA, please invite them to join our organization. Remind them that, as retirees, we have no union representation so we depend upon GBRTA and the Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut (ARTC), our umbrella organization, to address our needs.

In the last legislative session ARTC was instrumental in achieving the 50% pension exemption on the state income tax. I am sure you were pleased with the savings you realized when you filed your CT state income tax form! ARTC also successfully lobbied for doubling the health insurance subsidy for retired teachers who are not eligible for Medicare.

If we do not have your email address, please send it to Ann Block - postage is becoming prohibitive and emails will assist us in cutting mailing expenses.

In closing, I have spoken with several teachers this summer and they are thrilled to be returning to in-person teaching instead of Zoom and hybrid instruction. As you might have heard, distance learning has taken a toll on both teaching and learning. Please wish our returning colleagues a safe, healthy and happy school year.

My best to all of you,

Rose Marie D’Aquila

President GBRTA

Health Insurance - Open Enrollment

The Connecticut Teachers’ Retirement Board’s (TRB) open enrollment insurance season is fast approaching, and the 2023 UnitedHealthcare plan premium rates will be approved at TRB’s Sept. 7th meeting on ZOOM.

Since the near bankruptcy of the TRB Health Insurance Fund in 2018, the agency has offered two health insurance plans: the traditional Medicare Supplement plan and the privatized Advantage plan. The basic differences in the two plans are briefly summarized below.

Medicare, through Medicare Parts A & B, generally pays 80% of the Medicare-controlled cost of medical visits and procedures. TRB, like other groups, individuals, and employers, then contracts with private insurers to process payments for the remaining 20% through a Medicare Supplement plan. In other words, the Supplement plan covers the remaining balance or “gap.” There are other differences in the plans as well.

For example, in the Supplement plan, there is a small annual deductible ($233 for 2022) that must be met before claims are fully covered; however, there are no additional network restrictions or prior authorization requirements. Not having a network restriction may be especially important to retirees who live either full or part-time and/or receive their health care outside of Connecticut.

Advantage plans are owned and managed by for-profit, private insurers who are being compensated by the Federal government for paying health care claims. Insurers’ profits may rise or fall based on their ability to adequately manage their claim expenses. Providers and health care institutions may choose not to participate in Advantage plans, even if they accept Medicare. The enrollees may not be able to see the providers of their choice, and/or the enrollees may end up paying out-of-pocket to see their preferred providers. In Advantage plans, prior authorization requirements may deny or delay a provider’s preferred treatment or require substitution of lower cost options.

Medicare Supplement plans are more expensive than Advantage plans. For example, the 2022 TRB Supplement plan has been priced at more than twice its Advantage plan. However, in selecting a plan, factors other than initial cost should be considered. Good health is relative and can be fleeting. One fall, one stroke, or other catastrophic illness can make a major difference in health care utilization. One must think and plan strategically about the health insurance plan choice.

While making decisions about health insurance may seem overwhelming, follow these easy steps to lessen the stress

CHECK your mail and email for TRB insurance notifications. Make sure that TRB has your current and email addresses;

CHECK frequently the TRB website throughout the year (www.ct.gov/trb). Staff and budgetary constraints have reduced the amount of mailings the agency produces. Most communication is now electronic;

READ carefully the material you receive. Make sure not to confuse non-TRB Medicare solicitations with material from TRB;

READ “MEDICARE & YOU 2023” when it comes in the mail this fall, and keep it on hand to answer Medicare questions as they arise throughout the year; and, finally,

FAMILIARIZE yourself with the Center for Medicare Advocacy (www.medicareadvocacy.org), a non-profit, nonpar-tisan, legal advocacy organization that is a wonderful resource for all things Medicare related.