Teresa “Terri” Martinez’ Passing

Teresa "Terri" Martinez
Teresa “Terri” Martinez

Dear Colleagues and Friends, our Retiree’s Association has recently lost Teresa “Terri” Martinez. Terri was born October 3, 1931, and passed away April 26, 2024, of natural causes at the age of 92, in her Ventura home with her daughter Lori at her bedside. Terri worked for the College District for 36 years prior to her retirement in December of 1989. Terri started her career when Ventura High School and Ventura Junior College shared the Main Street campus. When Ventura College separated from the high school district, Terri moved to the Telegraph Road campus site and then to the District Office on Day Rd., when it was built and administrative offices were relocated. She worked in the Personnel Department, as it was known back then, and which eventually became the Human Resources Department. Terri was the only employee of the department for a time, until a Director of Human Resources was hired, and more staff was eventually added. Terri did it all. Processing and screening applications, the testing, setting up eligibility lists, sending candidates out for interview and processing all the new classified employees.  A few of us were fortunate enough to work with her for many years and learned so much from her.

Services for Terri are being held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Ventura Missionary Church, 500 High Point Dr., Ventura, at 11:30 a.m.

Memorial by,
Marie Soo Hoo, Secretary
VCCCDRA (Ventura County Community College District Retirees Association)

 

VCCCDRA Annual Membership Meeting: Handouts

VCCCD Retirees:

We hope to see you at the Annual Membership Meeting tomorrow, May 8, 2024.  It will be held at Ventura College in Guthrie Hall as well as via Zoom.

1. We are requesting Zoom attendees to log in at 1:00 pm for a session on Zoom Etiquette and using the Chat feature. Afterward you can either log off or stay logged in, turn off your video and audio for awhile or stay tuned in and visit with other Zoom attendees for awhile.

Log in information for the ZOOM meeting is included in my email of 05/07/2024 at 9:06 am.

2. In-Person attendees can show up as early as 1:00 pm for a bit of refreshments and socializing out in front of Guthrie.

Susan Bricker, President
Ventura County Community College District Retirees Association

Handouts:

Spring 2024 Monitor Newsletter

VCCCD Retirees,

The Spring 2024 Monitor Newsletter is here.  In this edition, you will find an article about this spring’s Annual Membership Meeting to be held on May 8th:

    • Proposed change to the VCCCDRA Bylaws regarding a change to the Association dues, to be presented for your approval at the General Membership Meeting.
    • Notice about nominations for and election of the Vice President position.
    • This meeting will be in person at Guthrie Hall on the Ventura College campus.  The meeting will also be available via ZOOM for those members desiring to attend virtually.  Included is the login information for the Zoom connection.

There is also an excellent article by Marta Freixas about our new insurance through the Self-Insured Schools of California (SISC).  Marie Soo Hoo is providing a recap of the Fall Social/BBQ, where a fun time was had by all.  Other articles include the President’s Message by me, a Membership Report by Joy Kobayashi, and information about the 2024-2026 Membership Directory.

Hope you enjoy reading the Monitor and the Executive Board looks forward to seeing you at the Annual General Membership meeting on May 8th.

Susan Bricker, President
Ventura County Community College District Retirees Association

Please use this link for the Spring 2024 Monitor Newsletter.

Desmond Jones’ Passing

Desmond Jones
Desmond Jones

It is great sadness that VCCCDRA has learned of the passing of Desmond Jones on October 12, 2023.  Desmond was a retired professor of Economics at Oxnard College, where he was a founding faculty member.  At OC, he taught both political science and economics.

Desmond was born in Wales in 1937 and he served in the RAF after World War II.  He earned a bachelor degree in economics at the London School of Economics.   After he emigrated to the US, Desmond earned masters and doctorate degrees in political science.

A celebration of life for Desmond will be held on December 1, 2023 at 3:30 pm at Vista del Monte Main Lounge, 3775 Modec Road, Santa Barbara, CA.

Please use this link to read Desmond’s obituary.

IMPORTANT: If you are planning to opt out of coverage with SISC using the Declination of Coverage for Retiree Form

Dear Colleagues,
There is a form included in the mailed enrollment packets from the District called the “Declination of Coverage for Retirees”. It is intended to be used by retirees who wish to opt out of coverage through SISC. We have reviewed the wording on the form with our attorney and there is a concern about the impact this waiver of coverage form may have on the ability of retirees to regain coverage through VCCCD in the future should the District move away from SISC.

Due to these concerns about the wording of this form and on the advice of our attorney, we strongly suggest that you consider NOT filling out and submitting the Declination of Coverage for Retirees form until our attorney is able to get clarification about the intent of the form. She is consulting the District’s attorney today, Monday October 16.

Please understand that it is your decision as to whether or not to continue receiving health insurance benefits through the VCCCD and we are not suggesting that you continue coverage if it is your intent to opt out. The deadline to enroll in or opt out of coverage remains the same, November 1, 2023. If it is your intent to opt out of coverage, you must still do so by that date. However, the Declination of Coverage for Retirees form may have far-reaching consequences that you need to consider.

We will inform you of our attorney’s response as soon as we receive it. You may also contact the District Benefits staff yourselves to ask about the intent of this form and whether or not signing it would prevent you from seeking coverage from the District if they move away from SISC in the future.

If you do not intend to waive or ofopt out  coverage through SISC this email does not affect you. Please continue to submit your enrollment forms and documents as directed by the District Benefits staff.

Please contact me with any questions you have.

Susan Bricker
VCCCDRA President

Email from VCCCD HR Benefits Regarding Zoom Meeting

SISC Health Plans – Open Enrollment Presentation – Tuesday, 10/10/2023 – Zoom Meeting

Dear VCCCD Retirees:

Open Enrollment for the SISC health plans starts Wednesday, October 11th and ends on Wednesday, November 1st.

 We’ll share more details soon regarding the health plans and how to enroll.

You will need to take action to enroll in a SISC health plan during Open Enrollment.

Please be sure to attend the virtual SISC Open Enrollment Retiree Presentation via Zoom using the log-in information below.

Representatives from SISC, Navitus (the Anthem pharmacy manager), Burnham Benefits, and the District will be available during the presentation.

Tuesday, October 10, 2023
10:30am – 12:00pm
https://burnhambenefits.zoom.us/j/93801047888?from=addon
Meeting ID: 938 0104 7888
or Phone 1 669 444 9171 US

The meeting will be recorded and posted to the Benefits website next week.

The Benefits Department will also be offering weekly Q&A sessions via Zoom regarding Open Enrollment during October.  The schedule and log-in information will be provided via email soon.

Please contact the Benefits Department with any questions.  We look forward to seeing you on the call next week.

Katy Lyon
Benefits Analyst
Ventura County Community College District
761 East Daily Drive, Suite 200
Camarillo, CA  93010
(805) 652-5535 phone
(805) 652-7711  fax
klyon@vcccd.edu

Move from CalPERS to SISC

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Many of you have already learned that the District is considering a decision to move from CalPERS to SISC as our health benefits provider. The District’s decision is motivated by the substantial increase in CalPERS premiums for the coming year. While everyone can pretty much agree that the cost of health care and benefits is expensive, the cost increases with CalPERS are exactly what the Retiree’s Association had warned District officials about when the move to CalPERS was being considered. It is what we learned from other colleges that already opted for CalPERS. Since saving money is the motivation, it is highly likely that benefit coverage will be reduced or more difficult to access with the new provider. We have and continue to express our concerns to the District and request clarification. As with most things, the Devil will be in the details.

Here are a few thoughts we have based upon the single information session that was conducted for retirees; please keep in mind that we have very little factual information at this time but we do have some common-sense suggestions that you may want to consider:

  1.  We know that three types of plans were presented to retirees and will likely be offered to us during open enrollment for SISC (Self-Insured Schools of California). They are:
    A) Companion Care – a straight-up Medicare supplemental plan that will only pay for Medicare approved services,B) Anthem PPO – a coordinated benefits plan that may offer coverages beyond Medicare approved services but we are lacking details,
    C) Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage – as far as we understand, this is the basic Kaiser plan and does have copays. It is not as good as Kaiser Summit Senior Advantage plan which some of you on Kaiser have now.

The coverage booklets for these plans can be found on the District website under Benefits: https://www.vcccd.edu/departments/human-resources/benefits

2) If you have Medicare, your Medicare coverage will not change. However, your District-paid additional coverage with SISC could introduce changes in the following areas, among others:

A) Benefits such as hearing, chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, and days covered for stays in the hospital, rehab facilities, and nursing homes
B) Required pre-authorizations
C) Freedom to choose doctors or treatment facilities

3). Kaiser coverage will not be available to retirees living out-of-state, nor will any other type of managed care coverage.

4) Prescription coverages may be changed, and the provider will definitely be changed to Navitas instead of OptumRX. For example, we have been told that compound drug prescriptions will not be covered, but there seems to be some contradiction to that, and we are requesting clarification. There may be restrictions on brand name access, more prescriptions that require pre-authorization, or requirements to try less expensive drugs before authorization of doctors drug of choice, higher costs due to tier placement, more limited in-network pharmacy choices.

5) We do not know how Retirees over 65 who don’t have Medicare A & B will be served. They will be provided coverage until they are able to fully enroll for Medicare parts A & B.  We do not have details on the type of coverage or process for enrollment in Medicare yet. Those under age 65 will be provided access to the same plans as active employees get.

6) Spouses of deceased Retirees who were eligible for District paid benefits also received District paid benefits because CalPERS required it. District contract language does not require such coverage and those spouses may again have to find and pay for their own coverage.

New plan coverage will begin January 1, 2024 with new enrollment likely beginning October 1, 2023. You know what an ordeal the last transition was, and we have no reason to believe we will receive even as much help this time as was available last time.

WHAT TO DO NOW IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS?

 1) Maximize all of your prescription refill opportunities starting now through the end of the year. (Fill as many as you can, as many times as you can.)  This is especially important with any compound medications or ones that you know will require approvals.

2) If you are considering treatments, elective procedures, new medical equipment, visits to specialists, or other medical services, it may be wise to consider them now, before January 1, if it is appropriate for you, especially in treatment areas that may disappear or be greatly reduced under the new plan.  An example of this is hearing aid coverage for those with Anthem plans.

3) If you are a spouse of a deceased Retiree who was eligible for District paid benefits and have been receiving spousal benefits while the District contracted with CalPERS, you may need to find and pay for your own benefits because the District is not contractually required to provide them under the new plan, and will probably no longer do so. Please explore your options for insurance now.

4) If you live outside California and are on Kaiser, you will need to find medical providers that are either covered by Blue Cross or, if you are over 65, by Medicare or by both.  You should also get whatever care you need no later than Dec. 31, 2023, so that the transition will be easier for you.

Susan Bricker, President
Ventura Community College District Retirees Asso.

Summer 2023 Monitor Newsletter AND Retirees BBQ

Dear VCCCD Retirees,
The Summer 2023 Monitor Newsletter is here!  And the most exciting good news is that it includes the flyer and RSVP form for our October 2 Social Event, the first one we’ve had in at least three years!  Please RSVP to let us know that you’ll be joining us for a delicious Lester Tong BBQ and great company.  You’ll also find articles on the Annual Meeting that was held in May, our new Advocacy Task Force, our VCCCD Retirees’ Association Scholarship, and articles from two of our members about life in retirement.  The President’s Letter touches on the pending change to our health benefits provider, a situation that is unfolding daily. We have not included an update on the lawsuit at this time, but are looking forward to making an announcement very soon.

Hope you enjoy the read, and your Executive Board is looking forward to seeing many of you on October 2!

Best Regards,

Susan Bricker, President
Ventura County Community College Retirees’ Association

Please use these links for the Summer Monitor Newsletter and the RSVP Form for the Social Event.

CalPERS & CalSTRS Data Breach

Please read important letter below from Susan Bricker, President, VCCCDRA

Dear Colleagues,

Both CalPERS and CalSTRS have reported that their members’ data – our data – may have been compromised in a data breach that targeted the system of a company they both use to help identify members’ deaths. We want to share with you what we know thus far based on the information posted to the CalPERS and CalSTRS websites, notifications from CalRTA and CSR.

The first thing you need to know is that the CalPERS and CalSTRS systems were not directly breached, and there is no impact on our retirement payments or the myCalPERS and myCalSTRS accounts you may have set up in their websites.  Both of our retirement systems use secure transfer protocols to transfer data to third party vendor PBI Research Services/Berwyn Group. The weakness that allowed the breach was in PBI’s transfer protocols.

That does not mean, however, that your data was not impacted. We already know of two retirees on the Executive Board whose data was compromised, one from CalSTRS and one from CalPRS.  The data in the transfer files includes first and last name, date of birth and social security number.

Each of the retirement systems will offer credit monitoring services to impacted members. CalPERS members will be eligible for two years of credit monitoring and identity restoration services.  CalSTRS has not identified their credit monitoring service on the website but full information will be included in the letters sent to impacted members.

CalPERS has already mailed letters to all affected members, who should receive them by this Friday, June 30.  CalSTRS is mailing letters to all affected members this week, which should be received by July 23.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

First make sure that your contact information is current with your retirement system! Log in to your myCalPERS or myCalSTRS account and select “Update your contact information”.  CalSTRS members by also call the Member Service Center at 1-800-228-5453.  CalPERS members may call the general number at 1-888-225-7377.

CalSTRS Members:

Check the CalSTRS (calstrs.com) and CalRTA (calrta.org) websites for the most current information on the breach. CalRTA indicated in their notice to members that CalSTRS plans to set up a special phone number for Breach questions.  The line is not active yet as far as I can tell, but should be in the near future.  You may also contact the Member Service Center number 1-800-228-5453 for information.

CalPERS Members:

Email questions to PBIquestions@calpers.ca.gov or call Experian at 1-833-919-4735.  You may also check the CalPERS (calpers.ca.gov) and CSR (calretirees.org) websites for the most current information.

We will continue to inform members of updates to this situation by posting to the BLOG.

Susan Bricker, President
Ventura County Community College District Retirees Association