Category: 01 – Health Benefits

CORRECTION Regarding District IMPASSE with AFT

From Rene Rodriguez, VCCCDRA President

Dear VCCCDRA Retirees,

Gary Johnson has just informed me that the District negotiator, as a result of the meeting with the AFT last Friday, has gone to the Chancellor recommending that they go to impasse. It is now our understanding that the reason for the EMERGENCY Board of Trustees meeting this Thursday is to request of the Board that the District go to impasse with the AFT on the question of negotiating for healthcare benefits.

The Chancellor appears to be wanting to rush the District into imposing a Medicare/CalPERS health plan for active employees and a Medicare and CalPERS supplemental plan on retirees, thereby replacing the current Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser plans.

THE CHANCELLOR’S PROPOSAL IS FRAUGHT WITH LEGAL OBSTACLES, AND THE BOARD SHOULD NOT GRANT THE CHANCELLOR THE DESIRE TO GO TO IMPASSE. THE CHANCELLOR NEEDS TO CHANGE COURSE.

WE ARE ASKING ALL RETIREES ABLE TO ATTEND TO MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO ATTEND THIS MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEPT. 19, AT 6:30 PM, at 761 East Daily Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010

There are many problems connected with the CalPERS plans that the Chancellor is promoting. We pointed out some of these problems at the September 10 Board of Trustees meeting.

The Chancellor is wrong in trying to pursue this course of action because the District will have to breach longstanding contractual agreements with the AFT and the SEIU, as well as breach the settlement agreement reached with retirees in 2010.

Presentations at this EMERGENCY Board of Trustees meeting will try to help the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor understand how the District will be forced to breach contract language and settlement agreement language in order to move towards a CalPERS plan.

Presentations are limited to 3 minutes, and if you do not plan to make a presentation, you can still fill out a form and relinquish your time to someone who needs more time for their presentations. This helps the leadership have their say on behalf of retirees.

We will endeavor to publish individual presentations on here on the VCCCDRA blog as they become available.

Come early to assure yourselves a seat in the Boardroom. I hope to see as many of you as can make this meeting. Thank you.

Rene G. Rodriguez,
President, VCCCD Retirees’ Association

EMERGENCY Board of Trustees Meeting, Thursday, Sept 19, 6:30 pm

A CORRECTION to the post below and the similar email sent to the membership has been published.  Please read the blog post on this critical and important issue.  Use this link.

From Rene Rodgriquez, President, VCCCDRA

Dear VCCCDRA Retirees,

Things are moving faster than anticipated regarding the Chancellor’s desire to impose Medicare and a CalPERS supplemental plan on retirees thereby replacing the current Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser plans.
At the meeting with the AFT on Friday, the District’s negotiator declared an impasse on negotiations.  An EMERGENCY Board of Trustees meeting has been called for this Thursday, September 19, at 6:30 pm.

WE ARE ASKING ALL RETIREES ABLE TO ATTEND
TO MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT
TO ATTEND THIS MEETING ON
THURSDAY, SEPT. 19, 2019 AT 6:30 PM,
at 761 East Daily Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010

There are many problems connected with the CalPERS plans that the Chancellor is promoting.  We pointed out some of these problems at the September 10 Board of Trustees meeting.

The Chancellor is wrong in trying to pursue this course of action because the District will have to breach longstanding contractual agreements with the AFT and the SEIU, as well as breach the settlement agreement reached with retirees in 2010. 

Presentations at this Board of Trustees meeting will try to help the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor understand how the District will be forced to breach contract language and settlement agreement language in order to move towards a CalPERS plan.
 
Presentations are limited to 3 minutes, and if you do not plan to make a presentation, you can still fill out a form and relinquish your time to someone who needs more time for their presentations.  This helps the leadership have their say on behalf of retirees. 

 

We will endeavor to publish individual presentations on this VCCCDRA blog as they become available.

 

Come early to assure yourselves a seat in the Boardroom.  I hope to see as many of you as can make this meeting.  Thank you.

 

To return to the VCCCDRA website, click here.

VCCCD Retirees are encouraged to attend Board of Trustee Meeting of September 10th

From Gary Johnson, Chair of the VCCCDRA Benefits Committee:

Chancellor Greg Gillespie has strongly proposed to AFT, SEIU and the VCCCDRA Executive Board that the District ABANDON its past 47 year practice of directly contracting for health care benefits with long familiar providers, and instead contract with CalPERS to provide the benefits at an estimated savings to them of more than 10 million dollars.  The consequence would have Tier II retirees receive Medicare and a Medicare supplemental plan as contract language provides for, and would also have Tier I retirees (hired before July 1, 1990 for faculty, and July 20, 1990 for classified) receive the same Medicare and a Medicare supplemental plan which is a substantial change that does not conform to contract language.

Significant concerns (of many) are:
  • The use of CalPERS as the benefit provider
  • The removal of Anthem/Blue Cross and replacement with a mid-level Medicare plan that is inferior to what we currently have
  • The removal of Dual coverage for employees who earned benefits but are legal partners in the same household
  • The length of the agreement (3 years) with no guarantees that benefits will not be challenged or lessened at the end of

    that date

    Obviously there are an abundance of issues and concerns involved in this proposal and the District thinking is still in the process of being revealed. The retiree Executive Board is closely monitoring Union negotiations, has good relationships with both unions, and Board of Trustee members, and is actively exploring all options available for a retiree response.

    AFT is urging a large turnout of active employees and retirees to show their concern by attending and speaking at the open session part of the next District Board Meeting and WE URGE YOU TO ATTEND AND EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS ALSO.

    Tuesday, September 10, 6:00 PM  (arrive early)

    VCCCD District Office

    761 East Daily Drive, Camarillo

    (original publish date: 08/21/2019)

    To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.

Current Status Tier II, Health Benefits, prepared by Gary Johnson

Ventura County Community College District
Benefits of Tier II Retirees
January 31, 2019

FACULTY (hired 7/1/1990- 6/30/2001)

Shall receive District provided coverage to the age of 65, at which time the retirees’ medical care plan shall be replaced by Medicare and a Medicare supplemental plan, which provides comparable benefits, and which is provided and paid for by the District. Dental and vision coverage will continue to be provided (as for active faculty).

(To date the District has not selected or provided a Medicare supplemental plan and continues to provide Tier II retirees with the same Anthem Blue Cross PPO plan or Kaiser plan provided active faculty. When Tier II retirees provide the District evidence they have paid their Medicare Part B premium, they are reimbursed that cost by the District.)

ASCC (Administrators, Supervisors, Confidential and Classified) (hired 7/24/1990 – 6/30/2000)

Shall receive District provided coverage to age 65, including medical, dental and vision. At age 65. the District coverage shall be replaced by Medicare paid for by the retiree, and the District shall provide a Medicare supplemental plan. (Comparing “Medicare supplemental plan” here to 4/22/1998 – 4/21/2001 SEIU contract language, it appears the above supplemental language means “Medicare supplemental plan” as stated in the AFT contract language)

SEIU contract language for Tier II retirees (now apparently covering all ASCC) is silent on dental and vision care after age 65, which could be taken as the District not intending to provide it. However, the District — to date — has continued to provide dental and vision coverage to ASCC retirees after age 65.

Like with faculty, since the District has not yet selected or provided a Medicare supplemental plan, it continues to provide ASCC Tier II retirees with the Anthem Blue Cross PPO plan or Kaiser plan provided active employees.

All retirees can choose between the Anthem plan and the District Kaiser plan.

All retirees must meet age and years of service requirements to be eligible for District paid retiree health benefits.

Prepared by Gary Johnson, VCCCDRA Benefits Committee Chair

To visit the VCCCDRA website, click here.