STRS health care discussion meetings continue around the state

Active teachers are STRONGLY urged to attend

This fall, STRS Ohio and the Health Care Advocates for STRS (HCA) launched a Member Education and Engagement Campaign.

The campaign has two goals:

* Educate STRS Ohio active members about the economic realities of health care costs

* Gauge support for a possible legislative initiative that increases member and employer contributions to provide an ongoing and dedicated revenue stream for the STRS Ohio Health Care Program for current and future retirees.

Right now, STRS Ohio is collecting the maximum it can from teachers and employers under current law (10% from members/14% from employers). To collect more, the State Teachers Retirement Board would need to go to the Ohio Legislature -- but before the board does this, it wants to be sure there is significant support from members.

Brochures have been mailed to all STRS active members and representatives from Health Care Advocates and STRS Ohio is hosting meetings around the state, with dates, locations and names of presenters as follows:

Tuesday, October 25
The Ohio University Inn
331 Richland Ave.
Athens OH
Mike Spino & Laura Ecklar

Wednesday, October 26
STRS Ohio Building
275 East Broad St.
Columbus OH
Ann Hanning & Sandy Knoesel

Thursday, October 27
Holiday Inn - Cincinnati Eastgate
4501 Eastgate Blvd.
Cincinnati, OH
Lisa Zellner & Laura Ecklar

Thursday, October 27
Shawnee State University
940 Second St.
Portsmouth OH
Lou DiOrio & Sandy Knoesel

Wednesday, November 2
Quality Inn & Suites Cleveland Airport
7230 Engle Road
Middleburg Heights/Cleveland OH
Lisa Zellner & Laura Ecklar

Thursday, November 3
Holiday Inn - Dayton North
2301 Wagoner-Ford Road
Dayton OH
Mike Spino & Gary Russell

Thursday, November 3
ORTA Board Meeting
Ann Hanning & Sandy Knoesel

Tuesday, November 8
Five Seasons Country Club
11790 Snider Road
Cincinnati OH
Larry Lewellen & Laura Ecklar

Tuesday, November 8
Holiday Inn - French Quarter
10630 Fremont Pike
Perrysburg OH
John Gaeth & Sandy Knoesel

Wednesday, November 9
Four Points by Sheraton Canton
4375 Metro Circle NW
Canton OH
Mike Spino & Terri Bierdeman

Thursday, November 10
Four Points by Sheraton Akron West
3150 Market St.
Akron OH
Mike Spino & Gary Russell

Tuesday, November 15
Holiday Inn
1920 Roschman Avenue
Lima OH
John Gaeth & Terri Bierdeman

Tuesday, November 15
Holiday Inn - Youngstown-South
7410 South Ave.
Boardman/Youngstown OH
Becca Ferguson & Laura Ecklar

Tuesday November 15
OCHER Board Meeting
Lou DiOrio & Sandy

Thursday, November 17
Holiday Inn - Beachwood
3750 Orange Place,
Beachwood/Cleveland OH
Tom Moody (?) & Terri Bierdeman

All meetings begin at 7 p.m. Due to limited seating, advance registration is required. Members can register using the STRS Ohio Web site (www.strsoh.org or by calling toll-free 1-888-227-7877 (Member Services Center).

All STRS Ohio members are encouraged to voice their opinions by completing a survey at one of the Health Care Discussion meetings, responding to the online survey on the STRS Ohio Web site, or filling out the postage-paid survey card contained in the brochure.

More information is available at www.strsoh.org