Curry to Jordan: Educating an OEA Executive Council member who's supposed to KNOW these things

Mike Jordan

OEA Executive Council member

Educator, Bath Local Schools

Mr. Jordan,

A fellow CORE member contacted me and advised that she (Liz Ebbing) met you today in a Bath Schools teachers' lounge. She advised that she did have permission to be in the building as she had checked into the office first.

She also advised me that you found it difficult to believe that current health care premiums for STRS retirees approached the $700 range. The attachment is the 2006 health care premium scale for STRS retirees with 30 or more years of service. I have circled the two most popular choice premiums for retirees who wish to take the 80/20 PPO plan from STRS. [See http://www.orta.org/health_care_premiums.htm]

A 30 year retiree's Aetna premium is $175 and his/her spouse is an additional $521 for a total premium (deducted from the retiree's pay) of $696 per month. I would say that this is pretty close to $700, wouldn't you?

A 30 year retiree's Medical Mutual (MM) premium is $148 and his/her spouse is $501 for a total premium (deducted from the retiree's pay) of $649 per month. Once again, I would say that this is pretty close to $700.

By the way, should this same 30 year retiree have retired from OPERS, they would pay (for self and spouse) only $80 per month for the Medical Mutual 80/20 program listed above or $569 less per month via OPERS. I think you realize that up until 2005, that the OEA represented the majority of STRS Board seats for almost two decades - where were they when OPERS realized that this was "coming down the pike" and planned ahead? OPERS also lost millions of dollars in the stock market dip of the early 2000's.

I find it interesting that someone such as you, an OEA Executive Council member, isn't aware of the current "rate schedule" so that you can relate it to active teachers. If you have the feeling that these figures are incorrect, please contact the Executive Director of STRS, Damon Asbury. His email is AsburyD@strsoh.org. I am sure that he will vouch for these figures which were taken from the Ohio Retired Teachers Association website. If you have any questions about this letter please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

John Curry

a Proud CORE member

an Allen Co. Retired Teacher's Assn. member