June Hughes to Molly Janczyk: Soooooo, we lose more!!!!

From Molly Janczyk, November 17, 2006

Subject: RE: Soooooo, we lose more!!!!

Very true, June. Those of us who retired prior to the devastating and unbearable HC increases and loss of 'benefits' will never recover and have borne the brunt of saving HC for others. We have no choices and should have been grandfathered being told all would be fine and never able to return or change irrevocable decisions. There is no answer for us. Even the 5% only allows us to stay where we are somewhat and our spouses still have to pay 100%. It was the result of lack of long term planning and disregard for our futures, totally. STRS was headed, I believe, towards getting out of the HC business under Dyer and Co. and we pay the price.

If this didn't happen, we were told, after much questioning that 2008 would bring greater changes at once. We are lost to this crisis. Totally and completely and we will never again be comfortable with HC premiums, no matter that group retired. The best off are single recipients. Those with spouses on our policies can hope for nothing. Even Medicare becomes too costly for retirees.

It is beyond reach and we fight for the future retirees wishing we could get just a branch here and there but to no avail. It disheartens Lazares and Leone who voted no just to make the statement knowing it would pass. They are concerned with ensuring pensions as well with some systems in deep trouble in the press.

Wish there were some good news for those of us promised HC second to none and discouraged in STRS HC literature from purchasing other insurance. But, not to be. Retirees are drowning and this Board is charged with saving HC at all. Vigilant oversight and securing a stream of revenue decades ago for HC is lost. The hope is to have pensions and HC as it is, now.

Had we been told we were in such trouble when young and healthier, we might have acted differently, choosing other HC for spouses at least. Now with age and preexisting conditions, we have no choice. $800 a month premiums (and near $400 for those with Medicare with spouses) plus all the out of pocket costs for medical and RX's eats our pensions, robs us of our retirement and saddens our futures. $300 a month for RX's up to $2000; $1500 out of pocket for medical for my husband who always meets it due to multiple serious health problems; $500 deduc. for each of us and then my costs come to at least $15,000 annually for us- nearly 1/2 my pension.

Had I known, I could have been earning a huge salary by now by my standards and had much lower costs. I would have stayed for 35 years. But, I wasn't told and here I am.

I wish there were an answer. If I get sick, we are in trouble as I have an ill husband. I can still work but if I can't, we cannot afford our HC. My husband should be on disability and fortunately is a free agent so he can make his hours or he would not be able to work at all. He cannot afford to retire until he is 66 though worn and fatigued by it. Now, Medicare is so costly, I will never be able to really retire, I guess.

Robbed, cheated and not considered by the former Board and Exec Direc., yet here we are trying to survive and so many so worse off who cannot work at all.

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From June Hughes, November 17, 2006

Subject: Soooooo, we lose more!!!!

Sooooooooo, the older retirees have already lost the 13th check which was part of our incomes and now we go backwards to 2003 for reimbursement of Medicare B. I have had NOTHING paid medically by my STRS insurance because most money is paid by Medicare OR ME! When will the bloodletting stop of those least able financially and some emotionally and physically? Where is the equality and consideration of those who paid before without question the percentage of income asked/required for a decent STRS retirement?

At one time I felt the Ohio STRS was the Lamborghini, well maybe a Ferrari, of teacher retirement systems. Now I wonder if it's even as good as an Edsel? Disgusting is my reaction to all this bleeding process by those who have yet to experience cold houses, driving less to have social get-togethers and the list could go on and on. As I've said before, we get a piddly 3% but lose much, much more because of poor negotiations for prescriptions, equal health insurance statewide (it's cheaper in some areas), losing the 13th check, and even though being enrolled in Medicare B we cost less, we are penalized for reimbursement from this cost.

This is discrimination at it's worst!!! Those on the board who aren't retired will some day hopefully understand and maybe they'll have to cut back from their life styles or will they wangle a position on the STRS board and get a credit card? Those of us retired for quite a few years are living on much less because we made less and it's getting worse!

June Hughes (disgusted in Hamilton Cnty)