STRS 2010 healthcare premiums & thanks for the screwing!

From John Curry, May 27, 2009

Let's do a little math.

For 2009, the STRS healthcare premiums (monthly) for retirees of pre-65 age with Medical Mutual Plus plan are:

$207

STRS now wants to raise that premium next year (2010) to a projected $233.

That is a 12.5% increase

Now...let's see how the retiree's spouse gets "nailed" should the retiree's spouse wish to be insured through STRS and stay with the Medical Mutual Plus plan:

Currently, the monthly premium for a pre-65 year old spouse of a 30 year retiree with a Medical Mutual Plus plan is $760 per month. STRS is projecting that the 2010 rate for this same coverage will go from an already high of $760 per month to a "projected" $931 per month.

That increase is a 20% increase!

Mr. Greg Nickell can calculate his healthcare figures and the methods of setting premium rates any way he wants but there is still no fairness between a 12.5% increase for premiums for a retiree and a 20% increase for premiums for his/her spouse!

For many STRS retirees and their spouses, bankruptcy due to medical bills is just one step away from a serious medical illness. And yet, STRS is talking about taking away some or all of our COLA? Give me a break!

I can only say how lucky my spouse and I are with no serious health problems AND we are now both covered by a health plan (80/20 PPO-similar to STRS's Plus plan) for less than $200 total per month thanks to our current employers.

We are not (yet) in this situation to have to take insurance from STRS but THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE WHO CAN'T WORK AT "ANOTHER JOB" JUST TO HAVE AFFORDABLE AND ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE. STRS, WHY PUNISH MY FELLOW RETIREES WHEN MANY OF THEM ARE ILL AND HAVE TO TAKE YOUR INSURANCE WITH AN UNFAIR (AND ESPECIALLY UNEQUAL) RATE INCREASE? YOU DIDN'T DO THE SAME WITH THE BASIC PLAN, DID YOU?

There are only about 30,000 retirees who do have to insure their spouses.....STRS, thanks for the continued screwing of my fellow retired educators! I (and they) should have driven a dump truck for the county of my residence and paid into OPERS as I could have retired at the same date of retirement that I did ( in 2000) and would be paying $80 total monthly premiums (spouse + myself) for the same Medical Mutual 80/20 PPO health insurance program that you will want well over $1,100 per month for next year.

John Curry