Nancy Hamant comments on STRS staff healthcare costs

John Curry to Nancy Hamant, April 21, 2011
Subject: Fw: Comments on Saving A lot of Money for STRS

Nancy...I agree. Just this week a fellow retiree talked to an STRS associate over the telephone. She did relate to him that she was obtaining medical insurance (of course she didn't tell him that dental and vision was included) from STRS for her entire family for around $200 per month. All this while we stakeholders are subsidizing the remainder of her premiums WHILE STRS SUBSIDIZES ZERO ("0") DOLLARS OF OUR SPOUSES' HEALTH INSURANCE that we worked our entire lives for!

John

From Nancy Hamant, April 20, 2011
Subject: Comments on Saving A lot of Money for STRS

John,

Many STRS retirees will agree to the Conard's recommendations for reductions to STRS administrative costs which are in their email listed below. Please read it.

What the Conards have not addressed are STRS staff health care costs. Currently STRS staff and spouses receive premier health care plans for minimal monthly premiums which include vision and dental benefits.

STRS retirees receive no vision or dental benefits and pay 100% of spouse's health care premiums. In STRS's April Board newsletter it was stated that STRS benefit recipients' health care premiums would be raised to 37% by 2015 (beginning in 2012).

In addition, the STRS Board will be considering major changes in coverage, as well as in other areas, to keep the STRS health care plan solvent for longer than 2024.

Under such circumstances, can the STRS administrative costs continue to pay for STRS staff and spouses premier health care plans? STRS staffers must pay a fair share for their health care insurance also. Or better yet, STRS staffers and their spouses should be enrolled in the same plans that STRS benefit recipients and their spouses receive.

Nancy B. Hamant

[Hmm.....perhaps this would explain why Mr. Nehf did not respond to my two e-mails and certified letter on this subject back in 2009. No wonder -- those guys are living on Easy Street, and GUESS WHO'S PAYING FOR IT, FOLKS! http://kathiebracy.blogspot.com/2009/11/kathie-bracy-certified-letter-to-mike.html KBB]