Articles about the State GIC that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees
Weekly Update 4/1/2022: Every five years the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) is required to rebid all health insurance, pharmacy, dental, and life insurance contracts. FY23, which begins July 1, 2022, marks the final year of the current 5-year contract cycle for all GIC health insurance and pharmaceutical drug plans.
Today we anticipate the release of the first component of the GIC’s FY24 procurement – the Request for Response (RFR) for the health insurance plans. The pharmacy plan RFR will be released in early June.
The Shift to Whole Person Health
March 2022 Voice:
As healthcare costs have continued to rise, a major focus of Mass Retirees has been to look for and promote new ideas and solutions aimed at maintaining our members’ health while taking steps to keep insurance costs down.
Popular UniCare OME Plan to Increase 1.3%
March 3, 2022: The state’s Group Insurance Commission held their monthly meeting to vote on the plan design structure proposed at the January meeting, as well as vote on the plan rates for FY23. As we were anticipating from the January meeting the Commission voted to make no changes in the plan design, meaning members will see no increases to the copays and deductibles of the plans.
DECEMBER 10, 2021: As promised, for this week’s video I am joined by Bill Rehrey and Nancy McGovern for a sneak preview of our January 2022 edition of The Voice. Before I dive into the details of what you will find in the upcoming newsletter, I’d like to thank the thousands of members who have promptly renewed your Mass Retirees membership for 2022. November began our membership renewal process for next year, with notices mailed to the 20,000+ members who renew at the end of the year. Members receive a renewal notice base
House, Senate Discussing Vaccine Requirements for Their EmployeesKatie Lannan, State House News Service AUG. 19, 2021: About 42,000 state employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have secured a medical or religious exemption by Oct. 17, or face the risk of consequences including losing their jobs, under an executive order Gov. Charlie Baker signed Thursday.
MARCH 4, 2021: Group Insurance Commission Announces Fiscal Year 2022 Plan Rates: The Group Insurance Commission held their monthly meeting to set the premium rates for FY22 ahead of the open enrollment process. As we were anticipating from previous meetings the Commission voted on a 5.2% average increase across all plans, non-Medicare and Medicare plans. Overall, the average increase for the six Medicare plans is 2.3%. The most popular plan, the UniCare OME plan, has an increase, 2.2%, which equates to a total $8.94 increase for FY22.
Baker: High-Volume Sites Will Speed ProcessKatie Lannan - State House News Service February 17, 2021: Massachusetts will roughly double the population eligible for COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, when people over age 65, the residents and staff of affordable and low-income housing for seniors, and people with two or more health conditions that put them at higher risk will be newly able to make appointments.
Includes State/Teachers’ 3% COLA & Extends Retiree Work WaiverDecember 4, 2020: House and Senate leaders completed work on the $46 billion-dollar FY21 budget with both branches voting on a conference committee report in a rare Friday session. The final version now goes to Governor Baker for approval. The vote today takes us one step closer to ending the 6-month delay of a final FY21 budget.
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Since 1968 the Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Association has been the leading voice for Massachusetts public retirees and their families. Join with our 52,000 members as we continue the fight.
