Articles about the State GIC that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees
By Matt Murphy
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MARCH 20, 2018....House and Senate leaders said Tuesday they will try to quickly pass a bill filed by Gov. Charlie Baker, perhaps as soon as this week, in an effort to avoid steep health insurance premium spikes for nearly 1,000 retired teachers and elderly government retirees.
Mass Retirees Urges Quick Action
March 16, 2018: Prompted by Mass Retirees’ calls for reform of the Group Insurance Commission’s Retired Municipal Teacher (RMT) Program, legislation has been filed today by Governor Baker that places RMT enrollees in the same insurance pool (Pool 1) as other state and local retirees. Association officials are now calling upon Legislative Leadership to act quickly on this before the GIC’s Open Enrollment begins on April 4.
The health insurance giant Cigna said on Thursday that it had agreed to buy Express Scripts, the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit manager, in a $52 billion deal that could further reshape the roiling health care landscape.
By Priyanka Dayal McCluskey GLOBE STAFF FEBRUARY 22, 2018
Massachusetts public employees and retirees received an unusual bit of good news from state officials Thursday: their health insurance premiums are not rising significantly — and costs for many will actually decrease.
Many Retirees Will See Lower Premiums
February 22, 2018: Today, the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) approved health plan premiums for FY19. For the first time in recent memory, the average increase across all six GIC health plans is zero percent.
Beginning in June, the majority of retirees enrolled in GIC health plans will see a slight decrease in their monthly insurance premiums. For both retirees and active employees, the inflationary and premium rates vary by health plan.
No Major Increases or Changes Expected
FEBRUARY 21, 2018: The state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) is scheduled to meet this Thursday to set health, life and dental insurance premiums for FY19, which begins on July 1.
On average premium insurances are anticipated to increase less than 2% across the six health insurance providers offered by the GIC. Those providers are Fallon, Harvard Pilgrim, Health New England, Neighborhood Health Plan, Tufts and UniCare.
Teachers’ Program Dates to 1972
Mass Retirees and teacher union officials are urging the GIC to seek ways to expand the health insurance offerings available to the 10,000 teachers participating in the Retired Municipal Teacher (RMT) program. As the only respondent to the GIC’s procurement process last fall, UniCare is set to become the sole health insurance provider for RMTs in FY19.
13 Health Fairs Scheduled Across Massachusetts
The state’s Group Insurance Commission has set April 4 through May 2, 2018 as the annual Open Enrollment period to enrollees to change insurance plans or enroll in the GIC’s Retiree Dental Plan. Any changes in plan selection or coverage take effect on July 1, 2018.
No Increases In Copays & Deductibles
FEBRUARY 8, 2018: The state’s Group Insurance Commission has unanimously approved health insurance plan design for FY19, covering all six carriers and slightly lowering costs for some enrollees. Heeding calls from Mass Retirees and all public employee/teacher unions, copayments and deductibles will not increase for the coming year.
Upending a controversial move to cut three carriers from the health insurance menu available to public employees, the Group Insurance Commission voted as forecast on Thursday to reconsider its Jan. 18 vote.
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.
