Articles about the State GIC that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees
Focus On Retiree Insurance Cost
APRIL 3, 2012: As we have previously reported, the Association will take part in the Special Commission on Retiree Health Care that gets underway Thursday, April 5.
The eleven-member Commission, created within Chapter 176, Acts of 2011 (Pension Reform), is tasked with further exploring various means by which retiree health insurance costs might be lowered.
15 Statewide Health Fairs Scheduled
MARCH 19, 2012: The Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission will hold its annual Open Enrollment period from April 9 through May 7, 2012. During this period, all retirees and employees insured under one of the GIC plans may switch their insurance coverage.
During this time period, the GIC will hold a series of Health Fairs across the state - fifteen in all.
No Copay/Deductible Changes
March 2, 2012: Providing good news to those state, teacher and municipal retirees it insures, the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) has approved its lowest insurance premium increase since 1999 – just 1.43% across its eleven different plans. Rate changes are effective for Fiscal Year 2013, which begins July 1, 2012.
Focus On New Municipal Insurance Law
FEBRUARY 14, 2012: Association members were among the over 200 attendees at a recent forum on the new Municipal Health Insurance (MHI) law, that was held at Boston Fire Local 718’s Florian Hall in Dorchester. They gathered together as the retiree designees on the Public Employee Committee (PEC) for their community or school district.
FEBRUARY 1, 2012: Over 100 employees and retirees attended today’s annual public hearing of the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) held in Minihan Hall at the Lindemann Center.
Dolores Mitchell, Executive Director of the GIC, presented an extensive update of all commission activities and an estimated projection of future needs and costs.
Mitchell started by pointing out that the Commonwealth could be under some pressure from the added costs of Federal health care reform.
JANUARY 2012 VOICE: Beginning July 1, 2009, the retirees, survivors and employees in 11 communities initiated their health insurance coverage with the state Group Insurance Commission (GIC). Whether their GIC coverage would continue for 3 or 6 years depended upon the agreement that had been reached between local officials and the PEC (Public Employee Committee).
Retirees Must Have Voice In Process
The battle, now being waged in Wisconsin over the rights of public employees to collectively bargain, should come as no surprise to Association members. As we have been reporting for some time, there is a growing national movement to reduce and alter the health care and defined benefit pensions of public employees and retirees.
EDITORIAL Gov. Deval Patrick has set the ambitious goal of reducing by $1 billion the projected health care expenditures in the next fiscal year. While there is reason to doubt whether he’ll be able to meet that target, he has followed up with concrete proposals.
GateHouse News Service Posted Feb 23, 2011 @ 10:00 AM
GIC Mandate Proposed
Filing his third barebones budget in as many years, Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a significant change to local health insurance plans in an attempt to plug growing budget deficits that are the result of the ongoing economic recession.
In addition to slashing the budget of the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) by $100 million for FY12, the Governor is also proposing a 7% cut in non-school local aid to cities and towns. In order to offset local aid cuts, Patrick has reintroduced a plan that could drastically alter municipal health plans.
Health Fairs Focus On Employee Reenrollment
FEBRUARY 14, 2011: The state's Group Insurance Commission has put plans in place that, if successful, are expected to save the Commonwealth upwards of $100 million for FY12, beginning on July 1, 2011. Under the plan, active state employees, enrolled in one of six limited network low-cost plans offered by the GIC for the coming year will receive free coverage for three months - a so-called "Premium Holiday."
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.
