Comprehensive Answers to Retiree Issues
INSURANCE
H2907: GIC OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS
Sponsor: Rep. John Mahoney
Establishes a $2000 out-of-pocket maximum on all non-Medicare prescription drug plans provided by the GIC.
S1848/H2799: LOCAL RETIREE INSURANCE PROTECTION
Sponsor: Sen. Paul Feeney/Rep. Michael Day
Requires that increases in the retiree premium percentage be applied prospectively to retirees who retire on or after the increase is implemented.
H2874: GIC MEDICARE BUY-IN PROGRAM
Sponsor: Rep. Brad Jones
Requires the GIC to transfer its retiree enrollees who are 65 or over and not Medicare eligible, into Medicare by July 1, 2026.
H1150: LOCAL WITHDRAWAL FROM GIC
Sponsor: Rep. Rodney Elliott
Extends from December 1 to March 1 the date by which a local government must notify the GIC that it will be withdrawing from the state insurance program on the upcoming June 30.
H2888: INSURANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMP.
Sponsor: Rep. Kathleen LaNatra
Updates the composition of the municipal insurance advisory committee to align with that of the public employee committee. The retiree representative would be appointed by the Mass Retirees Association.
H2890: TRANSPARENCY IN MUNICIPAL HEALTH INS.
Sponsor: Rep. John Lawn
Delineates the responsibilities of consultants and brokers, mandates the disclosure of fees and commissions, and bars consultants from performing brokerage services within the same municipality.
COST-OF-LIVING
S1808/H2794: STATE & TEACHERS’ COLA BASE & COLA ENHANCEMENT FOR LONG-TERM “CAREER” RETIREES
Sponsors: Senator Brendan Crighton/Representative Mark Cusack
Increases the State/Teachers’ COLA Base from $13,000 to $18,000 & creates an increase of $100 or $200 the annual COLA for retirees who satisfy certain thresholds regarding their years of retirement 15 & 20 yrs & creditable service, at least 20 yrs and pension amount below average pension.
PENSIONS
H2787: RELIEF FOR PRE-JULY 2004 OPT. (B) & (C) RETIREES
Sponsor: Rep. Tackey Chan
Recalculates, with the updated mortality table, the pensions of those who retired prior to 7/1/04, when the updated table was implemented and chose Options (b) & (c) and adjusts their pensions prospectively.
H2835: FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER STATE/TEACHERS’ AND LOCAL PENSION SYSTEMS
Sponsor: Rep. Dennis Gallagher
Mandates a minimum appropriation for their respective pension system upon reaching full funding.
VETERANS
S1918/H2834: VETERANS’ BONUS
Sponsors: Sen. John Velis/Rep. Dennis Gallagher
Increases the Annual Vets Bonus from $300 to $1,000.
S1917: EXTEND DEFINITION OF VETERAN FOR VETS BONUS
Sponsor: Sen. John Velis
Extends the expanded definition of veteran to those, with the requisite non-wartime or National Guard duty and retired on a superannuation retirement before 8/26/04, in order to receive the veterans’ bonus prospectively – Local Option.
SURVIVORS
S1867: INCREASE IN OPTION (D) MINIMUM PENSION
Sponsor: Sen. Cindy Friedman
Increases the Option (d) minimum from $500 to $750 monthly for state/teacher survivors, with an option for local systems to do the same.
H2854: EXTEND VOTE TO SURVIVORS IN BOARD ELEC.
Sponsor: Rep. Danielle Gregoire
Extends the right to vote in retirement board elections to surviving spouses who are receiving a pension.
H2801: SURVIVOR HEALTH INSURANCE
Sponsor: Rep. Marjorie Decker
(a) Minimum Contribution by Local Coverage:Requires local governments to pay at least 50% of insurance premium.
(b) Retention of Coverage: Allows survivors to remarry and continue their coverage if certain conditions are satisfied.
DISABILITY PENSIONS
S1810: ORDINARY DISABILITY MINIMUM
Sponsor: Sen. Brendan Crighton
Establishes a minimum amount of benefits for ordinary (non-work related) disability retirees equal to the disability benefits paid to a Massachusetts resident under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program.