Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability
703 Stratton Bldg.
Springfield, IL 62706
April 3, 2014
Mr. Dan Long and members of CoGFA:
Having noticed the agenda of the CoGFA hearing scheduled for April 7,
2014 relates to retirees' Health Insurance, I wish to once again relate some major concerns.
Many "downstate" teachers who retired in 2004 were required to
notify the Teachers Retirement System a year or two in advance that they were going
to retire in 2004. One month after we retired, there was a TRS buy into
Medicare Plan, which began on July 1, 2004. We were not able to take advantage
of that opportunity. That information was not given to us in 2002-2003. Without
Medicare, we do not qualify for secondary health insurance.
According to a recent FOIA request of the Comptroller's Office, there
are 602 of us who do not have the needed 40 quarters for Social Security/Medicare
and who made the choice to continue to reside IN Illinois since 2004; as a
result, we have been charged more than $64,709.62 for single coverage health
insurance premiums with the State self-insured CIGNA plan.
At the same time, those retirees who are 65+ and enrolled in the very
same CIGNA Health Insurance Plan but made the choice to move OUT of the State
of Illinois have been charged 1/2 the cost for their premiums at $32,354.81.
According to CMS, retirees age 65+ and without Medicare (and who made
the choice to reside IN Illinois during 2013-2014) pay a monthly premium of
$719.96 for their CIGNA health insurance. Retirees age 65+ and without Medicare
(and who made the choice to live OUTSIDE of Illinois) pay a monthly premium of
$359.99 a month for the very same health insurance coverage using the CIGNA
network of Doctors.
Some of us who also reside IN the school districts where we retired from
have been charged disproportionate (double) premiums as a result.
As you address issues relating to retired teachers' health insurance
plans, I respectfully request you consider these facts. May I also bring to
your attention the many, many audits related to the TRS TCHP Health Insurance
Plan and the lack of a written methodology for setting the premiums, as stated
by the Office of the Auditor General.
I have submitted (pdf.) documents related to this issue to CoGFA and
JCAR.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jeri Shanahan
For more information about this
injustice, Click Here.
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