The
following is from Marge Sucansky, West Lake Shore Unit/Illinois Retired
Teachers Association:
“Wednesday [June 1] I attended the
DuPage Unit luncheon where the speakers were Pam Kogler from Central Management
Services (CMS) and De De Rayback from United Health Care (UHC). They
discussed TRIP and TRAIL. The former is the health insurance from the state
for those who are not yet eligible for Medicare A and B. You do not have to do
anything if you are on TRIP and not yet eligible for TRAIL yet unless you want
to make a change. You can go to the website: www.benefitschoice.il.gov
to check out your TRIP options.
“There
has been some information in the media indicating that UHC is pulling out of
Illinois. This is not true for TRAIL. You are eligible for TRAIL if you
are 65 by October
1. If you are not in a state plan now, you will have to
write or call CMS to get a benefits booklet for TRAIL. If you are in TRIP
now, you will be getting a YELLOW letter in September if you are eligible for
TRAIL. If you ignore it, you will be dropped from TRIP in December and
will have to get other insurance.
“Enrollment
period for TRAIL is October 14-November 15.
To stay in TRAIL you must continue to pay your Medicare Part B.
“TRAIL
plan booklets will come out the beginning of October and you must be enrolled
in Medicare as of September 2016 to be
eligible. Also, if you are not residing in the US, you will not receive
TRAIL information but will have to go to the website for it.
“CMS
is working on its online system. In near future you will be able to make changes
on line.
“If
your procedure is covered by Medicare, it is covered by UHC. If you have
questions, call the number on the back of your TRAIL card. If you do not
want to get the home visit calls: At the first call tell person to put
you on the do not call list. If you continue to get calls, call customer
service and ask to be put on the do not call list. Finally, if those
options don't work, go on donotcall.gov.
If you have a frustrating situation, call the number on the back of your TRAIL
card. Most comments from the DuPage members who have had to call it, were
positive about the service.
“Where
to Access Information:
“Program
Books (open enrollment and handbooks) Links to Carrier Websites: www.benefitschoice.il.gov for Standard Plan
TRIP,
State
of Illinois Group Insurance, Medicare Unit--217-782-7007.
Hope
this information is helpful to you.”
Marge
Without this notice, I would have known nothing.
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