Insurance On Your Mind?
Informative Insurance Section with following topics covered:
1)
Delta’s
annual open enrollment - Nov 6-27th,
2013
2)
HCTC
set to expire at year end – expires Dec 31, 2013
3)
Reminders
about DPMP -- still an option for
retired pilots
4)
On
set of the Affordable Care Act – Beginning Oct 1, 2013
++++
1) Delta’s open enrollment Nov 6-27th, 2013 for year 2014.
Notice Off
the DeltaNet when trying to download enrollment brochure:
2014 Open Enrollment Information - V6
Delta Pilot Retirees and
Survivors who Retired Prior to June 1,
2006
Content
Coming Soon
This
year’s Delta Open Enrollment FAQs:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2)
RE:
Loss of HCTC IRS premium subsidy which expires on
Dec 31, 2013:
The Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) Program
10/1/13– Due to federal budget constraints, the IRS is experiencing
furlough days. The closures have no impact on the processing of your HCTC
premium payments.
The HCTC Program will
mail invoices and make payments to health plans for current Monthly
Participants. Please be sure your payment is received by the due date listed on
your HCTC invoice.
The HCTC Customer Contact
Center will be closed. If you have a health coverage or payment-related
emergency you can call and leave a message at 1-855-379-0440; however please
note that not all callers leaving a message at this number will receive
service.
The HCTC helps make health
insurance more affordable for eligible individuals and their families by paying
72.5% of qualified health insurance premiums. This page provides links to
information for monthly participants, yearly filers, and our partners who help
administer the HCTC .
Important Update: The legislation that authorized the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) expires on January 1,
2014; and the tax credit will no longer be available. Please visit
the HCTC Expiration for more
information regarding how this will affect the Monthly and Yearly HCTC.
+++++
From: Rick
Smail
Date: 10/2/2013
1:49:29 PM
Subject: HCTC
Hi Mark,
Hope all is well with you....things in my neck of the woods are good.
I'm writing today to alert / explore health care options for those of
us who have been taking advantage of the VEBA / HCTC health insurance in the
event the plans are terminated at the end of the year. Editor: Looks like the WILL be terminated at
end of year!
I received a letter this week from Aetna advising me my plan will be
terminated at the end of the year because congress has not reauthorized the
HCTC program. By the sound of the letter, Aetna does not think that
HCTC will be offered in the future.
I've attempted to contact the Cone Insurance Group, but they do not
answer their phone and their voice mailbox if full so leaving a message is not
an option. I'm looking for information about what the possible
options are for those of us who have been taking advantage of HCTC. I would
hope that we might have some guidance from DP3 since they are who setup the
VEBA and made the insurance available to us.
Anyway I'm hoping we can find some good alternatives until we go on
Medicare. If you can address this in the PCN perhaps someone can
offer or outline our alternatives. Thanks!
I am attaching a copy of the letter I received (and I would bet others
using Cone got) from Aetna.
As you can see, Aetna is giving a 90 day
notice they are terminating the plans offered to the VEBA participants.
Because of all the noise surrounding the HCTC I was (until very recently)
under the impression we lost the ability in the bankruptcy to buy insurance
through Delta. At least we still have that option, which is not really the end
of the world. Guess I'm just spoiled with the VEBA plan.
I'll be 65 in May and my wife will be 62 in November. We're just
trying to figure out how to make it to Medicare which we don't look forward to,
but it will take the guess work out of what to do when we get there. We
both have had cancer (both OK for now) so I like having the biggest baddest
insurance policy I can find.
Best regards,
Rick Smail
Editor: Rick, from your letter I am assuming you are still a
young guy and under 65. Concerning the subsidy, I have been warning about
this eventuality of lost HCTC subsidy in the Insurance section of the High Life
for months, because I have never been confident that the congress would extend
the HCTC past the end of year expiration. As of now, there isn't any
indication that they will. Cone insurance is more optimistic but I don't trust
their vested position on this one. Personally, I became
proactive as I am working at a company, Omni Air, that offers insurance and I
enrolled during scheduled enrollment in June, because I felt then as I do
today, that the HCTC will expire. Further, if not in an enrollment
period, the sought after insurance may not view this subsidy loss as a
"life" event in order to enroll at off enrollment times.
Other friends of mine have claimed that losing the "subsidy" is akin to losing insurance and therefore will qualify as a life event and allow one to enroll in another plan because of the event. I'm not so certain about that one.
Let's me make a couple of points here. When the HCTC expires on 12/31/13, to the best of my knowledge, your insurance doesn't expire, only the % of subsidy of the premium paid by the government will. Therefore, two things. You still could have the same insurance with a "normal" premium price per month.
Bottom line, what options are available to us as Delta retired pilots who may be losing the HCTC plan? For those eligible, and generally between the age of 60-65:
1. Keep the HCTC qualifying plan you currently have (if provider allows) and pay the vastly higher monthly premiums WITHOUT the HCTC subsidy.
2. Enroll in a DFCMP or DPMP available from Delta with 50% subsidized premiums (see below for more on DPMP)
3. Enroll in a plan available from a workplace that you are at
4. Enroll in a spouse’s plan from her work
5. Enroll in Obama-Care......not kidding!!!!
Other friends of mine have claimed that losing the "subsidy" is akin to losing insurance and therefore will qualify as a life event and allow one to enroll in another plan because of the event. I'm not so certain about that one.
Let's me make a couple of points here. When the HCTC expires on 12/31/13, to the best of my knowledge, your insurance doesn't expire, only the % of subsidy of the premium paid by the government will. Therefore, two things. You still could have the same insurance with a "normal" premium price per month.
Bottom line, what options are available to us as Delta retired pilots who may be losing the HCTC plan? For those eligible, and generally between the age of 60-65:
1. Keep the HCTC qualifying plan you currently have (if provider allows) and pay the vastly higher monthly premiums WITHOUT the HCTC subsidy.
2. Enroll in a DFCMP or DPMP available from Delta with 50% subsidized premiums (see below for more on DPMP)
3. Enroll in a plan available from a workplace that you are at
4. Enroll in a spouse’s plan from her work
5. Enroll in Obama-Care......not kidding!!!!
For pilots over 65: Most Delta plans drop dead in
favor of Medicare, Except DPMP still has a supplement:
1. Enroll in Medicare
2. Enroll in both Medicare and DPMP
3. Enroll in Medicare with a Medicare supplemental from 3rd party provider.
1. Enroll in Medicare
2. Enroll in both Medicare and DPMP
3. Enroll in Medicare with a Medicare supplemental from 3rd party provider.
Rick, the above is, as I see it, our options. I hope others more knowledgeable than myself, will chime in on this one.
Mark Sztanyo
Sent from my iPad
More info on the expiration of the HCTC:
From: Dick Deeds
Subject: Fwd: Voluntary Benefit Trust for
Airline Retirees Healthcare Plans for 2014 Pre 65 and Medicare Eligible
Attention
Pre 65 Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) Eligible Retirees
Join
Us for a Status Update of the HCTC Subsidy Level
Tuesday,
October 8, 2013 11am EDT
For
All Retirees eligible for the HCTC program, currently receiving a pension check
from the PBGC and enrolled in our Pre65 Aetna insurance programs, please join
us for a status update on Tuesday, October 8, 2013. We will have
an open forum on the call and discuss the options for Retirees if the HCTC
subsidy is not reauthorized as well as what actions can be taken to have your
voices heard on the importance of the HCTC program in 2014 and beyond.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013 11am EDT
Conference Call: Dial-in Call:
1-517-623-4974 or 800-857-3005
Participant Passcode: 2126127
Reminder! Medicare Open Enrollment
for the Voluntary Benefit Trust for Airline Retirees Trust Plans Begins!
Medicare Eligible Retirees Airline
Trust Program Enhancements for 2014
Limited Number of Subsidies still
available for 2014 for Delta Retirees!
October 15, 2013- December 31, 2013
The Voluntary Benefit Trust
for Airline Retirees (VBTAR) will be hosting 2 calls per week at 11 am
EDT, each Tuesday and Thursday, beginning Tuesday, October 14th
throughout the remainder of October and November, in order to review the plans
we have available for Medicare eligible Airline Retirees to consider.
Please join us for the webinars/conference calls each Tuesday and
Thursday at 11 am EDT. You can also log on to our website, www.conebenefits.com
to review the plan designs and webinar login information so that you can follow
along with live presentations. At the end of each presentation, we will
be holding an open forum discussion to answer any questions you might have
about the plans being offered through the VBTAR Trust. We have a New
Aetna Retiree Supplemental Plan N we will be offering in 2014, to join the
current plans available today through the Trust. Your Trust
recognizes the importance of offering options to Retirees, and also understands
one size does not fit all. The Aetna Retiree Supplemental
plans for 2014 will be Plan F, Plan N and Plan A (Florida only).
The Supplemental Plans will be offered at a flat rate except for the states
of Florida and Washington along with 2 Medicare Advantage Plans and 3
Prescription Drug plans. You can call the plan administrator beginning
October 15th Benistar @ 1-800-236-4782 for details
for cost and plan designs.
Conference
Call: Dial-in each Tuesday and Thursday will be:
1-517-623-4974
or 800-857-3005 (same dial-in number but different passcode for Tuesday and
Thursday of each week)
Tuesday
Participant Passcode: 2126127
Thursday
Participant Passcode: 9384757
3) Reminder on the DPMP the Delta Pilot’s Medical Plan. YES, YOU
MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR IT!!!!!
After I sent out an email for a little help
with reminders about the currently available DPMP, I got the below from Denis
Waldron who explains it nicely. My
original is in italics:
From: Denis Waldron <denisw@windstream.net>
Date: October 5, 2013, 2:56:05 PM EDT
To: "marksztanyo@gmail.com" <marksztanyo@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Info help for next High Life
Date: October 5, 2013, 2:56:05 PM EDT
To: "marksztanyo@gmail.com" <marksztanyo@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Info help for next High Life
On 10/5/2013
2:39 PM, marksztanyo@gmail.com wrote:
RE: DPMP insurance for pilots from 60-65
Guys, I need a little help. I
wonder if you know this off the top of your head. The DELTA PILOTS
MEDICAL PLAN I assume is STILL available for guys between 60 and 65
Yes. Spouses too, even if the retired pilot is over age 65 on
Medicare. Most people I know plan on using the DPMP now that the HCTC is
expiring - but Delta announced their costs have dramatically increased due to
Obamacare - so expect hefty premium, deductible, and out of pocket increases
later this month when they announce them. That's my plan for my 62 year
old spouse even though I am 65.
and I believe as a medicare
supp after 65. Is that right?
Posters on the YGTBSM forum say it stinks. Most seem to use
DALRC, USAA, Medicare Advantage, or some other plan. USAA has some sort
of high deductible Plan F that seems popular. (I'm using Medicare
Advantage PPO via UHC this year, but about to shop around for 2014).
Posters on that forum will put up their research as they get it - see these
items:
http://ygtbsm2.informe.com/viewforum.php?f=8&sid=6740f40cd7a329d01c00c62c72e99581
http://ygtbsm2.informe.com/viewforum.php?f=8&sid=6740f40cd7a329d01c00c62c72e99581
In addition, there use to be a 50% premium subsidy
by Delta. Is that in place or did we lose that are eligible to
enroll but must pay 100% of the premium.
49% subsidy by Delta for retirees and/or spouses between age 60 - 65 (even part years due to
birthday eligibility).
Thanks for putting stuff like this out for us to share.
Denis
Thanks for putting stuff like this out for us to share.
Denis
4) The onset of The Affordable Care Act – Oct 1 2013
Literally don’t have much to add here because
of the yet still unknown information to me.
If you do not yet qualify for Medicare (or your spouse) and you do not
have or are losing your current insurance, then you may wish to look into
enrolling in either the DPMP or the government Affordable Care Act plan.
Premium
Calculator:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Insurance Trust for Delta Retirees
From: Yorkieatl@aol.com
Date: 10/06/13 08:15:33
Subject: Check out
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Postscript from Rick:
Hope you're enjoying still being able to go to work. I went
to Air India for a couple of years and for the past two years I've been flying
with my son who is a captain at SkyWest (picture below). I'm pretty well
finished now....I've been on a leave of absence for the summer and I'm having
my left knee replaced in November, so I think my days of compensated flying are
over. I did join the Flagship Detroit Foundation so I got rated in the
DC-3 and spent the summer flying the plane on the airshow circuit. Flying the
DC-3 for free is a lot better than flying a CRJ for money. I'll attach a
couple of pictures of the DC-3 also.
Thanks for taking this issue up!
Rick
Rick Smail with son who is a Skywest Capt.
Rick flying the DC3.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html
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