NEWS FROM HOME: JUNE, 2007
Where everyday is Friday.
Another school year has ended and we are beginning our wonderful Long Island summer. So far the weather has been very pleasant with cool balmy breezes. Hope it continue this way.
Thanks to a call from one of our retirees, Helen Williams, we would like to alert you to the fact that our UnitedHealth Care Insurance does not cover the Shingles vaccine; it costs anywhere from $150-$210. We were under the impression that Medicare Part D did cover the vaccine. Helen refers us an article in Newsday, December. 2, 2006 on Page B6 by Saul Friedman. This tells us that Medicare does pay for the vaccine in some instances. You can get the article from the internet or from your local library. We questioned UnitedHealth Care about their promise to us that we had the same coverage as Medicare Part D if we stayed with them during the conversion time. I called United Health Care and sent them a copy of the letter we all received from the Department of Civil Service stating we had “creditable coverage for persons who are covered by the N.Y.S. Health Insurance Program NYSHIP.” UnitedHealth Care was under the assumption that Medicare does not pay for the vaccine either. UnitedHealth Care is looking into this. We highly recommend you contact United Health Care @1-800-769-7447 and ask for Jens Olsen Supervisor, Appeals Deparment or his secretary Carmela, and ask about coverage for this vaccine. It is important to keep alert on these developments or they will continue to occur.
Secondly, in the March/April, 2007 issue of the Retired Public Employees Association’s newsletter (page 2) written by Executive Director Kevin Murray, he lets us know that since January. 1, 2007, federal law has required higher income retirees to pay more than the $93.50 standard monthly premium for their Part B Medicare coverage. RPEA is working against any attempt to deny full reimbursement. It has suggested that they would like to hear from any one of those who are paying more than the standard $93.50 for Medicare Part B. Call them at 1-800-726-7732 or mail@rpea.org - Attention: Sylvia. Identify yourself as a member of the MCRA. This is another time where we must remain vigilant or we will be cast aside. Also, I have found that my membership in RPEA has been very beneficial insofar as getting information such as this.
…We have enclosed our 2007-2008 membership applications. Please return ASAP, as a reminder mailing is becoming very costly. ... Visit our webpage often in order to keep up with the news – https://www.angelfire.com/ny5/mcra - or e-mail Michael Daly at mteachd@hotmail.com. Michael continues to do a great job on the webpage and it has received 10,720 hits. … Remember to send Peggy Loucks your reservation for the September 7th outing to Belmont Race Track. We have 23 seats remaining. All this information can be obtained at our webpage. … If you have a transportation problem in getting to our luncheons/meetings, please call me at 732-3447 and I will get someone to pick you up. This should not be a reason to stay home when we have so many local members who are willing to help out any of our colleagues. … Our 20th Anniversary luncheon on June 5 at the Watermill Inn was attended by 97 members including members from far and wide, visit our webpage for a full list of attendees. … Check out the Wall of Remembrance on the webpage for any corrections or additions to the list since corrections or additions are not be published in the directory until annual ddirectory update time. We count on you for accuracy in this memorial.
Remember to STAY IN TOUCH and please send us any changes of address.
Joan O’Grady, editor
NEWS FROM HOME:APRIL, 2007
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