Ililnois State Employees Association - ISEA Retirees <image>
Illinois State Employment Employees Association Retirees - ISEA Retirees
 

Welcome to The Illinois State
Employees Association Retirees

Our Mission Statement

The Association is constituted to promote the welfare of public employees who have retired from service with the State of Illinois in all ways compatible with the public interest and to support and promote improvements in the public employee’s retirement systems of Illinois.



ISEA Retirees make "Retirement As It Should Be”

Retirement is when you spend less time worrying and more time enjoying the “golden years”. ISEA Retirees can help eliminate your worries by letting you discuss them with a live person rather than a machine each weekday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. We can help eliminate tax and retirement issues, insurance problems, long-term care questions and rates, home safety with security systems and even help you get fresh hearing aid batteries at blue light special prices. Our staff pledges to help make your retirement truly a pleasant one.

Memorial Health Accepts Aetna

While attending our quarterly advisory Board meeting with Central Management Services, it was announced that Memorial Health and Aetna have tentatively agreed to a contract which allows retirees with Aetna MAPD to continue to go to the hospital and doctors under the Memorial Health System. We are closely following the issue to make sure that everyone will be able to receive health services without interruption.

Due to a processing issue, federal taxes were under withheld on certain January 2023 retirees benefit checks. The issue has been addressed and federal withholding will be correct for the February benefit check. It is unfortunate that this error did occur but I feel SRS will correct the issue. The omission is only in regard to federal tax withholding and not for other items normally withheld or deducted from the monthly benefit.

For those who are affected, the omission is for retirees in the amount of all of January's federal tax withholding. While February's deposit is expected to correctly reflect withheld federal tax income tax, that deposit will not make up for what should have been withheld in January's deposit. Should you prefer to make an income tax payment to the IRS (the State has suggested a W-4P) or you may contact your tax preparer and make an estimated payment.

Rudy Kink, Jr.- Executive Director

Letter to the Governor


Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan PPO Change

Regarding the change in administrators for United Health Care Medicare Advantage Plan (UHC) to Aetna Insurance Company. Sources close to the administration of Group Insurance has confirmed that there are a few changes in benefits. The deductibles and coverages will remain the same. Aetna PPO will be continuing the Silver Slippers Program which UHC had plans to drop at the end of the year. A win for retirees!

The Central Management System (CMS) and Aetna will be offering in-person and virtual seminars to inform retirees about the transition to Aetna from UHC. Additionally, everyone will be receiving information by e-mail and regular mail.

The final appeal process is over and UHC lost the appeal. It appears from our sources that this move is a positive change for us and they have assured us that Aetna is working with providers (doctors, clinics, hospitals, etc.) to make sure that the available services will be as good as or better than in the past.

In all my years of state government, I have and will continue not to react to rumors but to investigate the facts and obtain the correct information before making any recommendations. We do not use such rumors as a basis for increasing our membership.

To access CMS information on the computer: (www2.illinois.gov/CMS/benefits/StateEmployee).


Rudy J. Kink Executive Director
ISEA Retirees

 

The ISEA Retirees Association has been vigilant in protecting the rights of retired state employees.

On January 3, 2014, ISEA Retirees was the first of all retirees organization to file a lawsuit in Sangamon County Court that challenged the constitutionality of the Pension Reform Act. That lawsuit was called Illinois State Employees Associate Retirees v the Board of Trustees of the State Employees' Retirement System, et Al and was case number 2014 Ch3.

On May 14, 2014, a Sangamon County Judge stopped the Pension Reform Act from going into effect on July 1, 2014. The Illinois Supreme Court previously consolidated four other similar lawsuits to Sangamon County joining the lawsuit filed by ISEAR, which in essence challenged the changing of the 3% automatic annual increase as a violation of contractual law and the Illinois Constitution. The temporary injunction issued by the Sangamon County Judge only prevented the Pension Reform Act from going into effect on July 1 until the case was finalized in his court.

In addition to our own pension lawsuit, ISEAR was the first retirees organization to contribute funds to help defray attorney's fees in the case entitled Kanerva v Weems. On July 3, 2014, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the state retirees' health insurance is a pension benefit that cannot be diminished or impaired by the Illinois General Assembly.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court ruled that the Pension Reform Act was unconstitutional and that the pension benefits as provided by statute cannot be diminished or impaired.

 

Medicare Advantage Information

Medicare-eligible retirees and survivors have received information regarding the Total Retiree Advantage Illinois (TRAIL) Enrollment Period. The informational kits are mailed to Medicare retirees enrolled in the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers’ Retirement Program (TRIP) and the College Insurance Program (CIP).

 

  1. The member must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, AND
  2. If the member has dependents on his/her coverage, ALL of the covered dependents must also be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and B.

If the member has a dependent on his/her coverage who is not enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, the member will not be included in the group of members set to be offered a Medicare Advantage plan. The member and dependents will all remain in the current health plan.

What happens to a member’s other State-offered plan benefits, like dental, vision and life insurance? Will a member still have them when changing to a Medicare Advantage plan?

Yes, members will continue to have the same dental, vision, and life plan benefits from the same plan administrators that they are currently enrolled.

Will a member be able to make changes to his/her coverage during the annual Benefit Choice Period held in May each year?

No. Retirees who become part of the State-sponsored Medicare Advantage group of members have a new annual enrollment period in the fall of each year to coincide with the federal Medicare calendar plan year.

Do the State-sponsored Medicare Advantage plans include prescription coverage?

Yes, all of the Medicare Advantage plans being offered have prescription drug coverage included with no gap (i.e., donut hole).

Are there any special programs being offered through these Medicare Advantage plans?

Yes, each Medicare Advantage plan offers a variety of wellness/clinical programs. Although the programs vary by health plan vendor, some examples include various wellness programs, disease management programs, case management programs, discount programs, medication therapy management and meal programs.

 

 

Benefits Choice - Group Insurance Benefits

Members enrolled in any of the four group insurance programs administered by the State of Illinois are provided health and prescription drug benefits. Some programs offer additional benefits of vision, dental and life insurance coverage. The four groups include State employees and retired State employees; retired community college employees; retired Illinois teachers; and active employees and retired employees of Illinois' local governments. Use the CMS address - cms.il.gov to visit the Benefits Choice website for more information.

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ISEA Retirees
2060 W. Iles, Suite D
Springfield, IL 62704
Phone: (217) 698-6070, (217) 698-6087, (217) 698-6112
Fax: (217) 698-6079