Newsletter

Last night President Dillman awarded retirement watches to three Carriers who recently retired from Newtown Square. Bill Marinelli after 33 years, Paul Bomgart after 27 years and Steve Ciminera after 24 years of service. Good luck to all of you and we hope you enjoy your well earned retirement.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed to or helped to pull off our first MDA Event done since the Pandemic. We tried this one in our Hall to keep costs down and it worked out well. There were a ton of prizes to be had and a lot of people went home happy. Thanks to all my committee members and those that jumped in to fill a need. And I have to thank all the branches that donated baskets for the raffle. Without any one of you this event would not have went as well as it did. Working and playing together only makes us stronger as a Union and all done while helping our favorite charity. Hope to see some of you at our next event. And encourage others to come along.

I was on a Web seminar with Blue Cross Blue Shield last week and while here in Chicago at the National Convention I got a chance to sit down with representatives of the NALC Heath Care Plan and the Social Security Administration and ask them some of the questions I have been getting from you.

Right now, about 80% of our members enroll in Medicare Part B when they reach the age of 65. The majority of those that don't enroll qualify for VA Benefits so don't need it. It is a very small percentage of our members that don't enroll.

In 2025 all Postal Employees will be moved from FEHB Health Plans to a new Postal Employee Health Plan. Most or all the current plans that have over 1,000 members will be available. It will mirror your current plan as much as possible. At that time, like any other open season, you should evaluate all the plans available to ensure you get the right one for you and your family. What changes will take effect with each plan is a gray area right now. The Postal Service, Unions and the Health Care Providers are still dotting the i's and crossing the t's to figure out how to achieve what they want to.

Anyone who retires before 2025 and is under 65 but enrolls in Social Security before that will automatically be enrolled in Medicare A & B once they hit 65 unless you tell them otherwise. You should get an alert from them telling you that within three months of your 65th Birthday. If you retire at the age of 65 you can opt either way at that time. Come 2025 everyone will have to be enrolled in Medicare Part B except those mentioned above that qualify for VA Benefits. There will be a separate sign in period beginning April 1, 2024, for those that have turned 65 and have not signed up. Any penalties because of not signing up at 65 will be paid for by the Postal Service not you.

Medicare accounts are individual ones and not a family plan. If you are turn 65 and you spouse is not, they will be still covered under your Postal Plan. Medicare will only be the primary for you. If your spouse is 65 and you are not yet then they will still be covered by your plan until you reach 65 and then both of you will have to enroll in Medicare without penalty to your spouse.

I think that covers most of the questions I have been asked since the Postal Reform Act was passed. If there are any more, please contact me. If you don't know how to reach me call the Union Office and ask them or leave your contact info with them and I will get back to you. We will learn more and more about some of those gray areas the closer with get to 2025.