Month: October 2020

Jerry Dunlap’s Passing

Jerry Dunlap
Jerry Dunlap

With sadness, VCCCDRA has learned of the passing of Gerald “Jerry” D. Dunlap on September 30, 2020 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Jerry began his career at Ventura College in 1967 where he coached football and wrestling.  He later became the college’s athletic director.  Coach Dunlap’s teams earned multiple conference championships and state titles.  He served as president of the Western State Conference and has been inducted into the Ventura College Athletic Hall of Fame as well as the California Community College Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.

A celebration of his life will take place at a date to be determined.  Please use this link to read his complete obituary.

Roeder Mortuary, Inc.
Gretna Chaple
11710 Standing Stone
Gretna, NE
(402) 332-0090
www.RoederMortuary.com

VCCCDRA needs your help! Major change in benefits for surviving spouses!

HELP US LOCATE SPOUSES WHO QUALIFY!

From Gary Johnson

The Association became aware that under CalPERS rules the District must provide most spouses of deceased retirees District paid health benefits that are the same as their spouse would have received had they still been alive.

    This is contrary to the fact that previously such spouses only had access to District benefits if they chose to pay for them at their own expense.
    The District gave CalPERS a list of spouses to be notified of this major change in providing benefits and they should have received enrollment packets.
    However, we know that the list was incomplete, and we know that some ignored the opportunity because from past experience and notifications they believed that they were not eligible and concluded that this notification did not apply to them.
For a spouse to be eligible:
      • The retiree must have been eligible for lifetime District benefits (Tier I or Tier II)
      • The spouse must be a recipient of a monthly allowance pension through CalPERS or CalSTRS sufficient to cover the cost of the benefit
      • The spouse must enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B if they are eligible for Medicare. (Note: if deceased retiree was eligible for Medicare, then the spouse is eligible for Medicare)
      • The District will reimburse the spouse for the cost of Medicare Part B, plus any part B late enrollment penalties and surcharges for excessive income (IRMAA), and the District will pay for a Medical supplement health plan to Medicare Part B, including Part D drug coverage
RETIREES PLEASE RESPOND ASAP – DEADLINE IMMINENT
      • The spouse must enroll In a CalPERS health plan by October 31!  (This requirement may be waived under certain circumstances)
      • This surviving spouse benefit, that is, District paid coverage for the spouse, will last only as long as the District contracts with CalPERS for healthcare benefits
WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A LIST OF SPOUSES OF DECEASED RETIREES
      • If you know any of them or of them, contact them to see if they know of this opportunity. Then, forward their name and contact information to the Retirees’ Association for our records and possible assistance
      • If they are interested in more information and/or enrollment, have them contact both the Association and the District.
District:
Katy Lyon
Benefits Analyst – VCCCD
761 E. Daily Dr., Suite 200
Camarillo, CA  93010
805-652-5535
             or
Janice Endo
District Benefits Administrative Assistant
805-652-5531
Retirees’ Association:  VCCCDRA@gmail.com

District Zoom Meeting Held on October 7, 2020

Lester Tong was kind enough to email us his summary of the Zoom meeting sponsored by the District on 10/7/2020.

On 10/7/2020 9:50 PM, Lester & Mae Tong wrote:

Today from 10:00am till 11:00am, I attended the “CalPERS Medical Plan Open Enrollment” Zoom Meeting (along with 47 others) presented by Katy Lyon.  I found it to be very helpful.  This Zoom Meeting was recorded and will be made available for playback at the District’s Benefit website at: https://www.vcccd.edu/departments/human-resources/benefitsLook for the section “CalPERS MEDICAL”Then subsection “Retirees”Under the “Zoom meeting Q&A – Recording 7/17/2020” (when they get it posted).
Also, I would encourage all retirees to go to this website and review the “CalPERS MEDICAL – OPEN ENROLLMENT” section for more detailed information.
Here are the highlights from my notes:
__ CalPERS Health Benefit is on a Calendar Year which is from Jan 1 to Dec 31.
     Open Enrollment for 2021 is from Sep 21 to Oct 16, 2020.     Any changes to your existing Medical Plan must be completed during Open Enrollment.     Changes are done online with your account login at www.calpers.ca.gov
__ For CalPERS Anthem “PPO Basic Plans” (without Medicare), it is either “PERS Choice” or “PERSCare”    Comparision of Benefits is found in “2021 CalPERS Health Benefit Summary” starting on page 16.  It can be downloaded from the District’s Benefit website (see link above). 
__ For CalPERS Anthem PPO with Medicare, it is either “PERS Choice” or “PERSCare”    Comparision of Benefits is found in “2021 CalPERS Health Benefit Summary” starting on page 24.  It can be downloaded from the District’s Benefit website (see link above). 
__ If you are over 65 and do not have both Medicare parts A & B,

Regarding Medicare eligible by age but not enrolled – CalPERS allows newly contracting members to enroll in a Basic plan until they can secure Medicare. They must then enroll in the required Medicare during the upcoming general enrollment, January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2021.

 Upon receiving Medicare, that is a qualifying event for retirees to change plans. For example, if a retiree becomes effective for Medicare July 1, 2021, that would be a qualifying event for them to change plans.

 Additional information can be found at http://www.calpers.ca.gov/newhealthmember.
__ Medicare Part B (Non-hospital cost) monthly premiums including IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount based on your tax returns) will be reimbursable with proof of payment starting September 2020.    Also, Medicare Part D (Prescription cost) IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount based on your tax returns) will be reimbursable with proof of payment starting September 2020.     Reimbursements will be handled by a 3rd party, BCC (Benefit Coordinators Corporation) using the SMARTCARE program.  VCCCD can not pay these premiums directly as it is prohibited by law.  Further instructions from BCC are mailed to your home address.

__ MES Vision & Delta Dental will remain the same and separate from CalPERS Medical.
Lester Tong, Classified Retiree, June 2016

William “Bill” Fox’s Passing

With sadness, VCCCDRA has learned of the recent passing of Bill Fox on June 21, 2020.  Bill was a biology professor at Ventura College.  Bill was also known as an expert carver of Halloween pumpkins, and he and his pumpkin art were featured in an LA Times article that was published in 1990.

We have been unable to locate an obituary.