The following message was emailed to retirees by Rene Rodriguez, President on August 21, 2020, and U.S. mailed to retirees without an email address on the same date.
PLEASE NOTE THAT we just learned from the District that 180 retirees entitled to lifetime healthcare have yet to enroll in a CalPERS health plan which is due to take effect on September 1. Our current Anthem and Kaiser health plans are due to terminate on August 31.
If by chance you are one of these retirees that has not enrolled in a CalPERS health plan, you need to contact CalPERS first thing on Monday when they open for business by calling 1-888-225-7377 to enroll in a CalPERS health plan. Explain that you are a retiree from the Ventura County Community College District, and that you are entitled to healthcare benefits from the District. Have your social security number ready to identify yourself.
Please note that there may be a substantial hold time, but you must make this call to make sure you make the transition from our current Anthem and Kaiser plans, to the CalPERS health plans.
You should have received a packet of information from CalPERS in mid-July that included an enrollment form for a CalPERS health plan, and you should have received a letter from Katy Lyon soon after that included information about these health plans.
The above telephone number is the number that you should call first so that you can get direction from CalPERS as to what you must do now. If you feel that you need to contact the District office, call Katy Lyon at (805) 652-5535 or Janice Endo at (805) 652-5531, or email them at klyon@vcccd.edu or Janice_endo1@vcccd.edu (there is an underscore “_” in Janice_endo1). If you feel the Retirees’ Association can be of service to you, please respond to this email vcccdra@gmail.com or call (805) 499-6162.
SECONDLY, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: Please note that if any issues come up regarding enrollment in the prescription drug plan OptumRx, YOU MUST RESOLVE THESE ISSUES WITH OPTUMRX or risk loss of not only OptumRX, but also loss of the medical plan that you have enrolled in. Again, you will be left without the entire CalPERS insurance package if you do not resolve the issues with OptumRx.
Whatever the reason, if you are one of the retirees having to enroll at such a late date, the important thing is for you to begin the enrollment process with CalPERS right away by calling them at the number provided. Once you receive the enrollment forms, if you are unable to complete them by yourself, ask a family member or trusted friend to help you, or email me or call me at 805-499-6162, and I, or a colleague, will do our best to assist you.
Please be well and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Rene G. Rodriguez
VCCCDRA President
