Many of you may have noticed the Medicare Advantage Plans are making many changes. They also may not be the best choice if you have a serious health issue. There is a little known provision that allows you to make changes or go back to regular plans the first three months of the following year. Our go to source for guidance, Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia has been booked this year due to overwhelming requests for assistance. Those with questions should rely on organizations that do not sell or receive commissions when getting advise. The website is ssseva.org. to schedule an appointment by phone or in person. What is OEP for Medicare?

OEP refers to the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period and pertains only to those who are actively enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. The Medicare OEP lasts from January 1 to March 31 every year.

During OEP, you can make certain changes to your Medicare Advantage plan coverage. Any changes you make to your plan will take effect on the first day of the following month after your current plan processed your requested change. During the Medicare Advantage OEP, you can make the following changes:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Disenroll from your current Medicare Advantage and return to original Medicare
  (You may have to qualify to go back)
• If you return to original Medicare during OEP, you’ll also be able to join a Medicare Part D drug plan

Changes made during OEP will take effect on the first day of the following month. Beneficiaries can only make one change during OEP. Once a change has been made during OEP, it cannot be changed again until the next AEP. In 2019, Medicare OEP replaced what was previously the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period.

The Sept 2024 meeting's presentation is available for downloading.

• On Jan. 15th, The Association presented our budget request to City Council for a 2% COLA for all retirees, including Widows and Widowers. This request was also signed by Herb Redfield presenting the Fire Retirees and FOP Lodge 3 Representing both active and retired Police Officers.


• After a decades long battle the WEP Social Security bill was finally passed and signed by President Biden today. All our public safety retirees receiving SS will now receive all the benifits they are entitled to without the penalty.
  
  It will be retroactive to Jan 2024. I was told the SS administration will remove the WEP penalty in time.


• For many years while working on the WEP issue, I heard, "...you're wasting you time," "it will never pass," etc. The Federal Retirees Association, IAFF,FOP along with over 100k people who signed the petition, and many thousands of citizens who wrote their congressional representatives finally got HR-82 passed.

The same is true with our COLA. There is strenghth in numbers!

Looking at the History of Ad-Hoc COLAs in NERS
Valuation Date	Ad-Hoc COLA Granted	Increase in Contribution Rate
June 30, 2001	3.00%	0.32%
June 30, 2002	2.00%	0.22%
June 30, 2003	1.00%	0.11%
June 30, 2004	1.50%	0.20%
June 30, 2005	1.00%	0.15%
June 30, 2006	2.50%	0.32%
June 30, 2007	2.00%	0.39%
June 30, 2008	2.00%	0.42%
June 30, 2009 Recession and Pending GASB change	0.00%	0.00%
June 30, 2010	0.00%	0.00%
June 30, 2011	0.00%	0.00%
June 30, 2012	2.00%	0.52%
June 30, 2013	0.00%	0.00%
June 30, 2014 GASB starts	$300.00 Supplement*	0.00%
June 30, 2015	$300.00 Supplement*	0.00%
June 30, 2016	$380.00 Supplement*	0.00%
June 30, 2017	$839.00 Supplement*	0.00%
Totals	*One-time supplement paid to eligible retirees. No rate impact since reimbursed by the City.	2.75%