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THE WEST ViRGiniA UniTED METHODiST • www.wvumc.org


FALL 2010 Te Conference Medicare Supplement


Program will continue to coordinate payment with Medicare as the primary payer and the Conference plan as the secondary payer. Te Conference plan will pick up 50% of prescription costs to participants who fall in the ‘dough- nut hole’; providing significant support to retirees with high prescription costs. Conference will also continue to pro- vide dental coverage to retirees. Changes in premium costs and the


shiſt to Medicare Part D for those eligi- ble will go into effect January 1, 2011. “I want to stress to our retirees to make


Health Coverage Changes


Approved by Conference Medicare Part D to cover retiree prescription drug needs


By Laura Allen


Several changes to conference-funded health care for active and retired par- ticipants were approved at Annual Conference in June. Active participants in the confer-


ence health care program will see an 18% jump in premium costs; to $548/ month for singles, and $1316/month for families. Single coverage for retir- ees will increase from $56/month to


DIASTER RESPONSE


Funds are needed to complete the outfitting of the Conference Disaster Response Trailer. “We need about $3500.00 to get all the gear we need,” said Conference Disaster Response co-Coordinator, Rev. Dan Lowther. “Tis will enable us to really serve folks when disasters happen.” He says current funds for trailer supplies total about $2300.00.


Make a check out to the Conference Treasur- er. Please write ‘#920, Disaster Trailer’ in the memo line. Churches, if you take up special offerings, please use remittance forms with the same fund number. Send them to:


Te United Methodist Center Office of the Conference Treasurer P.O. Box 2469 Charleston, WV, 25329


$135 per month for singles; and from $113/month to $270/month for family coverage. Te Conference Board of Pensions


and Health Benefits reported in the pre-conference workbook that the rationale for the increase is premi- ums collected last year were $320,000, while costs were $2,016,000 for the same group. Medicare eligible participants will also be shiſted to Medicare Part D for


RETIREES SHOULD BEGIN CONVERSION TO MEDI- CARE PART D BY NOV. 1, 2010. CALL WVSHIP FOR HELP WITH THE PROCESS: 1-877-987-4463


prescription drug coverage, a move that projects a net savings to the Con- ference of $600,000.


sure and sign up for Medicare Part D,” said Conference Treasurer and Direc- tor of Administrative Services, Jim Berner. He said the Conference will assume retirees make the switch, and they should start the process as soon as possible. A letter to all Conference health care program participants sent June 14 gives specific instructions and guidance for the shiſt. A vital resource available to help re-


tirees navigate the Medicare system is the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Counselors from this organization will guide retirees through the Medicare process and an- swer any questions. Call SHIP in West Virginia toll-free at 1-877-987-4463; or visit them online at wvship.org. Other changes include: Minimum funding levels for health


care will be 70%/church; 30%/partici- pant, effective January 1, 2011 Complete details and guidelines on


all Conference Health Care Program changes were sent to all participants June 14. Te letter is also available on the Conference website, wvumc.org.


ADAM CUnninGHAM


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