Bay Area Retired School Personnel

Volume 22Issue 3 November 2013

Presidents Message.
Officers
President Sandy DeWaele
josandew@charter.net

1st Vice President Joyce Sigelko 2nd Vice President Betty Defrain Janet Brandt Secretary Ann Waterman Treasurer Phil Bosco Past President Dr. Mary Boettger

BARSP
Luncheon Meetings Lumber Barons Brewery (formerly BARTS) 804 E. Midland St. 2nd Floor 11:00 AM November 11, 2013 March 10, 2014 April 14, 2014 May 12, 2014

I want to invite all our members to our November 11, 2013 meeting at Lumber Barons Brewery - same location. BARTS has a new name. Increase Membership: We need to expand our Membership Committee plus coordinate efforts of the Directory, On-Line Facilitators, Calling, Facebook, Retirement Planning and Publicity Committees in order to more effectively and efficiently increase our membership. More information will be coming in November on how you can help. But until then referring a non-member to join BARSP and MARSP is the single most important step that can be taken to have a real say in protecting your and their pension and health care benefits. It may be a friend or a spouse but the impact we have as an organization expands exponentially as our membership grows. The number of retirees currently receiving MPSERS benefits is approaching 200,000. MARSP is the largest retiree association, yet only 25% of those retirees currently belong to MARSP. Your support is needed in expanding our membership. As an incentive, MARSP is having a monthly drawing for a $25 Visa gift card for those members who successfully refer a non-member to join MARSP. Referral forms are available from Cindy Bosco (892-9923). New members should make their check payable to MARSP dated January 1, 2014. This will get them a membership through June 30, 2015 for only $40! Medicaid Expansion: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly referred to as Obamacare, included an expansion of Medicaid to all individuals and families up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, paid for in full by the federal government until 2017. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the feds could not force states to expand Medicaid coverage, leaving individual states to decide whether or not to participate. MARSP supports the expansion of Medicaid. Qualifying MARSP members will see significant savings in health care costs. MPSERS will also realize significant savings in overall costs, therefore benefiting all public school retirees. Gov. Rick Snyder signed Medicaid expansion legislation into law on September 16, 2013 with bipartisan support. Michigan's expansion will happen later than most because Republicans in the Senate denied the measure immediate effect meaning implementation cannot begin until late March or April. The "Healthy Michigan" plan will require many new Medicaid recipients to pay income-based premiums that can be reduced through healthy lifestyle choices or increased if they choose to stay on Medicaid for more than four years. The expansion eventually will cover up to 470,000 new residents, allowing them to access primary care rather than seek expensive treatment at an emergency room. City of Detroit Bankruptcy: We need to keep our eye on the bankruptcy filing by the City of Detroit because our Legislature will also be keeping an eye on the legal maneuvering by the city, state and pension systems in an effort to address the pension and health care benefits for City of Detroit retirees. Dont be fooled into thinking because the State of Michigan isnt going bankrupt soon, the Detroit situation wont impact your retirement benefits. We dont want a precedent to be set that if a city goes bankrupt, the pensions and health care benefits of that citys retirees are eroded or eliminated. November Community Service: We will be collecting items for the Salvation Army Food Pantry. Items should be nonperishable with at least a six months advance used by date. Pet and paper items will also be accepted. Thanks to Kathy Bremer, Lois Gottleber, Bill and Marion Jones and Joyce Sigelko for volunteering to deliver these items.

-Sandy

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Insurance News
Here is quick summary for 2014 Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. NON-MEDICARE MEMBERS Living Well Wellness Program Make an appointment for an annual wellness exam. It can take place anytime from now until March 31, 2014. I recommend making the appointment no later than mid-March just in case the appointment gets changed. Note: lab work resulting from your annual wellness exam needs to be diagnostic, not general preventive. When you call for the appointment , ask if the office is a PCMH (Patient Centered Medical Home). Watch for the Living Well health assessment survey. It should arrive early in December. On the survey designate a PCP (Primary Care Physician) . Check and state PCMH if your doctors office is one. Be sure to fill it out and mail it by the deadline. MEDICARE MEMBERS You will not be required to complete the Living Well health assessment survey, but you might want to do it as you will be required to in 2015. The deductible for 2014 is $500, co-insurance $700, prescriptions $1000. You are allowed an annual wellness visit. This is not an annual physical. When you turn 65, you have 12 months to get your free Welcome to Medicare Physical. Members who turned 65 after March 31, 2014 need to follow the above steps for nonmedicare members for the discounts until they are Medicare eligible. DENTAL In 2014 all dentists will be paid at the PPO -scheduled amount which could result in higher costs. You are allowed two cleanings per year. They dont have to be 6 months to the date apart. Dont skip your cleanings. Call your dentist for an appointment and ask if he or she is a PPO or Premier Dentist. The maximum payment will increase to $1100 for 2014. HMO If interested in a HMO, call your doctor and check to see which HMOs they participate in. Priority Health and Health Plus are similar. Blue Cross Network is another choice. Be Healthy, Be Well ! Sue Post

Membership News
Phil and Sandy Paulus deserve a huge THANKS for getting our directories ready before the September meeting again this year. Your dedication is greatly appreciated. If you will be away this winter please let me know via email, phone call, or snail mail. I will need your winter address as well as your departure date and return date. Even if you are leaving for a couple of weeks and you do not have a forwarding address, please let me know. The post office will send your newsletter back to me if you are temporarily away and having your mail held. I would gladly hold your newsletter and mail it to you when you return. Dues information from MARSP will be mailed or emailed (if MARSP has your email address) late January or early February. Please pay your dues right away. They are not due until June 30th, but if everyone pays in early spring it makes my job so much easier. We have over 500 members and MARSP has over 45,000 members and each one must be entered/changed as dues are paid. Notices are sent out again if dues are not paid by May. Please help us defray the cost of this second notice. Many of you have made it a habit to pay early and I really appreciate it. Please check your name and address in the new directory to insure we have it correct. Call or email me if you find an error. Cindy Bosco 892.9923 p-c-bosco@sbcglobal.net

November Pre-pays
Leeds Bird Margaret Bird Dr. Mary Boettger Phil Bosco Cindy Bosco Betty Clifford T.Betty DeFrain Sandra DeWaele Janet Dixon Mary Ida Doan Mary Garcia Marge Giffel Leon Giffel Marty Gilkey Diane Glazier Marilyn Goik Franklin Grant Judy Groom Ron Hildinger Joan Hildinger Bill Jones Marion Jones Lillian Lockwood Larraine Matthews Leslie McAllister Kathy McMillan Marilyn Morales Brandy O'Dell Sue Post Margaret Robison Pat Ryan Florine Schutkowski Joyce Sigelko Barbara Skowronski Joann VanOver Edna Wittbrodt Thanks Carl Learman

Terrific Puns
Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Where did that saying come from?

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck .

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B AY AR E A R E T IR ED SCH O O L P E R SO N N E L

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BARSP Meeting Reservation Form Monday, November 11 at Lumber Barons Brewery (BARTS) Midland St. $9.50 per person Name (s)_________________________________________ ________________________________________
No. Attending________________ Amount Enclosed __________________________( please do not staple)

The Bosco Vest Cindy Bosco

Make check payable to BARSP and mail by November 7 Carl Learman 6353 Lawndale Road Saginaw, MI 48604-9457 989-793-8089

BARSP Minutes October 14, 2013 Program for the day: Representatives from Health Plus and BCBSM presented the benefits and costs of their respective health care insurance plans, and answered questions, allowing members to make informed choices. Meeting was called to order by President Sandra DeWaele. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited followed with the singing of America the Beautiful and Happy Birthday to those with October birthdays. Both were led by Cindy Bosco. Membership is at 537 with 5 new members. Guests in attendance were introduced. Secretarys Report: Motion was made to accept the minutes of September, 2013 by Joann Vanover and seconded by Mary Ida Doan. Motion carried. Treasurers Report for October: Phil Bosco
Income Expenses Check Account Save Account CD Life Acc CD $1,294.00 $ 954.00 $6,946.57 $ 399.15 $7,538.78 $7,538.78

line for the buffet style lunch! Next meeting is November 11, 2013. Please bring your nonperishable food items to this meeting. Kathy Bremer, Lois Gottleber, Bill and Marion Jones, and Joyce Sigelko will deliver these items to the Salvation Army. 50/50 winners: $71.00 Cheryl Morand $25.00 Cheryl Morand (Pulled her own ticket!) $25.00 Phil Bosco Blessing was given by Dr. Mary Boettger. November blessing will be given by Barbara Skowronski. Motion to adjourn was made by Florine Schutkowski and seconded by Cynthia Shaheen. Motion carried. Submitted by: Ann K. Waterman, Secretary

Welcome Aboard
Patrick Corcoran Kathryn Dobrinski Christine Eckerle Edwin Harvey JoAnn Landosky

Motion to accept the treasurers report as presented was made by Dr. Mary Boettger and seconded by Marty Gilke. Motion carried. Reservations: Carl Learman reported 151 meal tickets for todays meeting. Legislation Report: none Insurance Report: Sue Post advised members to make sure their doctor is a participating physician in the health plan they choose. Sue reminded members that their dental insurance provides for 2 paid cleanings per year. Old Business: None New Business: If you volunteer to give the blessing at Novembers meeting, your table will be the first in

Greeters 2013-2014
November: Marion Jones, Bill Jones, Lavona Styn March: (2014) Maxine Barker, Marty Gilkey, Florine Schutkowski April: Barbara Skowronski, Lavona Styn Barbara Wall May: Ellen Czerwinski, Darleen Herner Dorothy Massoll

BAY AREA RETIRED SCHOOL PERSONNEL 2245 Carroll Road Bay City, Michigan 48708

Presorted STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid Bay City, MI Permit No. 30

VOLUME 22ISSUE 3

November 2013

Meet Ann K. Waterman

Ann retired from Bay City Public Schools in 2010 after 11 years working at the administration building and at various schools as an Administrative Assistant. Before that, Ann worked as an Administrative Assistant to the Director of Installation and Repair at AT&T in Saginaw, retiring in 1997 with 37 years of service. She is married and has 2 married sons and 5 grandchildren. Since retirement, Ann has volunteered at Hampton school in the library. She has also volunteered at Delta College evaluating scholarship essays. She exercises at the Community Center 3 times a week and is also an avid walker and bicyclist. She is always on call to babysit, pick up grandchildren, take them to dentist appointments, football practice, dancing lessons, singing lessons and play rehearsals. She tries to attend all her grandchildren's activities. She loves to read and knit, and is currently participating in a weekly bible study class.