United Healthcare Medicare Advantage Plan Health Insurance Participants
December 13, 2022
IRTA Members,
You may have received in the mail a letter from your insurance provider, United Healthcare (Medicare Advantage Plan), stating that your health and prescription coverage was ending. The information is incorrect. Your coverage is continuing under Aetna. The switch to Aetna is automatic beginning January 1, 2023. The Association recommends disregarding that letter entirely.
Sincerely,
Jim Bachman
IRTA Executive Director
October 22, 2022
FYI – The TRAIL 2023 Open Enrollment Guide was just posted on the TRS web site -- https://www.trsil.org/sites/default/files/documents/23-trail-trip-Open-Enrollment-guide.pdf.
More information is available about procedures, prescription drugs, webinars, etc. -- https://www.trsil.org/health-insurance-trail.
Please feel free to share these links with interested members.
Rich Frankenfeld
Director of Outreach
Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois
PO Box 19235
2815 W. Washington
Springfield, IL 62794-9253
217-814-2073
September 24, 2022
Please read this message:
If you are a WCRTA member who is covered under the TRAIL Health Insurance plans administered by the CMS, then you probably got an email on, or about, Wednesday, September 20th regarding changes to your health insurance plan. Be sure to read that email. WCRTA would like to offer some valuable perspective about this change from WCRTA member and former IRTA President, Dave Davison, who is the present Region 1 director. In an email written last week, Dave addresses some of the more practical aspects of this change.
There is bound to be concern about CMS changing our TRAIL Health Insurance provider to Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO. I talked to Jim Bachman twice this week. One time on Monday morning before he became aware that CMS had rejected United Health Care’s appeal to CMS, he thought the appeal was ongoing. It sounds like the appeal was officially rejected on the previous Friday.
Jim emphasized on Monday and again last Thursday that Aetna is: “a good insurance company”. Both days he said that the specs in the “request for bids” had not changed this year from the last time they went out, so the benefits should be the same as with our present United Health Care plan. When we first went with the United Healthcare Medicare Advantage PPO, we told people that “If a health provider accepts Medicare, it will accept the United Healthcare Medicare Advantage PPO”. I asked Jim specifically if that statement is true with the Aetna plan and he said it should be. He emphasized that IRTA was not critical of the Aetna Plan, but the concern is that some of our members may get lost in the cracks in the process of changing insurance carriers. I just read the following statement Jim made in a Members Benefit Committee meeting recently:
Jim Bachman addressed the change in the TRAIL Insurance carrier and clarified that IRTA only wanted to inform our members and in no way did IRTA discredit Aetna. The plan should be comparable to the UHC Medicare Advantage PPO. He advises members to check with their healthcare providers to see if they accept Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO.
In summary:
The positives:
--Aetna is a good insurance company.
--The benefits should be comparable to what we have with United Health Care.
--We expect the statement: ”If a health care provider (doctor, hospital, walk in clinic, etc.) accepts Medicare patients, it should accept patients using our new Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO” to still be true. To me, this means we should be able to continue going to the same health care providers we use now. However, it sounds like that may not be true all over the state, especially around Champaign where it seems Aetna and the Carle Clinic have not reached an agreement on a contract.
--Per a change from original information from Jim Bachman, IRTA Executive Director: CMS has now stated that no action will be required to enroll in the Aetna MAPD, unless a participant wants to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan. If you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) are currently covered under the United Healthcare MAPD Plan or a MAPD HMO Plan, you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan with coverage beginning January 1, 2023.
This is a change from original information we received.
The Negatives:
--To be sure of coverage, we should contact our present health care providers to make sure they accept the Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO. (Note: It is very important that you check with your providers!!)
--We are not going to know for sure how the change will be implemented until either CMS, Aetna, or TRS puts out information. We could hear from multiple sources.
--Losing HMO plans may be a concern to some people.
Other:
--Jim expects specific information to be coming out in a week or two.
--The change goes into effect on January 1, 2023. Therefore, we will still be using United Healthcare until December 31, 2022.
The fact is, we don’t have all the answers yet. But maybe some of the above will alleviate some concern until we have more specific information.
UP TO DATE INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING. BE SURE TO READ ALL EMAILS AND TEXTS FROM IRTA, CMS, AETNA, AND TRS. KEEP INFORMED.
David Davison, IRTA Region 1 Director
September 22, 2022
IRTA
Central Management Services Highlights:
TRAIL Vendor Change
RFP process for TRAIL MAPD plans has finalized. Beginning January 1, 2023, the new sole medical and prescription drug plan will be the Aetna Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) PPO Plan.
Beginning January 1, 2023, your new medical and prescription drug plan will be the Aetna Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) PPO Plan. This new plan will replace your current plan, whether you’re currently enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare MAPD Plan or one of the MAPD HMO Plans (Aetna, Health Alliance, or Humana).
No action is required unless you want to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan, add or remove dependents, or change dental/life coverage, if applicable. If you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) are currently covered under the UnitedHealthcare MAPD Plan or a MAPD HMO Plan, you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan with coverage beginning January 1, 2023.
To learn more about this change, click here.
TRAIL MAPD OPEN ENROLLMENT is November 1-30, 2022
September 20, 2022
IRTA Members,
Central Management Services (CMS) indicated that the current Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD) contract with United Healthcare is set to expire on December 31, 2022. During this process, CMS chose to end the State’s relationship with United and chose Aetna to become the new, sole MAPD provider. Just like United Healthcare's MAPD plan, Aetna's plan will not include vision or dental. In addition, during this process, CMS chose to no longer provide an HMO option.
Under the new contract, premiums will decrease, while out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles will stay the same. Some aspects of the program may also change such as which drugs are formulary and which doctors are considered in network. Members should discuss these changes with their healthcare team to understand how if at all, these changes could affect them.
CMS also stated that no action will be required unless a participant wants to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan. If you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) are currently covered under the United Healthcare MAPD Plan or a MAPD HMO Plan, you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan with coverage beginning January 1, 2023.
Sincerely,
Jim Bachman
IRTA Executive Director
September 14, 2022
IRTA Members,
The Illinois Retired Teachers Association would like to make our members aware that according to a recent article, Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO will be the sole insurer offered to Illinois retired state workers and retired teachers. This means that, in addition to removing United Healthcare, the State is also removing all HMO options from retired teachers. IRTA understands that in some areas, members will not be able to continue to see their current healthcare providers at the same cost.
The attached article makes it clear that this will be true in the Champaign area, but your area could be impacted as well. You may want to check with your healthcare providers about how the State’s decision to contract Aetna as the sole provider could impact your benefit.
Open enrollment for retirees has been pushed back to November 1st from the typical October 1st start date. The new plan will go into effect for enrollees January 1, 2023. Communication regarding the change will begin within the next couple of weeks. To read the full article, please click here.
Sincerely,
Jim Bachman
IRTA Executive Director
Note: Open enrollment for state retirees has been pushed back to Nov. 1 from the typical Oct. 1 start date. The new plan will go into effect for enrollees Jan. 1.
A Message from IRTA Executive Director Jim Bachman
To: Total Retiree Advantage Illinois (TRAIL) Eligible – Members
From: Jim Bachman, IRTA Executive Director
Re: Questions concerning TRAIL enrollment
As an individual who is enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, your Annual TRAIL MAPD Open Enrollment Period will be held in the fall of each year. The TRAIL plan year is January 1 through December 31. The Open Enrollment Period is from October 15 – November 16.
Many enrollees have been calling the IRTA asking questions concerning the open enrollment process. Please read the information sent to you thoroughly.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• Materials sent to you from the TRIP - sponsored TRAIL MAPD plan administrators will feature the TRAIL logo.
• If you are currently enrolled in one of the TRAIL plans, your coverage will continue - you do not need to do anything unless you want to make a change.
You can download the guide on TRS’s website: click here
December 13, 2022
IRTA Members,
You may have received in the mail a letter from your insurance provider, United Healthcare (Medicare Advantage Plan), stating that your health and prescription coverage was ending. The information is incorrect. Your coverage is continuing under Aetna. The switch to Aetna is automatic beginning January 1, 2023. The Association recommends disregarding that letter entirely.
Sincerely,
Jim Bachman
IRTA Executive Director
October 22, 2022
FYI – The TRAIL 2023 Open Enrollment Guide was just posted on the TRS web site -- https://www.trsil.org/sites/default/files/documents/23-trail-trip-Open-Enrollment-guide.pdf.
More information is available about procedures, prescription drugs, webinars, etc. -- https://www.trsil.org/health-insurance-trail.
Please feel free to share these links with interested members.
Rich Frankenfeld
Director of Outreach
Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois
PO Box 19235
2815 W. Washington
Springfield, IL 62794-9253
217-814-2073
September 24, 2022
Please read this message:
If you are a WCRTA member who is covered under the TRAIL Health Insurance plans administered by the CMS, then you probably got an email on, or about, Wednesday, September 20th regarding changes to your health insurance plan. Be sure to read that email. WCRTA would like to offer some valuable perspective about this change from WCRTA member and former IRTA President, Dave Davison, who is the present Region 1 director. In an email written last week, Dave addresses some of the more practical aspects of this change.
There is bound to be concern about CMS changing our TRAIL Health Insurance provider to Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO. I talked to Jim Bachman twice this week. One time on Monday morning before he became aware that CMS had rejected United Health Care’s appeal to CMS, he thought the appeal was ongoing. It sounds like the appeal was officially rejected on the previous Friday.
Jim emphasized on Monday and again last Thursday that Aetna is: “a good insurance company”. Both days he said that the specs in the “request for bids” had not changed this year from the last time they went out, so the benefits should be the same as with our present United Health Care plan. When we first went with the United Healthcare Medicare Advantage PPO, we told people that “If a health provider accepts Medicare, it will accept the United Healthcare Medicare Advantage PPO”. I asked Jim specifically if that statement is true with the Aetna plan and he said it should be. He emphasized that IRTA was not critical of the Aetna Plan, but the concern is that some of our members may get lost in the cracks in the process of changing insurance carriers. I just read the following statement Jim made in a Members Benefit Committee meeting recently:
Jim Bachman addressed the change in the TRAIL Insurance carrier and clarified that IRTA only wanted to inform our members and in no way did IRTA discredit Aetna. The plan should be comparable to the UHC Medicare Advantage PPO. He advises members to check with their healthcare providers to see if they accept Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO.
In summary:
The positives:
--Aetna is a good insurance company.
--The benefits should be comparable to what we have with United Health Care.
--We expect the statement: ”If a health care provider (doctor, hospital, walk in clinic, etc.) accepts Medicare patients, it should accept patients using our new Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO” to still be true. To me, this means we should be able to continue going to the same health care providers we use now. However, it sounds like that may not be true all over the state, especially around Champaign where it seems Aetna and the Carle Clinic have not reached an agreement on a contract.
--Per a change from original information from Jim Bachman, IRTA Executive Director: CMS has now stated that no action will be required to enroll in the Aetna MAPD, unless a participant wants to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan. If you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) are currently covered under the United Healthcare MAPD Plan or a MAPD HMO Plan, you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan with coverage beginning January 1, 2023.
This is a change from original information we received.
The Negatives:
--To be sure of coverage, we should contact our present health care providers to make sure they accept the Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO. (Note: It is very important that you check with your providers!!)
--We are not going to know for sure how the change will be implemented until either CMS, Aetna, or TRS puts out information. We could hear from multiple sources.
--Losing HMO plans may be a concern to some people.
Other:
--Jim expects specific information to be coming out in a week or two.
--The change goes into effect on January 1, 2023. Therefore, we will still be using United Healthcare until December 31, 2022.
The fact is, we don’t have all the answers yet. But maybe some of the above will alleviate some concern until we have more specific information.
UP TO DATE INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING. BE SURE TO READ ALL EMAILS AND TEXTS FROM IRTA, CMS, AETNA, AND TRS. KEEP INFORMED.
David Davison, IRTA Region 1 Director
September 22, 2022
IRTA
Central Management Services Highlights:
TRAIL Vendor Change
RFP process for TRAIL MAPD plans has finalized. Beginning January 1, 2023, the new sole medical and prescription drug plan will be the Aetna Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) PPO Plan.
- TRAIL MAPD Open Enrollment Period will run November 1 – November 30, 2022
- An email (shown below which links to the letter which will be mailed) was sent out to all members September 20 explaining the change
- No action is required unless the member needs to add/remove a dependent or wishes to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan.
- Member elections go into effect January 1, 2023.
- Members will receive a welcome kit in the mail from Aetna with more information about the plan and will also receive new member ID cards, which can be used for medical and prescription drug services.
- TRAIL seminars will be in-person this year beginning November 1-18, 2022, except for the Nov. 8 and 11 state holidays. Dates and locations are still being finalized. This information should be available in early October and will be sent out to all members on a “save the date” mailer. CMS will provide Advisory Board members the listing of events once it is available.
- There will be three virtual high-level webinars beginning October 25-27. Members can attend these first and decide if they want or need to attend the live seminars in person.
Beginning January 1, 2023, your new medical and prescription drug plan will be the Aetna Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) PPO Plan. This new plan will replace your current plan, whether you’re currently enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare MAPD Plan or one of the MAPD HMO Plans (Aetna, Health Alliance, or Humana).
No action is required unless you want to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan, add or remove dependents, or change dental/life coverage, if applicable. If you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) are currently covered under the UnitedHealthcare MAPD Plan or a MAPD HMO Plan, you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan with coverage beginning January 1, 2023.
To learn more about this change, click here.
TRAIL MAPD OPEN ENROLLMENT is November 1-30, 2022
September 20, 2022
IRTA Members,
Central Management Services (CMS) indicated that the current Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD) contract with United Healthcare is set to expire on December 31, 2022. During this process, CMS chose to end the State’s relationship with United and chose Aetna to become the new, sole MAPD provider. Just like United Healthcare's MAPD plan, Aetna's plan will not include vision or dental. In addition, during this process, CMS chose to no longer provide an HMO option.
Under the new contract, premiums will decrease, while out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles will stay the same. Some aspects of the program may also change such as which drugs are formulary and which doctors are considered in network. Members should discuss these changes with their healthcare team to understand how if at all, these changes could affect them.
CMS also stated that no action will be required unless a participant wants to opt out of the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan. If you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) are currently covered under the United Healthcare MAPD Plan or a MAPD HMO Plan, you and your Medicare-eligible dependent(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna MAPD PPO Plan with coverage beginning January 1, 2023.
Sincerely,
Jim Bachman
IRTA Executive Director
September 14, 2022
IRTA Members,
The Illinois Retired Teachers Association would like to make our members aware that according to a recent article, Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO will be the sole insurer offered to Illinois retired state workers and retired teachers. This means that, in addition to removing United Healthcare, the State is also removing all HMO options from retired teachers. IRTA understands that in some areas, members will not be able to continue to see their current healthcare providers at the same cost.
The attached article makes it clear that this will be true in the Champaign area, but your area could be impacted as well. You may want to check with your healthcare providers about how the State’s decision to contract Aetna as the sole provider could impact your benefit.
Open enrollment for retirees has been pushed back to November 1st from the typical October 1st start date. The new plan will go into effect for enrollees January 1, 2023. Communication regarding the change will begin within the next couple of weeks. To read the full article, please click here.
Sincerely,
Jim Bachman
IRTA Executive Director
Note: Open enrollment for state retirees has been pushed back to Nov. 1 from the typical Oct. 1 start date. The new plan will go into effect for enrollees Jan. 1.
A Message from IRTA Executive Director Jim Bachman
To: Total Retiree Advantage Illinois (TRAIL) Eligible – Members
From: Jim Bachman, IRTA Executive Director
Re: Questions concerning TRAIL enrollment
As an individual who is enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, your Annual TRAIL MAPD Open Enrollment Period will be held in the fall of each year. The TRAIL plan year is January 1 through December 31. The Open Enrollment Period is from October 15 – November 16.
Many enrollees have been calling the IRTA asking questions concerning the open enrollment process. Please read the information sent to you thoroughly.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• Materials sent to you from the TRIP - sponsored TRAIL MAPD plan administrators will feature the TRAIL logo.
• If you are currently enrolled in one of the TRAIL plans, your coverage will continue - you do not need to do anything unless you want to make a change.
You can download the guide on TRS’s website: click here
