COMMITTEES

OFFICERS

  PRESIDENT - SUSAN BEEKMAN 

president@morriscountyrea.org

  1st VP - MARIANNE DISPENZIERE

  2nd VP - CHERYL DOLTZ

  3rd VP - JOAN JENSEN

  TREASURER - RON GOUNAUD

    SECRETARY - PHYLLIS CASEY 

  PAST PRESIDENT - SUSAN VIGILANTE

Contact us with any questions 

President Susan Beekman -president@morriscountyrea.org

Hello Everyone,

     Happy New Year, to all!   I am hoping this finds you well, and on your way to getting your first COVID-19 vaccine.  I know it is frustrating trying to get a date to have it.  Don’t give up.

     We will be having a virtual March General Membership meeting on March 10^th at 10:30.         I cannot tell you the program at this time, however, I promise it will be interesting.

     Several times since I have been your President we have had spouses of our members with a particular health insurance issue.  PLEASE BE AWARE……. If YOU, the member, have a spouse on your health insurance plan and you pass away, your surviving spouse is only covered until the end of the month in which you pass away.    You pass away on the 1^st of the month, your spouse needs new insurance by the 30^th.  If you pass away on the 29^th of the month, they only have 1 day to get new health insurance.  One would think it would be 30 days total to get new insurance.  THAT IS NOT THE CASE.  This is a health insurance policy…..not NJREA or NEA or NJEA.  You cannot always plan ahead, however, you need to know this and be proactive.  Who is going to be thinking about health insurance when one’s spouse passes away?

     As many of you know there were some problems coming out of the Division of Pensions just before the new year:

1. New Insurance cards have finally been sent out and as of 1/26 they should all have arrived. ONLY members who changed their plans would need a new card. Your old AETNA cards are still good for most of us.

2. Pre-Medicare retirees with 20 years of active service were charged a percentage of their pension payment for their insurance. A MISTAKE!!!!!  The charge will not be on the February pension check AND a reimbursement for the charge from January will be reimbursed by February 18^th.  Let me know if this does not happen.

   Letters were erroneously sent out to members about certain prescriptions no longer being covered by Optum Rx.  2/3rds of those letters were sent in error.  Medicare changed the formulary, as it does every year, and 1/3 of those letters were correct.  However, NJEA got Optum Rx to offer a 30 day additional supply of those medications while our members go to their doctors to choose a different drug.  1 week’s notice of the change was not right and some will no longer be covered or will change tiers.  Please check your medications and speak to your md.

         If you feel the need to appeal this action from MEDICARE, you need to contact OptumRx first with your appeal.  Then you would go to Medicare next.

   75% of Medicare reimbursement checks from last spring have gone out.  25% should get to those who are owed this money by the end of February.  Don’t give up!  Please know that NJEA has been reminding them frequently that this is owed to our members.

  NJREA Elections Committee has announced that Joan Wright ran for the Office of President, and Kitty Sousa ran for 1^st Vice President unopposed, therefore they automatically won their elections.

Running for 2^nd Vice President are Ron Burd and Jackie Gradington.  Running for Secretary are Mary Clements and Anita Schwartz.  For Treasurer we have Jeanne Degatano and Dorian Dudulik Swern running.  Our own Joan Jensen is running for DA Alternate on the ballot as well.   Ballots will be mailed out on March 15^th and are due back to Trenton on March 31^st.  Keep an eye out for those ballots.

     As of January 26^th NJREA has 26,824 members.  This is 752 members less than last year.  I will have our Morris County numbers in our next Constant Contact.

     If you would like to ZOOM with us on March 10^th, please email me at SusanB2@aol.com!  Be sure to include the email address you will be using so we can send the link to you.  If you would like to donate the usual cost of a luncheon (or part thereof) please mail a check to me at 7 East New York Avenue Brighton Beach NJ 08008.  Checks may be made out to MCREAPF for our Scholarship Fund, NJEA PAC, and/or to the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry.  This is not mandatory, however, we have been trying to help support these 3 entities for many, many years.  They need us now more than ever.  Thanks to all who have given so generously since last March.

     Hope to see you on the ZOOM soon.  - Susan Beekman