2815 West Washington Street You dont need any pre-approvals with a Medicare Supplement. This report will be available in late November and you will be notified via email when it is ready for viewing. While we do recommend a Medicare Supplement to the majority of retired teachers we meet, there are always going to be exceptions. Until then, the program always resembled a Medicare Supplement Plan F, which represents no deductibles, no copays, and no coinsurance for all Medicare-approved charges. The program offers two types of plans: standard plans and Medicare Advantage plans. H6q>0 Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Members cannot outlive their benefits. During Your TRAIL MAPD Enrollment Period You May: Elect to cancel your coverage. All official TRAIL documents and forms carry the states TRAIL logo (shown below). More detailed information is available on the TRS website at: https://www.trsil.org. Tier II members are public educators that started employment in a position covered by an Illinois public pension plan on or after January 1, 2011. Many dont realize that Medicare Advantage plans are managed care plans. The Illinois Department of Central Management Services administers all employee benefits to public school teachers, including health insurance. If I predecease my spouse and he or she is not enrolled at the time of my death, can he or she enroll as a survivor? The percentage of the premium that you pay as a retiree may remain the same or even go down. The State of Illinois offers retirees, annuitants, and survivors (of the State Employees Group Insurance Program (SEGIP), The Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) and the College Insurance Program (CIP)) a healthcare program called Total Retiree Advantage Illinois (TRAIL). Dependent Rates. Illinois contains one of the largest teacher employee benefit programs in the country, providing the nearly 130,000 teachers in the state with not only a state pension retirement system, but extensive health insurance benefits as well. They also have better coverage for hospitalizations and skilled nursing facility stays.. Your benefits are unique in that TRIP will transition over to your Medicare and TRIP after age 65. State of Illinois Employment? However, if you are in one of the high-income brackets, you will be charged a monthly adjustment amount on Part D as well since Part D benefits are built into the plan. You can find the 2019 plan summaries here. If you want to make a change to your TRAIL insurance coverage or add a dependent, the fall Open Enrollment Period is the time when you can make that change. 2815 West Washington Street Springfield, Illinois 62702. Since Aetna MAPD PPO is a type of Medicare, you must continue to pay your federal Medicare Parts A and B premiums in order to enroll and remain enrolled in TRAIL MAPD. The Illinois Department of Central Management Services awarded a contract to Aetna Inc. that will make it the primary health insurance option for retired state workers, WCIA reports. Advantage Illinois (TRAIL). We know of many teachers who spend their own money on classroom supplies and decorations because they arent given enough to make it happen. All of the TRAIL benefit information published here is publicly available via Illinois.gov. After that, all Medicare-approved expenses are covered 100%. TRS allows for an unreduced retirement annuity with the following: TRS Tier 2 requires age 67 and 10 years of service. Due to this, the December check is considered taxable in the tax (or calendar) year commencing Jan. 1. Send a copy of your Medicare card to TRS. Elect to re-enroll in coverage. How Much Does Eliquis Cost with Medicare? Illinois Department of Central Management Services, (Humana HMO, Coventry Advantra (An Aetna Company) and Health Alliance MAPD HMOs). Medicare and Medicare Supplements do not have networks, and you can see any provider that accepts Medicare. A government defined benefit plan is a traditional pension. Most TRIP members who are eligible for Medicare Parts A and Bmust enroll in the TRAIL Medicare Advantage plan in order to keep TRIPinsurance coverage after December 31. It ends 3 months after your 65th birthday month. program or under locally provided insurance , and on whether your municipality has accepted the provisions of M.G.L. Please reach out to us here at Sams/Hockaday. Illinois Department of Central Management Services Bureau of Benefits Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program FY2022 TRIP Rates FY2022 TRIP Rates * You must enroll in both Medicare Parts A and B to qualify for the lower premiums. Office: Sams/Hockaday & Associates 122 W. Prairie Ave, #201 Decatur, Illinois 62523. 100% Coverage On Standard Progressive Lenses 20-25% saving on non-covered lens enhancements such as anti-reflective and UV coating Single Vision, Lined Bifocal, and Lined Trifocal Lenses There are annual Benefits Choice Periods during which new retirees will transition from TRIP into a TRAIL Medicare Advantage plan. The most youd ever pay for a drug is a $100 copay. Each fall, CMS sendsout information about the TRAIL Program. Aetna was. 2022 TRAIL Map . In 2008 and 2009, Illinois faced spikes in pension contributions, and Gov. Medicare Advantage. These "bundled" plans include Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance), and in the case of your TRIP-Sponsored TRAIL plan, Medicare prescription drug (Part D) is also included. The Teachers Retirement System of the State of Illinois was created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1939 for the purpose of providing retirement annuities, survivors and disability benefits for PK-12 public school educators outside of the City of Chicago. For your Medigap options, contact the, Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan for retirees and family members under the age of 65, Terminated IMRF participation for retirement, or. As a teacher, you can choose from the following plans to insure you and your loved ones: Quality Care Health PlanThe QCHP offers the most comprehensive range of health benefits to teachers of any insurance plan. Initial enrollment is a one-time offering. They had a Medicare Supplement. Review the documents that are available to upload. You may re-enroll throughout the plan year and coverage will be effective the first of the month following your enrollment request or during your annual TRAIL MAPD Enrollment Period. By 2010, Illinois had the worst credit rating out of any state in our country. Springfield, Illinois 62702. Illinois credit rating was downgraded 13 times from 2009 through 2014. The local insurance program will then serve as a supplement to Medicare. This increased benefit continues until the next annual increase of3 percent is applied. Each fall, CMS sends out information about the TRAIL Program. Use your Delta Dental card for dental services. With a Medicare Advantage plan, you have copays and coinsurance, meaning every time you need medical care, you will be paying money out of your own pocket. For more complete benefit information regarding TRAIL and the health plan benefits with your new Aetna MAPD PPO plan, please review your: 2023 TRIP TRAIL Initial Enrollment Guide(for Newly-Eligible for TRAIL Members). Medicare Advantage TRAIL Program Since 2014, the state has administered a Medicare Advantage Program called TRAIL for annuitants and survivors TRS members with at least five years of service with a qualified state of Illinois agency may be eligible for benefit options under the State of Illinois Group Insurance Plan. Retirees, annuitants, and survivors with less than 20 years of service are required to pay 5% of the cost of coverage for every year of service they have less than 20 years. State However, the Medicare Advantage plans offered through TRAIL do have a unique benefit structure with a lower out-of-pocket maximum than other MA plans offered. endstream endobj 1014 0 obj <>/Metadata 65 0 R/Outlines 94 0 R/Pages 1011 0 R/StructTreeRoot 95 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 1015 0 obj <. If you are a teacher (or employee) retiring from a State of Illinois school district, youll likely have some questions about Medicare and how your TRS retiree medical insurance (TRIP) coverage works. Also Check: Best Retirement Funds For Young Adults. None of us can say with absolute certainty why TRS decided to change its Medicare program to only offer Medicare Advantage plans. If you do meet with a Sams/Hockaday, we will ask for more information on the benefits offered to you for a fair comparison of your options. However, we would suggest that you contact your benefits coordinator in order to find out what your costs will be when you retire. With a Plan G, youd have freedom of choice. Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) Health Insurance, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, https://www.illinois.gov/cms/benefits/Teachers/Pages/TRIPContactInformation.aspx, TCHP (PPO) when a managed care plan is available, TCHP (PPO) when a managed care plan is unavailable in your county, CURRENT - Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) Summary: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023, TRIP Benefits Handbook as of Sept. 1, 2022, Fiscal Year 2023 Benefit Choice booklet (May 1 - May 31, 2022). You must keep Medicare Parts A and B and continue to pay the applicable Medicare premiums, including applicable IRMAA (Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) surcharges. Note: If you cancel your TRIP TRAIL MAPD coverage, medical and prescription drug coverage for you and your enrolled dependents will end. ** Medicare Primary dependent beneficiaries enrolled in a managed care plan, or in TCHP when no managed care plan is available, receive a premium subsidy, 2815 West Washington Street This open enrollment period occurs each fall. Original Medicare is Fee-For-Service, and your supplement fits right alongside that. Tell Me About. Medicare-eligible TRIP members who want to continue medical and prescription drug coverage through TRIP, are required to enroll in the TRAIL MAPD health plan if they and their covered dependents are all enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. This page will electronically transmit a document to TRS. Questions you should ask your local benefits coordinator include: Once you become eligible to receive health care coverage through Medicare, you may be required to enroll in Medicare. The 140 days/700 hours limit is in effect through June 30, 2022. He could go to the VA hospital in Jacksonville if the TRIP option left him hanging. As living expenses and health care costs continue to rise, these benefits will help protect you from being sidelined by financial difficulties. Read Also: How Much Money Needed To Retire At 55. Jan. 1 following the date you reachage 61. Youll receive this newsletter three times a year via email or mail. Retired teachers were confused and didnt understand was this a positive change, or were the benefits they grew to know and love in jeopardy? Since Medicare Advantage plans are a type of Medicare, you must continue to pay your federal Medicare premiums in order to remain enrolled in TRAIL. Your feedback is very important to us. The period allowed benefit recipients to change health plans and/or add eligible dependent coverage. The TRAIL MAPD health plan is offered by Aetna. Your initial enrollment period for Medicare begins three months before your 65th birthday month. Yes. All other claims for your healthcare services (including prescription drugs) should be sent to your MAPD plan administrator for processing and benefit determinations. A Medicare Advantage plan is a Medicare-approved plan that incorporates your Part A, B, and D into one health plan. To qualify, you must have held an eligible public safety position and reached full retirement age when you: For additional details, including what positions meet the IRS definition of a public safety position, see IRS publication 575, Pension and Annuity Income, at www.irs.gov or talk with your tax advisor. Retirees and annuitants who have over 20 years of service, as well as survivors whose annuity is based on the death of an employee who had 20 years or more of creditable service, receive their healthcare coverage premium-free through the State. Zion Workshop January 4, 2021 1 . A Medicare Supplement allows you to see any doctor that participates in Medicare, which is over 90% of all doctors in the United States. Even if youve been happy with it in the past, is it still serving you? Pat Quinn took out more debt to make the 2010 and 2011 budgets balance (IllinoisPolicy.org). Combining school districts knowledge of what is important to their teachers with UnitedHealthcares experience helps to make informed decisions and create tailored plans. Starting in 2007, the Medicare Part B premium is higher for retirees whose income exceeds certain limits. TRIP Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) Plan Monthly Rates for 2017. Members cannot outlive their benefits. For members who are newly eligible for Medicare,you will havetwo opportunities for enrollment: Initial Enrollment (IE): which isoffered to all Medicare-eligible retirees and their Medicare-eligibledependents within 60-days of the 65th birthday (of the youngest enrollee). Disclaimer: We are not part of or affiliated with the TRS. Yes. The standard Medicare Part B premium in 2007 is $93.50/month. The state of Illinois offers annuitants and survivors a healthcare program called Total Retiree Advantage Illinois (TRAIL). The reduction is equal to 6% a year for each year under the age of 67. Perhaps what we all took for granted was freedom of choice. Medicare and Medicare Supplements do not have networks, and you can see any provider that accepts Medicare. To be eligible for coverage under a If you are enrolled in the State of Illinois Group Insurance Program, here is a link to more information about the Medicare Advantage options available under that Program:MyBenefits.illinois.gov. Employees are currently divided into either Tier I or Tier II based on their hire dates. You may terminate the TRAIL MAPD coverage at any time by contacting the plan administrator in writing. Therefore, enrollment in a different Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan will automatically cause your TRAIL MAPD coverage to end, which will include termination of your TRIP medical and prescription drug coverage. She was all of the following - friendly, professional, approachable, and knowledgeable. We suspect the TRIP program got rid of its top-notch coverage and found significant cost savings by switching to a private Medicare Advantage program. The Aetna health benefits plans offered by the State of Illinois provide you with tools, tips, programs and services such as: Large national network of doctors and hospitals In network lab benefits Worldwide emergency care coverage Access to online and mobile tools Plan documents Click on each Aetna plan name below to learn more. 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