The Voice of Connecticut s Public Service Employees & Retirees

Transcription

1 S T R O N G E R Local 2001 T O G E T H E R The Voice of Connecticut s Public Service Employees & Retirees April, 2017 Cutting Jobs Is No Way To Achieve Prosperity CSEA SEIU Local 2001 VOL. 50, NO Legislative Session Update The Malloy Administration has announced that it will begin formally notifying union leaders of contingency plans for layoffs. The administration has indicated the action is being taken now because of notice requirements in various collective bargaining agreements. Still more public service layoffs would just make things worse for Connecticut. Layoffs and service cuts threaten public health and safety, our children s education, and our state s future. They will hurt our economy and lead to even more fiscal crises. Connecticut needs a balanced approach to resolve our budget deficit that isn t dependent on damaging state services to meet that goal. Connecticut state employees are hardworking public servants who pay their taxes and want the same things as everyone else; to support themselves and their families and to know that their tax dollars are being used for good things. Over the past eight years, Connecticut state employees have given back over $1 billion annually through their 2009 and 2011 concession agreements, in addition to the millions of additional savings state employees provided that have streamlined state government and improved state services, even while the state workforce is now the smallest it s been since These are hard sacrifices. A new report (page 4) from the Center for Public Policy and Research indicates that Connecticut is a robust place to do business, and should not fall prey to the temptation of continued austerity and disinvestment that have hurt the economy. Contrary to the wailing of wealthy and corporate special interests, we need a balanced, fair-minded approach to generating revenues that will keep our communities vibrant by protecting the public services and structures that are critical to our economic health. Connecticut does not exist in isolation. In our neighboring states, New York just implemented free state college tuition for middle class residents and will raise the minimum wage to $15 over the next few years. And Massachusetts, which invested heavily in education, successfully wooed General Electric away from Connecticut last year despite their higher taxes. While we continue to explore ways that state workers can provide help in the state s fiscal challenges, Connecticut remains the wealthiest state in the richest country on the planet. Yet it is apparent from the ongoing revenue shortfalls and our struggling middle class that our current tax structure is inadequate in ways our neighboring states and others like Minnesota which raised taxes on the wealthy have overcome. Connecticut needs to make smart decisions for our state s future. We ask our elected leaders to stand up for working and middle class families and for a budget that works for everyone. The 2017 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly is scheduled to end at midnight on Wednesday, June 7. In the month and a half that remains before we reach the legislature s adjournment date there is a lot of work to be done, and a great deal that is still unknown. Since session began back in January, the focus of legislators has been on balancing the next biennial budget and closing a budget deficit of over $1 billion. Governor Dan Malloy, who recently announced that he will not seek reelection, and some members of the General Assembly have proposed balancing a large portion of the budget deficit through another concession from state employees as opposed to asking our state s wealthiest residents and large, profitable corporations to contribute their fair share. Barring a special session of the General Assembly that will take the work of the state legislature past June 7, the final weeks of session will, one way or another, see a resolution to the tension between these two contrasting visions for our state. In this environment of budget shortfalls, heated rhetoric, and partisan squabbles about how best to move Connecticut forward, anti-union General Assembly members see an opportunity. While in previous sessions it was common to see a handful of anti-union/anti-public employee/anti-worker bills, this year there has been a torrent of bad bills. There are bills proposed to end collective bargaining for pensions and health care, bills proposed to turn Connecticut into a so-called right to work state, bills proposed to gut the binding arbitration system, bills proposed to change how collective bargaining agreements are approved, and on and on. What makes these legislative proposals particularly frightening this session is that instead of dying quietly in committee, these bills are getting public hearings and some will get committee votes and might even make their way to the governor s desk. On March 24, the Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on 96 different bills. 77 of those bills were specifically hostile to public employees. Hundreds of CSEA members, joined by hundreds more union brothers and sisters from other locals, converged on the Legislative Office Building in Hartford to lobby legislators and testify before the committee. Currently, these bills remain in committee, but could be called for a vote at any time up until the committee s deadline at the end of April. The end of April will also bring the next step in the budget process. The budget proposed by the governor at the start of session calls for $1.5 billion in concessions from state employees and some fairly Visit Our Union s Website at Postmaster: Please forward address changes to: Continued on page 6 CSEA, 760 CAPITOL AVE., HARTFORD, CT 06106

2 Council 400 and ACTIVE May Meetings & Events The Council 400 Delegates Meeting is always held on the third Thursday of the month. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, May 18th at 10am. Chapter 401 (Hartford area): Thursday, May 4th, 12:15 lunch, meeting at 12:45pm, CSEA, 760 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT Speaker: Ted Doolittle, State of Ct Health Care Advocate Tom Corrigan: Chapter 402 (Danbury area): Wednesday, May 10th at 10am, United Methodist Church, 5 Clapboard Ridge Rd., Danbury, CT Speaker: TBD Dawn Gallagher: Chapter 403 (Norwich area): Tuesday, May 9th at 1:30 PM Rose City Senior Center, 8 Mahan Dr., Norwich, CT Speaker: TBD Carol Burgess: Chapter 404 (Waterbury area): Thursday, May 11th 2:00 PM Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, 1075 Chase Parkway (exit 17 off I-84), Waterbury Speaker: Subby Puglisi, Regional Vice President John Quinn: Chapter 405 (New Haven area): Thursday, May 10th at 1:00 PM Energize CT, 122 Universal Dr., North Haven, CT Speakers: Cigna Representative Light lunch by Panera Bread will be provided at 12:30 Ron Osokow: or Bill Hill: Chapter 406 (Middletown area): Tuesday, May 9th, social at 1PM, meeting starts at 1:30. American Legion Post 75, 58 Bernie O Rourke Dr., Middletown, CT Speaker: Cigna Representative Joe Formica: Chapter 407 (Bridgeport area): Wednesday, May 17th at 12:30 PM Social, St. Joseph s of Stratford National Catholic Church, 1300 Stratford Rd., Stratford (on Rt. 113 toward Sikorsky Airport) Speaker: Howard Schulz, Better Business Bureau Carol Donofrio: Chapter 408 (Willimantic area): Wednesday, May 10 th at 1:00 PM Baptist Church, 945 Storrs Rd., Storrs, CT Speaker: Bernadette Conway, Retiree Coordinator Richard Pakenham: Chapter 410 (Windsor Locks area): Monday, May 8th at 1:00 PM Suffield Senior Center, 145 Bridge St., Suffield, CT Speaker: Kevin Lembo, State Comptroller Amelia Smith: Chapter 411 (Rocky Hill area): NO MAY MEETING SCHEDULED Pitkin Community Center Closed Sebastian Puglisi: Page 2 Chapter 412 (Putnam area): Tuesday,May 16th at 1:30 PM Congregational Church of Putnam, 175 Main St., Putnam, CT Speaker: TBD Don Gladding: Chapter 414 (Torrington area): Monday, May 15th at 10am Torrington UConn Campus Extension Building, University Dr., Torrington, CT Speaker: Cigna Representative Karen Pineman: Chapter 415 (Manchester area): Monday, May 22nd at 1:00 PM Elks Lodge, 33 Bissell St., Manchester, CT Speaker: Tasha Perrault, Energize CT Dorothy Tomlinson: Chapter 416 (New London area): Tuesday, May 9th at 12 noon Waterford Public Library 49 Rope Ferry Rd., Waterford, CT Speaker: Adrian Walker, Anthem Representative Les Shapiro: Chapter 417 (Plainville area): Wednesday, May 9th at 1:00 PM Church of Our Savior Episcopal Church, 115 West Main St., Plainville, CT Speaker: Lauren Scappaticci, Medicare Representative Cathy Toscano: Chapter 418 (4C s): Thursday, May 11th at 10:00 AM 4C s Office, 901 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford, CT Speaker: Cigna Representative Bill Searle: Important numbers to have on hand: Retirement Division Payroll: Retirement Division Life Insurance: Retirement Division Health Insurance: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield: Oxford Health: Caremark: Silverscript: Cigna: HEP Care Management Solutions: or visit them at their portal:

3 State Retirees By CSEA Retiree Coordinator Bernadette Conway OPEN ENROLLMENT Page 3 The Office of the State Comptroller s Office has set the dates for the Open Enrollment Period as May 8th through June 2nd, 2017 this year. All retirees will receive their Healthcare Options Planners that will reflect the current benefits and retiree share deductions in the mail by mid-may. If you haven t received yours by then, you can contact The planners will also be posted to the Office of the State Comptrollers website at There are no benefit or carrier changes, but please review your information. The Retirement Division has notified me that due to limited resources during this open enrollment season, the Office of the State Comptroller will not be scheduling agency open enrollment fairs. If you have questions or would be interested in changing plans, you will be able to call them at the contact information provided in the planners. HEARING AIDS COVERAGE INFORMATION Since last July, when hearing aids began being covered for our members, I receive many calls with questions on how to go about getting your hearing aids. The most important thing to know is that you need to contact your insurance provider first, before making any appointments for tests. On the back of your insurance card there is a customer service phone number, and you can call that number and tell them you need a provider in network in your area. Get more than one phone number so that you can contact several of them if needed. Visit Our Website: There is full coverage for a basic hearing device. That means that the hearing aid itself will be covered 100 percent if you go to a hearing specialist in your network. However, some physicians or hearing aid stores will charge extra for the hearing test and the fitting. Most places count those services in the cost of the hearing device, but not all do. It is up to you to ask when you call to make the appointment if the test and fitting are included in the price of the device, because if they aren t, you will be responsible for payment for those things. Also not covered are the extras that they might try to sell you. Just like when you go to buy a car, there are options that you can add on to the hearing aid as well. You must remember that anything more than the basic device, you will be responsible for payment. Find all the essential information about the products and services we have to offer. You can even print a loan application online! Best of all, it s accessible from your personal computer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dividend Rates - First Quarter 2017 Dividend Rate Annual Percentage Yield REGULAR SHARES 0.75% 0.75% SHARE DRAFTS (Checking) 0.35% 0.35% CLUB ACCOUNTS 0.50% 0.50% Minimum opening balance $ The annual percentage yield is accurate as of the last dividend declaration date. Rate may change after the account is opened. Fees or other conditions may reduce the earnings on the account. 7 Full Service Offices To Serve You NORWICH Uncas on Thames 401 West Thames St. Norwich, CT (860) MIDDLETOWN Connecticut Valley Hospital P.O. Box 2485 Middletown, CT (860) Closed Memorial Day Monday, May 29 HARTFORD 84 Wadsworth St. Hartford, CT (860) (Savings) (860) (Loans) STORRS 1244 Storrs Rd. Storrs, CT (860) SOUTHBURY Southbury Training School P.O. Box 644 Southbury, CT (203) NEW HAVEN 1666 Litchfield Turnpike Woodbridge, CT (203) NEWINGTON O Neil Plaza 2434 Berlin Turnpike Newington, CT (860) Hours: Main Office: Mon-Fri, 9 am -4 pm Branches: Mon-Fri, 9:30 am -4 pm Drive-Up Teller (Hartford Only): Mon-Fri, 9 am -4 pm ; Paydays Open Until 5 pm S T R O N G E R Local 2001 T O G E T H E R Anyone can write a letter to the editor! If you see misinformation in your local paper, call them on it. We cannot sit by and let anti-union extremists dominate the conversation. CSEA s Communications Director Ben Phillips is here to help; Call USPS # ISSN # Published Monthly by CONNECTICUT STATE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION Local 2001, Service Employees International Union, CTW, CLC INSERTION DEADLINE: 1st of prior month. The Voice of Connecticut s Public Service Employees & Retirees Stephen Anderson... President Roland Bishop... Secretary/Treasurer David Glidden... Executive Director Benjamin P. Phillips... Communications Director Jason P. Webster... Graphic/ Technical Assistance MAILING ADDRESS: CSEA/SEIU Local 2001, 760 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106; PHONES: (860) , toll-free: (800) , FAX: (860) ; INTERNET: (USPS , ISSN ) is published monthly for $2.80 per year members, $5.00 per year non-members, by CSEA/SEIU Local 2001, 760 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT. Postmaster: Send address changes to, 760 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

4 Page 4 Opportunities for Growth: Business Tax Advantages, Economic Strengths and Quality of Life Perceptions in Connecticut (Report Highlights) Like most states, Connecticut suffered significant economic damage from the Great Recession of and, like many states, that damage continued well into the recovery. Real total gross domestic product decreased until 2014, but finally rebounded in Likewise, the unemployment rate rose until October 2010 before it descended to 4.5% by January Throughout this period of recovery, public dialogue surrounding the health and performance of the Connecticut economy has been largely negative. Business advocates and elected officials allege that the state has irreversibly entered a period of long-term stagnation, declining quality of life, deteriorating economic competitiveness, and a shrinking population. They cite a hostile business climate, a burdensome tax structure and an uncoordinated, undisciplined state budget. Though these negative perceptions are often anecdotal, limited and very selective, they alone can be very damaging for the economy regardless of the state s fundamentals. If an economy s participant institutions are convinced that it is already languishing, they respond by disinvesting, which actually does bring about decline. A full analysis of Connecticut s economic strengths and competitive advantages demonstrate that Connecticut holds significant advantages few states have, which reflect decades of public investment and hold substantial opportunities for future investment and economic growth: Connecticut has the lowest Total Effective Business Tax Rate in the United States (TEBTR is the ratio of combined state and local taxes paid, to private sector See Chart Right production of goods and services). Connecticut has the lowest ratio of business taxes per private sector worker in the region. Connecticut has the lowest ratio of business taxes to state and local taxes combined in the United States. Connecticut has the lowest Tax-Benefit Ratio in the region, and the nation s second lowest. Connecticut businesses are taxed $0.80 for every $1 of government services received, using a conservative assumption that only half of state education spending directly benefits the private sector. In addition to favorable tax policy, state businesses enjoy other competitive advantages that make Connecticut an attractive place to do business, including a highly skilled and educated workforce and a high quality of life. The analysis shows Connecticut has: The third highest rate of educational attainment at both the Bachelor s degree and advanced degree levels. The fourth highest median household income (adjusted for inflation) in the United States. In addition, citizens respond very positively when asked about quality of life indicators: 82% of residents are satisfied with the city or area in which they live, an important link between the free or low-cost recreational activities that Connecticut provides, and the health conditions of people and the resultant higher productivity levels benefitting businesses; 70% of residents find it a good place to raise children, likely due to the good education opportunities that the state provides that make them competitive in the job market While businesses currently receive significant economic and overall tax benefits, they are not contributing to the state at rates comparable to states that outperform Connecticut in economic growth. The status quo is not sustainable. What will happen to their competitive advantages and the state s quality of life in the long-run? Connecticut s recent trend in budget cuts directly stems from the uneven distribution of the tax burden. Such austerity and disinvestment will result in diminishing Connecticut s strong economic fundamentals and quality of life that have taken decades to establish. It will also limit Connecticut s ability to prepare the highly skilled and educated workforce upon which businesses depend. These are losses that Connecticut s business advocates and wealthy residents should ultimately fear not a more equitable tax structure. The Full Report authored by Dr. Jared Ragusett, Dr. Paramita and Dr. Carlos Liard-Muriente of the Department of Economics At Central Connecticut State University can be viewed online at

5 Social Activities All trips are open to everyone, including the general public. Here are some of the trips CSEA s Social Activities Committee is working on for the coming year. Please use the RSVP form below if sending checks. Additional Trips: Page 5 SOLD OUT Tall Ships in Boston, MA. Wednesday, June 21. $122pp Tall ships return to Boston Harbor for a spectacular maritime celebration. Sail Boston will feature the largest fleet of tall ships in Boston Harbor since Begin with a family-style lunch at Maggiano s. Enjoy a narrated harbor cruise for close-up views of the magnificent tall ships staged thought the port of Boston. This tour includes Deluxe Motorcoach, family style Italian lunch, narrated harbor cruise. Departure points in West Hartford, and Manchester. Island of Coudres in Montreal Quebeck, August 15-20, 2017 $720pp 9-11 Museum, NEW DATE--September Details to be tba Washington DC, September 29-OCT 2, 2017 $405pp Yankees vs Redsox, Sunday August 13, price and time TBD Affordable Care Act (ACA) Stories With many in Congress still pushing to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans are worried they may lose their health insurance or see premiums go up instead of down. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that as many as 24 million Americans may end up without insurance. Union members have been sharing their stories to help keep and improve affordable care options. Lake Compounce, Saturday June 3rd, 2017, $44pp Free Parking!!! Unlimited Use of ALL RIDES, Shows, Attractions!! (With the exception of the Skycoaster which has an additional cost) 2 hour Lunch featuring BBQ Chicken, Charbroiled Burgers, Grilled Hot Dogs, Veggie Burgers, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Salad Bar, Fruit Salad, Ice Cream, Beverages DISCOUNT RETURN VOUCHER-- Come Back To Lake Compounce for only $15.00** Trip Sponsored by CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 Social Activities Committee (SAC). For More information call the Local hall at (800) or (860) , send to sac@csea760.com For All trips, mail checks with the RSVP Form (below) to CSEA Social Activities Committees 760 Capitol Ave, Hartford CT Questions? Call NAME ADDRESS PHONE TRIP TRAVEL COMPANION NAME COMPANION PHONE CSEA SEIU LOCAL 2001 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES RSVP FORM Without the Affordable Care Act I would not have been able to beat diabetes and continue to run my daycare. I am at full capacity now and I do lots of activities with the kids. Four families depend on my daycare and they would also have been affected if I had closed down. Affordable health care turned my life around and I, in turn, am helping these families succeed. - Shelta Wilson, Licensed Family Daycare provider, New Haven If I had not had insurance, I might not have even gone to the hospital and the consequences might have been very serious for my health. I am grateful we have HUSKY in CT. We need to keep Medicaid funded for people like me who need it. Jenny Germoso, Licensed Childcare Provider, Safe and Sound Daycare I speak for all families who find themselves in the position of making just a little bit too much to get help but not enough to pay full price for insurance. I have cared for over 500 children in my 25 years as a provider, but we go without many things, including health care, and everyone pays the price. Felicia Diaz, Licensed Family Child Care Provider, Waterbury My name is Cheryl Joyner. I quit my full time job to take care of my six year old grandson. Jamell has sickle cell anemia which is a serious blood disorder. His immune system doesn t work very well. He has to take medication for the rest of his life. We can t afford to pay for his medicine out of pocket. He is on Medicaid and we need to keep Medicaid or, something just as affordable, because I want to see him grow up to be a nice young man. We want him around for a long time. Cheryl Joyner, Relative Care Provider BUS PICK UP POINT Please call CSEA at to check trip availability or for more information Please call for trip availability. No refunds on cancellations on or after deadline. Travel insurance (cancellation waivers) available on some trips (see flyer) due with initial reservation. Reservations accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. My concern is if Medicare gets privatized, who gets the money and who decides who gets care? These are my concerns. They should leave Medicare alone. I am speaking out because I worry about others as well as myself. Some people I know are really sick and they need constant care. Everybody should have health care as affordable as mine. Maizie Balfour, Relative Care Provider, Hartford

6 Page Legislative Session Update Continued from page 1 substantial changes to the manner and amount of state funding for municipalities, especially in the area of education. The Appropriations Committee held several weeks of hearings on his proposal and the committee s subcommittees have been working on their version of the budget, which will be ready by the end of the month. Of course that will not be the end, as the Appropriations Committee budget will be the basis for negotiations between the governor and the General Assembly, the House and the Senate, and the Democrats and the Republicans. Throughout this process, CSEA members have been active. Whether it is testifying at hearings, lobbying legislators, or participating in actions to show our force, CSEA members have been working to get General Assembly members to make better choices when it comes to the state budget. From reducing the state s reliance on and use of overpriced consultants and bringing work in-house to be done better, faster, and for less by state employees to advocating for changes to our tax system which asks too much from working people and not enough from the superrich, CSEA members have been fighting for themselves, their co-workers, their families, and their communities to make sure the budget is not, once again, balanced on the backs of public employees. While the biennial state budget gets most of the attention during the legislative session, the General Assembly has other work to do and CSEA members have been working hard to advance our legislative agenda while stopping proposals that will harm CSEA members and the people we serve: -Law Enforcement Indemnification. CSEA members who work as inspectors in the Division of Criminal Justice, unlike virtually every other group of law enforcement professionals in the State, are not indemnified from costs resulting from a crime allegedly committed by any member of a law enforcement unit in the course of their duty if the charge is dismissed or the officer found not guilty. The Connecticut State Police and municipal police officers have this protection, and so should other members of law enforcement. This session, two bills, Senate Bill 1003: An Act Concerning Revisions to Various Statutes Concerning the Criminal Justice System and House Bill 7215: An Act Concerning Courthouse Security, Indemnification of Law Enforcement Professionals and Aggravated Assault of a Public Transit Employee, both, contained language to cover inspectors under Connecticut s existing indemnification statute. Both of these bills have passed out of the Judiciary Committee and are awaiting further action; -Paraeducator Training. For years, CSEA paraeducators have fought for respect and recognition of the important role they play in the education process. This session is no different as paraeducators are working to pass Senate Bill 913: An Act Concerning School Paraprofessional Training. This bill would require boards of education to provide paid, mandatory training to paras, prior to the start of the school year. The bill passed out of the Education Committee on a bipartisan vote and has been referred to the Appropriations Committee where it is awaiting further action; -Contracting Transparency. CSEA members were instrumental in helping create the State Contracting Standards Board. The Board has the potential to reduce the state s use of outside consultants and bring work inhouse to be done by public employees while saving millions of dollars. This year, CSEA members worked to get Senate Bill 989: An Act Concerning the State Contracting Standards Board and Requirements for Privatization Contracts proposed in the Government Administration and Elections Committee. The bill would overhaul the state s contracting transparency laws, correct some of the problems with the State Contracting Standards Board, and toughen up state laws around conducting cost-benefit analyses of outsourcing contracts. You d think this would be a popular, nonpartisan issue, but you d be wrong. In order to explain why this bill failed to make it out of committee, we need to get into the parliamentary weeds. All committees in the General Assembly are joint committees composed of House and Senate members. Normally, bills are voted on by the committee as a whole, but there is a maneuver called splitting the committee that allows only House members to vote on House bills and only Senate members to vote on Senate bills. While Democrats still hold a slim majority in the House, the Senate has an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. So, while Democratic House members have a majority on all committees, there are an equal number of Democratic and Republican Senators on each committee. In the GAE Committee, Republican Senators split the vote on SB 989 and voted against it. Although the Democrats on the committee voted for it, the vote was tied and the bill died. CSEA members are not giving up just yet and will continue to look for other legislative vehicles that can be used to reform the state s contracting process and improve the work of the State Contracting Standards Board; -Funding the Care 4 Kids Program. CSEA represents thousands of home-based family child care providers who provide educational and child care services to tens of thousands of children in Connecticut. Their work is vitally important as it is not only a key part of the effort to close the educational achievement gap, but also a necessary service for working parents who want to make sure their kids are well cared for while they are at their jobs. Due to a budget shortfall in the Care 4 Kids program that funds their work, the state has closed new admissions to the program, creating a waiting list of over 4,000 children. Closing admissions to the Care 4 Kids program has caused over 900 child care providers to close their facilities. Members of CSEA s Child Care Council are fighting to restore funding to Care 4 Kids and are advocating for the passage of House Bill 7314: An Act Concerning a Tax on Certain Sweetened Beverages. HB 7314 would impose a tax of one cent per ounce on certain carbonated and noncarbonated nonalcoholic beverages that contain added caloric sweetener and use that money to fund education and outreach programs like Care 4 Kids. -Protecting Education Services in the Juvenile Justice System. The state of Connecticut is planning to close the Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS) in the near future to reduce costs to the state. This is incredibly sad, not because of the brick and mortar that is CJTS, but because closing this facility and the school programming provided there without a plan will not serve our youth well. CSEA represents the dedicated professionals who provide the educational and vocational services at CJTS and they work directly with the young men who are sent to the facility after repeated, unsuccessful attempts in schools or community-based programs elsewhere. The educational opportunities at CJTS open a door for learning that many students have not had the chance to embrace. For most of those students, school becomes a rewarding experience. CSEA members who work at CJTS have been vocal about protecting these services. And, they are working to ensure that any legislation regarding CJTS or the future of juvenile justice includes a plan for maintaining educational and vocational programs. For State Employees: What To Do If You Receive a Layoff Notice First thing for a member to do who receives a layoff notice from the state is to go to: and complete the CSEA State Layoff Intake Form. It is imperative that each member who receives a layoff notice fill out this layoff intake form to ensure we have the most up-to-date contact information for you so that we can easily reach you with any updates. 1. Fill this form out completely. If you cannot submit this form online, or if you experience computer/internet errors, please either print and mail the completed form to: CSEA SEIU Local 2001, 760 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT or call to request a hard copy to be mailed to you. 2. Contact your union steward immediately. He/She will ask you a series of questions to make sure that your contractual rights are not being violated. 3. Immediately write a memo to your agency personnel office stating, As a member of the (P-4, P3-A, P3-B, Inspector, Corrections Supervisors Council (CSC), Supervising Judicial Marshals (SJM), or State Police Lieutenants and Captains) bargaining unit, I wish to exercise my contractual bumping rights. Please keep me advised. Remember: Under CSEA s collective bargaining agreeements, failure to elect to exercise bumping rights is an automatic waiver of your bumping rights. You should hand deliver the memo to your agency personnel office and retain a date stamped copy for your records.

7 Page 7 State Retirees Continued from page 3 ALWAYS CHECK FOR COVERAGE A large part of my time is spent helping members with insurance issues. In most cases I am able to help, but there are times that I cannot. Please be aware, whether you are a retiree or an active employee, when a doctor prescribes a treatment or course of action, check with your insurance carrier first to make sure it is covered. Most times, we assume that if a physician prescribes a certain treatment or medication, that it will be covered. But that is not always the case. Before moving forward after your doctor consultation, ask them if it will be covered, many times they will be able to tell you. If unsure, call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to confirm what is covered and what is not covered. Always get the codes from your doctor s office if you can, so you can find out specifically that your procedure will be covered. It can be devastating to have a treatment that you assume is covered, then find out afterwards that you are responsible for the costly payment. Also note that just because a procedure or treatment was covered in the past, do not assume it will be covered again. Always check with your insurer first to make sure you have the coverage for treatment. IF YOU ARE NEW TO MEDICARE If you have recently or will soon be turning 65, you need to sign up for Medicare, Parts A and B. You can do that several ways; by visiting their website at calling Social Security at , or visiting your local Social Security office. You must sign up for Parts A and B, but do not sign up for any other parts, as you don t need the extra coverage. As a state retiree, you are entitled to reimbursement for Medicare Part B. To get that reimbursement, once you receive your Medicare card, you need to make a copy of it and send it in the mail to the Retiree Health Insurance Department, 55 Elm ST., Hartford, CT Once you go on Medicare, that becomes your primary insurance provider, so you will need to present your card to your physician(s), so they know to submit all billing to Medicare first. Anthem or Oxford United Healthcare will then become your secondary insurance. If Medicare does not cover certain procedures or durable medical goods, your secondary should pick it up. But, if Medicare does not deny coverage first, your secondary will not pay it until there is a denial from Medicare first. So make sure you submit your Medicare card to your physicians once you go on it. Your prescriptions also change from CareMark to Silverscript when you go onto Medicare, so you will also need to submit your Silverscript card to your pharmacy once you switch to Silverscript. ACUPUNCTURE COVERAGE I get a surprisingly large amount of people asking me if acupuncture is covered, and it is to a certain extent. Here is the language from the plan: Acupuncture Coverage for this benefit varies slightly according to the Carrier selected. a. For Oxford members, acupuncture is covered up to a limit of 20 visits per calendar year. b. For Anthem members, the use of acupuncture is considered Medically Necessary for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, nausea and vomiting associated with surgery, chemotherapy, or pregnancy. Acupuncture for any other indication, including but not limited to, the treatment of pain other than specified above, is considered not Medically Necessary and is not covered. TRIP TO THE CAPITOL Many of our members have not been to the Capitol or Legislative Office Building before. If you would be interested in going on a Council 400 tour, please contact me so we can schedule a day in the spring when the weather gets nicer and you can visit our beautiful State Capitol! Call me at , ext. 112 and leave a message, or me at bconway@csea760.com. ANTHEM IDENTITY PROTECTION Members have been receiving notifications by mail or that their Anthem AllClear Identity Protection Plan is expiring. As you remember, when the Anthem security breach happened two years ago, Anthem offered two years of identity protection for two years, and then they extended that to lifetime protection as long as you are an Anthem member. Council 400 had raised this issue with State Comptroller Lembo that the protection should extend beyond the two years, and Anthem agreed to do so. That lifetime protection is still available, but it does need to be renewed every year. When you receive your notification, it offers you three options; do nothing and it will expire, purchase extra protection, or renew your protection at no charge. Make sure you renew your protection for no charge; otherwise it will not be renewed automatically. MEDICARE ADVANTAGE Comptroller Kevin Lembo announced recently that he would be putting out a request for proposals for a Medicare Advantage Plan. Before any changes could be made to switch to the Medicare Advantage Plan, SEBAC would have to thoroughly review the plan and make sure it matches or exceeds your current benefits. The plan would have to be agreed upon by SEBAC for it to go forward, Comptroller Lembo would not be able to implement the program without their approval. FIGHT FOR YOUR BENEFITS! On March 24th, CSEA took part in an event to turn out as many active and retiree members as possible to attend the Appropriations Committee Hearings. It went from morning into the evening, and I want to thank and commend all of our committed members that participated that day. Not only did we have a strong presence there, but many of our members submitted important testimony against many harmful bills. I want to thank Carol Burgess, Tom Welch, Roger Ives, and Bill Buhler, for staying late into the evening to personally tell the Committee Members their stories and opinions regarding the bills being heard that day. I am always urging our members to contact their elected officials. Your State Representatives and Senators need to hear from you personally! You don t have to be nervous about telling them that they need to protect your benefits, and on a regular basis. They want and need to hear from their constituents. Contact your Congressional Delegation in Washington as well they need to protect Medicare and Social Security. We are lucky that our delegation in Washington are all on board with not changing those benefits, and they need to hear our support! HOW TO FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS: Online: go to cgafindleg.asp This will bring you to the site where you type in your address, and it tells you who your Legislators are. Click on their name and it will give you their contact information. Or call: Senate Republicans: , Toll free House Republicans: , Toll free Senate Democrats: , Toll free House Democrats: , Toll free Contact your U. S. Senators and Congressional Delegation to let them know you support them in their fight to protect Medicare and Social Security: Senator Richard Blumenthal: Hartford Office: 90 State House Square, 10th Floor, Phone (860) , fax (860) Bridgeport Office: 915 Lafayette Blvd., Room 230,- Phone (203) , fax (203) , Washington DC - Phone (202) , fax (202) Senator Chris Murphy: Hartford - Colt Gateway, Suite 401, 120 Huyshope Avenue, Hartford, CT Phone (860) , fax : (860) Washington, D.C Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20510, Phone (202) , Fax (202) Contact your CT Congressional Delegation: Congressman John Larson First District: Washington, DC Office, 1501 Longworth HOB Washington, DC Phone: (202) , Fax: (202) Hartford Office: 221 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford, CT Phone: (860) , Fax: (860) Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro Third District: Washington, DC Office, 2413 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC Phone: (202) , Fax: (202) New Haven Office - 59 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510, Phone: (203) , Fax: (203) Congressman Joe Courtney Second District: Washington, DC Office, 2348 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515, Phone: (202) , Fax: (202) Norwich Office - 55 Main Street, Suite 250, Norwich, CT Phone: (860) , Fax: (860) Enfield Office - 77 Hazard Ave, Unit J, Enfield, CT Phone: (860) , Fax: (860) Congressman Jim Himes Fourth District: Bridgeport Office State Street, 2nd Floor, Bridgeport, CT Phone: (866) , Fax: (203) Stamford Office Washington Boulevard, 10th Floor, Stamford, CT 06901, Phone: (203) , Fax: (203) Washington, D.C. Office Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C Phone: (202) , Fax: (202) Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty Fifth District: New Britain Office - 1 Grove St., Suite 600, New Britain, CT Phone: (860) , Fax: (860) Washington, DC Office Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC Phone: (202) , Fax: (860)

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