Austin Retired Municipal Employees (ARME)

This site is sponsored by City of Austin, Texas retired municipal employees, and is currently under construction. The ARME.site domain was secured after the recent changes to the “over-65 retiree” health insurance plans.

One interest of ARME is for retirees to communicate with City staff as a group, and to be kept apprised of possible benefits changes under discussion.

There is also a recently-formed Google Groups page where information may be shared among City retirees. You may request to view/subscribe to the Google Groups page by sending an email to: admin@arme.site. Please include your name.

Site co-administrators are: Eyna Canales-Zarate (founder), Brian Carlson, Dean Harris, and Rosy Jalifi.

Following is Mayor Watson’s 8/14/24 email to individuals who had emailed his office expressing concern about the new Medicare Advantage Program (MAPD): Thank you for your email, and thank you for your years of public service to our city. I appreciate hearing your thoughts about the proposed changes in the 2025 calendar year to the City’s medical plan for post-65 year old retirees. I understand your concerns and hope to provide you with clarity on this policy change.

Beginning in the 2025 calendar year, the City of Austin will transition all post-65 retiree medical plan participants to the City’s Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage Open Access (PPO) plan. This Medicare Advantage plan is being offered through the City of Austin, making it an “employer-based” plan. That makes it different from some Medicare Advantage plans that have limitations. By staying as a City of Austin employer-based plan there are significant savings for retirees on their premiums, an improved plan design that offers no out-of-pocket costs other than for prescription medications, and it does not impact the provider network that retirees are currently using. I know some doctors don’t take some Medicare Advantage plans, but because this is still an employer plan, it’s essentially the same as if you were still on the City’s Blue Cross Blue Shield plan.

Austin must be an affordable place for folks to live and retire – especially when we’re in the middle of an affordability emergency. During last week’s budget work session, I specifically  asked the City of Austin’s new Director of Human Resources, Susan Sinz for clarity on the change and also about some of your concerns regarding potential unintended costs for retirees. Director Sinz indicated to Council that there would not be additional costs or a decrease in retiree benefits.

Additionally, the Human Resources Department (HRD) will be hosting in-person and virtual meetings throughout the month of September to answer all the questions and concerns retirees may have prior to the October open enrollment period. You can find more information about those meetings attached to this email. HRD staff will also be onsite at the Learning and Research Center (5202 Ben White, Suite 500) in October for walk-in retirees wanting assistance in person.

Thank you again for your service to Austin. If you have additional questions, please email benefits.hrd@austintexas.gov.

Best,

Kirk

(This page was added to the arme.site on August 26, 2024.)

Similar searches: City of Austin, Texas Municipal Retired Employees Association; Austin Texas Retired Employees; Retired Employees of City of Austin; Retiree Association of City of Austin, Texas; City of Austin Retired Employees