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TRIP health coverage continues AS IS until June 30

September 1, 2011

By IEA Communications

Teacher retirees who worried they would be forced to change health insurance plans in coming months can exhale. At a hearing held Wednesday, it was determined that the health insurance will continue as is until the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

The state’s chief procurement held the hearing and approved the contract extension health insurance managed care vendors’ plans, affecting IEA members who participate in TRIP and CIP.

Depending on where you live, the insurance providers are HMO Illinois, BlueAdvantage HMO, HealthLink OAP, Health Alliance HMO, Health Alliance Illinois, PersonalCare HMO and PersonalCare OAP. Teachers’ Choice Health plan, administered by CIGNA (long-term contract) is available statewide.

Here is some other information from Illinois’ Central Management Services that you may find helpful:

• CMS will hold a special enrollment period for insurance participants from Oct. 10 – 28, with changes being effective Dec. 1.

• This special enrollment period will be offered to all members, but is limited to health carrier changes only – no other changes will be permitted.

• Members who change health plans will be required to satisfy all health plan and prescription deductibles associated with the new health plan, even if they had already satisfied the deductible under the previous health plan.

• All members will be sent a postcard notifying them of the timeframes for this special enrollment period. A health plan change form will be available on this website once it is available. If you do not wish to change your current carrier, you do not need to do anything.