AT&T Retiree T65 Seeks Health Insur Options...

[bouckville]

How are AT&T retirees handled by their former employer? My Carolina suspect spoke of getting a letter from AON Exchange for his options that included reimbursement $ for him. Only $ for out of pocket expenses OR only to purchase AT&T bundled health option premiums?

His bride T65 in March 2017, 3 months after husband T65 in December 2016.
Can she continue coverage as a dependent only while husb/retiree has left AT&T coverage by getting an MAPD thru me?

Am guessing AT&T coverage is double/both or nothing ?

Thank you for your animated responses + the correct ones.

 

[jdeasy]

How are AT&T retirees handled by their former employer? My Carolina suspect spoke of getting a letter from AON Exchange for his options that included reimbursement $ for him. Only $ for out of pocket expenses OR only to purchase AT&T bundled health option premiums?

His bride T65 in March 2017, 3 months after husband T65 in December 2016.
Can she continue coverage as a dependent only while husb/retiree has left AT&T coverage by getting an MAPD thru me?

Am guessing AT&T coverage is double/both or nothing ?

Thank you for your animated responses + the correct ones.

I dealt with quite a few of those a couple years ago. At that time they got $2700/yr and they had to buy at least one coverage thru AON to get the money. Most bought their Part D there and then a med sup elsewhere. Well, not most. Most went with everything thru AON because they were led to believe it was better that way.

I did far more of those early this year with the GE retirees. Worked the same way, they had to buy one thing through the exchange to get the full benefit. The ones I worked with I advised to get their Part D at the exchange and then we did med sups. I even have the forms for their reimbursement of the premiums. Still, most of them just went with everything through the exchange.

 

[GoPokes]

JD is correct .......

 

[Susan Zanzonico]

Why aren't AT&T retirees fighting for their medical benefits? I took the VRIP package in 1998 and the only reason I took it was because I was promised free medical coverage for life. Over the years they have tacked on a price and I just learned that when you turn 65 it gets worse. Its not right. They are totally going back on the agreement.

 

[somarco]

They are totally going back on the agreement.

Your point is?

CWA agreed to the changes during negotiations and the CBA was ratified by the union.

 

[Susan Zanzonico]

My point is that the agreement was medical benefits for life. That was the deal so I don't understand how they can just decide to change this because it suits them when so many took this package and are either now retired or entering into retirement. AT&T dropping their retirees is a big deal.

 

[WCMason]

My point is that the agreement was medical benefits for life. That was the deal so I don't understand how they can just decide to change this because it suits them when so many took this package and are either now retired or entering into retirement. AT&T dropping their retirees is a big deal.

If ATT did “drop” their retirees that would have been a big deal. But that is not what happened.

In the past they were put into a managed-care plan with deductibles and copays. Now they get a sum of money every year to spend on any type of plan they want, with many more choices than they’ve ever had before. They can choose 100% medical coverage with a Plan F if they want. Or go HDF and save most of that money for drugs. Or go MAPD and save all of that money for copays.

I have a dozen or so clients who are ATT retirees. They were initially scared and angry. Now that they’ve been in it a couple of years, everyone of them is happy.

They did not lose their “medical benefits for life.” Anyone without a retiree plan would envy what they have.

 

[Susan Zanzonico]

I have to research more but haven't been able to get an AT&T rep on the phone. From what I've read online, they give us $2700 to spend ... $225 a month which isn't much. From what I understand, people are paying $750+ for really crappy medical coverage. The initial agreement was full medical coverage for life...no charge.

 

[DS4]

Why aren't AT&T retirees fighting for their medical benefits? .

I agree! The retirees should go on strike.

 

[WCMason]

I have to research more but haven't been able to get an AT&T rep on the phone. From what I've read online, they give us $2700 to spend ... $225 a month which isn't much. From what I understand, people are paying $750+ for really crappy medical coverage. The initial agreement was full medical coverage for life...no charge.

Researching more is a good idea, because your understanding is way off. Most on Medicare are paying less than a couple hundred per month for a Medigap plan that cover most of what Medicare doesn’t plus a drug plan. For the $225 ATT retirees get per month most will have little or no monthly premium and little or no out-of-pocket unless they’re on expensive drugs, which they’d have copays for even under their prior ATT retiree coverage. As they age they may have some monthly cost, but not much. And they had higher out-of-pocket costs with their former plan than with a Medigap. They have a great deal now. Better than most.