Retiree August 2021 Paycheck Flyer

2022 Open Enrollment is Coming

Open Enrollment will be held October 15 to November 15, 2021. This is the time to enroll in a plan, change your plan, or add dependents with changes taking effect January 1, 2022. For those who made enrollment changes effective on or after February 1, 2021, unless you have a qualifying event, your next opportunity to request a change will be October 2022 during the 2023 Open Enrollment period.

Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Supplement Plan to be Replaced with Improved Plan in 2022

The LACERS Board recently approved the 2022 health plan contract renewals. One very important change is that in 2022, the Anthem Life and Health Medicare Supplement plan will be replaced with the Anthem Blue Cross (Anthem) Medicare Advantage PPO plan for Members with Medicare Parts A and B.  No action is needed on your part and LACERS Members enrolled in the current Anthem Life and Health plan as of the end of 2021 will be automatically transitioned into the new Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Advantage PPO plan.

We know change can create uncertainty, but be assured that LACERS and Anthem are working to make the change seamless and we believe the benefits of the new plan will make it all worthwhile. Some highlights include: no deductible, $0 copays for medical care whether you see a provider in-network or out-of-network (the provider only needs to accept Medicare), the same pharmacy benefit, and several support programs to help you stay healthy, such as SilverSneakers, emergency response system (like Life Alert), transportation, home visits, in-home care, nutritional support, caregiver relief, and much more! Over 96% of the providers used by our Members enrolled in the Medicare Supplement plan are already contracted with Anthem or accept Anthem plans. The remaining 3% are unknown but are likely to accept this plan since payment will be more efficient than with the Medicare Supplement plan.

We wanted to notify you early of this change so that you can talk to your provider as soon as possible to let them know of the change and ensure that they will accept the new Anthem Medicare Advantage PPO plan. If your provider has any questions or concerns, they can contact Anthem at (833)-848-8729 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and they will work to resolve any issue. More information will be forthcoming regarding this and other 2022 benefit enhancements.

Join LACERS Well at these Upcoming September Virtual Events

Register for the events listed below through your MyLACERS account at mylacers.lacers.org. For a full list of LACERS Well events, including the Virtual Book Club and Movie Review Club led by our LACERS Well Champions, please visit lacers.org/lacers-well-events. If you require assistance, send an email to lacerswell@lacers.org.

• Estate Planning Webinar
  Join us for an Estate Planning Webinar presented by Janet Morris, Esq., Elder Care Consultant and Erika Brown a Social Worker for the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging. The webinar will take place on September 8 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. for both LACERS Retired and Active Members. This presentation will cover topics such as Caregiving & Living Arrangements, Grief and Loss, Wills, Revocable Living Trust, Advanced Healthcare Directives, and much more. Don’t miss out on this informative and valuable webinar. Spots will fill up quickly, so register today!