AGRE Update - September 2009

The next Monthly AGRE Meeting is Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 6:00 p.m., 133 Raleigh Road, Oak Ridge.

The Annual CORRE Meeting for retirees is Monday, November 2, 2009 at 2:00 p.m., Heritage Fellowship Church, 121 Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge.

Mercer will be performing a "dependent eligibility audit" in the near future. Notices will be mailed out to employees and retirees which include a form that neds to be completed and returned. Audits of this nature typically show that 3-8% dependents are ineligible.

An AGRE display is at the Oak Ridge Public Library during the month of September. Information is provided about the AGRE organization and its objectives, who is represented, and when and where meetings are held. Upon entering the Library, turn left, then go straight to visit the display.

Concern is growing on the apparent lack of communication from BJC to the Grandfathered retirees. Benefit handbooks were distributed to employees a year ago--but it's been several years since retirees have had up-to-date handbooks. There are no web links or telephone numbers for Grandfathered retirees on the BJC public home page. Vision enhancements that went into effect on July 1 for eligible employees and pre-65 retirees were not communicated to the retirees, resulting in a loss of savings on eyecare products. (Update: VSP information was mailed out by BJC to retirees on 9/8/09.) Life insurance certificates, which were previously provided by MetLife, are not being given to retirees to file with other important papers.

BJC will be completing the evaluation of benefits information received from various companies and making a determination on who will be the benefits provider for 2010. The months of October and November are typically used for open enrollment announcements, information meetings, etc., in preparation for benefits that go into effect on January 1, 2010.

Special presentations are being discussed for future Monthly AGRE Meetings, held the first Thursday of each month. Topics may include financial planning, will preparation, estate planning, etc. Employees and retirees are encourage to send an e-mail to gfemployee@yahoo.com with topics they would be interested in learning about.