We did not hear back from Chuck Huckelberry by the press time for this week’s story about Pima County retirees’ health insurance, “Health Matters.” However, the Pima County administrator was able to respond to our questions by e-mail yesterday.
When asked for comment on the age-discrimination investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office, Huckelberry wrote that he had no comment.
Regarding the estimates on costs and savings discussed in memos issued Jan. 28, 2010 and Feb. 9, 2009 (mentioned in the story), Huckelberry responded: “The $112.00 per month calculation is correct. It relates to retiree only coverage and selecting the similar lowest cost plan provided by the State. If the retiree covers himself/herself as well as their spouse and/or children, or if they are out of network (out of state), they could pay more as indicated. The cost estimates have not changed.”
Huckelberry was also asked if he was aware of the list of 30 claimants produced by the Pima County Retirees Association that show only four of the highest claims filed by county employees in 2009 and 2010 were retirees, with only one retiree in the top five.
Huckelberry wrote, “The highest cost claims are not the measure of retiree cost. It is total claims paid versus total premiums paid. The data, in all cases, indicates the total claims paid for retirees are almost twice those of regular employees.”
This article appears in Mar 17-23, 2011.
Well at this point I don’t expect to get clear and accurate numbers from Huckelberry! I am a retiree that dropped a spouse from coverage because the monthly premium would have been $1166.00 per month! RETIREE ONLY is $583.00 per month less $150 stipend = $433.00 per month for RETIREE ONLY! The Arizona State Retirement System ONLY offers ONE plan to its retirees and guess what….. it’s “United HealthCare”! Believe me- these are the true numbers – please check it out for yourself! Where in the heck does he keep coming up with $112.00? He must have taken the “government math class”!
Here is a question for everyone – what is the “relationship” between Pima County and United HealthCare? Why is it that the Republicans on the Board of Supervisors recognize and support their retirees on this issue when the Democrats do not?
I guess we are not aware of the new math either. We are both County retirees. The ASRS plan offers only one plan and that is $583/month for each retiree less the $150 stipend. That leaves an out of pocket expense of $433/month for each of us. This is a far cry from the $112 the County Administrator claims it costs us each month. I would like to know what plans he is comparing to come up with that amount. In my old school method of adding and subtracting, the monthly medical insurance expense for each of us is $321 higher than he said it should be. Does this seem strange to anyone else?
So, Huckelberry keeps saying he stands behind his figure of $112 a month cost for retirees switching to ASRS medical insurance. Then, why is it costing me $433 a month. I have no dependents, it is only for myself and ASRS has only one plan. Huckelberry has had over one year since he came out with that dollar amount to explain it and how he determined that would be the cost.
Hey, Huckelberry, has your consultant or your financial guys not been able to support it? Or maybe your teleprompter is broken and you can’t respond to that question without it.
Huckelberry said $112.00 out of pocket cost for health care, that is totally incorrect.
When I first retired, with the help of the subsidies, I paid no out of pocket expense for health care for my self and dental for myself and my wife. In July of 2010 after being dropped by Pima County (after being assured before I retired, that I would have health coverage untill age 65) my health care expense went up to $349.34 a month or $4,192.08 per year. Then six months later there was an increase to $500.87 per month or $6,010.44 per year!! That’s a 43% increase in only 6 months!
It is an outrage as to how Pima County has treated its loyal employees.
I have just read the County Administrator’s response.
In June of 2010 I paid $118 out of pocket for health and dental insurance from Pima County.
In March of 2011 I paid $395 out of pocket for health and dental insurance from ASRS.
When you do “real math” $395 – $118 = $277 dollars more per month – not $112… My co-payments for services have also gone up with the ASRS plan.
These are real numbers – I have payment documentation from both Pima County and the ASRS. I challenge the County Administrator to provide documentation for his Retiree out of pocket cost claims.
It also appears that the County Administrator is changing his statements about Retiree claims. He has said that Retirees had more high dollar claims. This has since been debunked by Linda Trozzi’s superb research. He now says that Retirees overall claims are higher. Once again, I challenge the County Administrator to provide verifiable documentation to back up his statements regarding Retiree claims experience.
What we do know is that Pima County is paying much more than it should for health care coverage. The County’s inability to negotiate realistic rates from this provider has hurt Retirees, Active Employees and Pima County taxpayers. An investigation of this contract seems to be in order.
Thanks for your articles on this important issue.
I am a retiree of 25 years with Pima County. My last payment in June of 2010 for my insurance was $123.09 for my medical and dental, and I live out of state. Plus, the premium benefit was $150 from the ASRS, part of my retirement package. Due to the changes and being forced out of the county system, my medical premium with the State system was going to be $700 a month minus the $150 premium benefit. There was no way I could afford that, thankfully I got a job with benefits but because I am out of state and no longer have county or state coverage, I also lost my premium benefit and now my medical costs me $330.56 a month with no help from my retirement.
I use to love working for the county and looked forward to early retirement, a chance to enjoy life, now it isn’t possible until I am 65. I am currently 60. The only thing I can say is “Thanks for nothing Pima County, you got 25 of my best years and I worked hard for you, and all I get from you is worry and no sympathy for our situation. If it wasn’t for all of us hard workers, you wouldn’t have your high paying jobs.”
Thank you Pima retirees group for trying to help us….
I am a retired county employee who had to go on my husbands insurance policy as I could not afford the ASRS insurance. My husband is still a county employee so they are still paying for my insurance either way! It’s a shame that I gave 20 years to the county and my husband has 20 years and can’t afford to retire because of what it will cost us both through ASRS. Shame on Pima County for treating dedicated retired employees the way they have without any warning. I had always been proud to say I worked for Pima County and knew what great benefits I would have when I retired-yeah right they put the screws to us all. No wonder the morale of employees with the county is so bad, there is nothing to look forward to if you were/are a loyal employee. If Mr. Huckelberry were in our shoes you can bet the retirees would still have the County insurance. Wake up Chuck, grow a pair and help those that have retired or are close to retiring get the benefits they deserve. Democrat supervisor wake up also, you don’t have a clue what you have done.