HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE - June 17, 2005

   The new Health Advisory Committee (HAC) met at 8:30 AM. I am the current Chairman, and John Torres is Vice Chair. Members include Ret. Bd. representatives, Mark Sullivan, active Police; John Thomson, active Fire, and retirees, John Casey, General, Ron Moskowitz, Fire, and C.J. Cloniger, Police. It's a good group and we have everybody covered.
   The HAC received a briefing from SDCERS staff on current activities in the health care field. The City Council has voted to eliminate a couple of health care options, the Kaiser "M" option and the PacifiCare COB plan. The 43 affected retirees/survivors have been contacted and staff will assist them in selecting an alternate health insurance plan.
   SDCERS has also completed testing of a new computer software program designed for health care administration. The new system should speed processing and reduce errors.
   The issue of health insurance problems experienced by out-of-state retirees was also on the agenda. Dave Crow had started this discussion when he served as chair of HAC, and I picked it up where he left off. Staff presented a report and a recommendation to work with City Staff to resolve questions on negotiating contracts for out-of-state retiree health insurance plans. Currently there are 32 retirees enrolled in these specific out-of-area plans. Perhaps not a large number, but a critical issue to the 32 retirees. Staff was directed to work with City staff and report back to the committee on streamlining this process. No changes are to be made until the matter is researched and brought back to the HAC.

Next meeting, October 21, 2005 8:30 AM
Joe Flynn, Retiree Ret. Bd. member