Welcome to CTPF's Retiree Health Insurance information page.

Click here for the 2012 Open Enrollment Handbook.

2012 Plan Change Summary

CTPF will offer plans from Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBS), UnitedHealthcare (UHC), and Humana for 2012.

Changes for Non-Medicare Members

Rates for 2012 plans can be found here:
Plan Cost Comparison of Plans for Non-Medicare Eligible Members

Changes for Medicare Eligible Members

Rates Reduced for Medicare Eligible Members
2012 Rates for all plans for Medicare eligible members have been reduced between 9% and 20% for 2012.

Click here for a rate summary of plans for Medicare Eligible Members.
Plans for Medicare-Eligible Members

Pharmacy
Beginning January 1, 2012, Medco provides pharmacy benefits for the following plans:

• BCBS Supplement to Medicare
• BCBS HMO Illinois (Medicare)
• AARP Medicare Supplement Plan F (UnitedHealthcare)

Humana Group Medicare HMO with Part D Pharmacy plan enrollees do not have Medco coverage for prescriptions. Prescription coverage is provided by Humana.

Medco Enrollees

Welcome Kits
Eligible Medicare enrollees were sent a prescription drug card, formulary, and mail service order form, directly from Medco, mid November. If you have not yet received your Medco welcome kit or prescription drug card, contact Medco Customer Service at 1-800-864-1416 or 1-800-716-3231 TTY/TDD (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Mail Order Pharmacy
Plan administrators attempted to transfer any remaining mail order refills to Medco mail order. Medicare enrollees can contact Medco Customer Service at 1-800-864-1416 or 1-800-716-3231 TTY/TDD (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), to confirm that your existing prescriptions were transferred.

Notify Your Pharmacy
Medicare enrollees should provide their new Medco ID cards to their pharmacy to make sure prescription benefits are not interrupted.

Prior Authorization
Enrollees taking prescription drugs that require prior authorization will need to obtain new prior authorization approval from their physicians. Ask your pharmacist to initiate this process.

Additional Information
Questions? If you have coverage questions or need assistance, call Medco at 1-800-864-1416 or 1-800-716-3231 TTY/TDD (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), or visit the dedicated website www.medco.com/medd/ctpf.

Domestic Partners and Civil Unions
Effective January 1, 2012, domestic partners are no longer eligible for CTPF health insurance coverage. Dependents who lose coverage may apply for continuation coverage under CTPF COBRA.

Health insurance coverage is available for parties to a civil union. Parties to a civil union may be same- or opposite-sex couples. Contact CTPF Member Services for more information.

General Retiree Health Insurance Information

Choosing a health insurance plan for you and your eligible dependents is one of your most important decisions. The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund (CTPF) sponsors comprehensive health insurance plans designed to promote wellness and provide high-quality coverage at a reasonable cost.

CTPF offers health insurance benefits to retirees, dependents, and survivors if the retiree's final teaching service was with the Chicago Public or Charter Schools. Qualified retirees may enroll in a plan for:

• Non-Medicare eligible members
• Medicare-eligible members who maintain enrollment in Medicare Part A and Part B

Enrollment

When can I join a CTPF Plan?
A retiree/survivor and or dependent may initially enroll in a CTPF plan once in a lifetime during an initial enrollment period. Initial enrollment may occur:

• within 30 days after COBRA continuation coverage under the Board of Education or Charter School active employee group health program ends,* unless coverage is cancelled due to non-payment of premium
• within 30 days of the effective date of pension benefits
• during the Annual Open Enrollment Period - usually during October (once in a lifetime)
• within 30 days of first becoming eligible for Medicare
• when coverage is cancelled by a former group plan through no fault of your own

* If your continuation coverage (COBRA) through your employer ends December 31, 2011, and you did not enroll in a CTPF plan during open enrollment, contact CTPF Member Services for initial enrollment information. Enrollment is NOT automatic.

Special Enrollment Period with a Qualifying Event
In addition to the initial enrollment period, you have 30 days after a qualifying event to change plans or add an eligible dependent. Qualifying events may include:

• change in permanent address that affects the availability of an HMO or Medicare Advantage plan
• marriage or civil union
• birth, adoption, or legal guardianship
• termination of a Primary Care Physician for HMO plan enrollees
• within 30 days of first becoming eligible for Medicare

If you have questions about enrollment, contact CTPF Member Services at 312.641.4464.

Current CTPF Enrollees

You do not need to re-enroll in a CTPF plan every year. A current enrollee's coverage continues automatically in the same plan.

CPS/Charter School Continuation coverage (COBRA)

If you currently have insurance through your former employer's COBRA program and wish to join a CTPF plan for the first time, contact CTPF Member Services (312) 641-4464 for enrollment instructions before your coverage ends.

Plans Offered through the CTPF-sponsored Health Insurance Program

Health insurance plans offered through CTPF are divided into two categories: Plans for members who are Medicare eligible and plans for members who are Non-Medicare eligible.

Plans for Non-Medicare Eligible Members
Plan Cost Comparison of Plans for Non-Medicare Eligible Members
Plans for Medicare-Eligible Members
Plans for Medicare Eligible Members Cost Comparison

Paying for Health Insurance and How CTPF Helps

Paying for health insurance during retirement can be a major expense. That's why CTPF offers a health insurance premium subsidy to help make quality care affordable.

CTPF retirees, whose final teaching service was with the Chicago Public or Charter Schools, may qualify for a partial subsidy of their insurance premiums. A surviving spouse and/or dependent children who receive a survivor's pension may also qualify for a premium subsidy. The subsidy only applies to the retiree or survivor portion of the health insurance premium. Premium cost for dependent coverage is not eligible for the subsidy.

The subsidy is determined annually. The CTPF health insurance premium subsidy will continue at 60%, effective January 1, 2012. The subsidy is subject to change at the discretion of the Board.

Subsidy for CTPF Plans
If you are enrolled in a CTPF health insurance plan, the subsidy is automatically applied to your monthly pension benefit.

For example, if your monthly premium is $1,000 and the approved subsidy percentage is 60%, CTPF deducts $400 from your monthly pension for premium costs, and pays the remaining $600 on your behalf.

Subsidy for CPS or Charter School Continuation Coverage (COBRA)
If you are enrolled in COBRA continuation coverage, CTPF automatically applies the subsidy to your monthly pension benefit. The necessary authorization forms must be on file.

2012 Subsidy for Medicare Plans

Part A: (Hospital Insurance) Premium
Many retirees do not pay a monthly Part A premium because they, a spouse, or former spouse, have 40 or more quarters of Medicare-covered employment. For those who do not qualify for premium-free Part A, but have 30-39 quarters of Medicare-covered employment, the monthly Part A premium will be $248. Individuals with less than 30 quarters of Medicare-covered employment pay $451 monthly.

CTPF helps pay for Medicare Part A premiums by subsidizing 60% of your premium cost. Dependents are not eligible for subsidy. CTPF does not subsidize any penalties for late enrollment into Medicare Part A.

Part B: (Medical Insurance) Premium
Members who currently have Part B premiums deducted from a Social Security benefit will see a Part B premium increase to $99.90. All others will see their Part B monthly premiums decrease to $99.90.

CTPF helps pay for Part B premiums by subsidizing 60% of your premium cost. Dependents are not eligible for subsidy. CTPF does not subsidize any penalties for late enrollment into Medicare Part B.

Medicare Premiums for Higher-Income Individuals
The Social Security Administration requires that individuals with higher incomes pay an income-related adjustment amount (IRMAA) in addition to their standard Medicare premiums. These IRMAA premiums apply to Part B as well as prescription coverage. High income earners are defined as those with adjusted gross incomes more than $85,000 individually or $170,000 for married couples filing jointly.

CTPF does not subsidize any part of the IRMAA premium. CTPF only subsidizes the standard portion of Medicare premiums.

Subsidy for Non-CTPF Health Insurance
Members enrolled in non-CTPF individual or group health insurance plans are eligible for a subsidy of their health insurance premium cost, subject to maximum reimbursement amounts that CTPF publishes each fiscal year. In calculating the allowable premium subsidy, CTPF offsets any amount of a member’s premium cost that has already been subsidized by another entity (for example, a spouse plan). A subsidy application is mailed each year to members enrolled in non-CTPF health insurance. The subsidy is paid out retroactively in an annual payment. Premium payment documentation is required and is explained in the application.

CTPF Health Insurance Plan Enrollment Forms

CTPF Health Insurance Form 350 can be used to enroll in most health insurance plans.

The following plans require a separate enrollment form. Contact CTPF Member Services at (312) 641-4464 for enrollment instructions regarding the:
AARP Medicare Supplement Plan with Medco Medicare Prescription Plan (PDP)
Humana Group Medicare HMO

Return all enrollment forms and associated documentation to:

Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund
203 North LaSalle Street, suite 2600
Chicago, IL 60601-1231

Do not send enrollment forms to the health insurance plan administrator or your enrollment will not be processed.

Health Plan Administrator Contact Information

This contact information covers the following:
Non-Medicare Eligible Health insurance Plans
Medicare Eligible Health Insurance Plans
Other Contact Information
Dental Insurance Providers
Other Health Insurance Contact Information

Other Health Insurance Information

Authorized Representative
If you want a family member to assist you with health insurance issues, you may designate an Authorized Representative. The authorized representative can discuss your health insurance options with a CTPF staff member, if necessary. An authorized representative does not have power of attorney and cannot make any of your care or treatment decisions.

Click here for CTPF Form 345, HIPAA Authorized Representative Designation.

Brochure

Health Insurance Open Enrollment WEBINARS
CTPF conducted two Open Enrollment webinars. The Medicare webinar explains the 2012 changes to prescription coverage for the BCBS plans and the UHC AARP Medicare Plan F. The webinars also include overviews of plan offerings, changes, and pricing for 2012.

Click here to view a recording of the Medicare webinar.
Click here to view a PDF of Questions and Answers from the Medicare webinar.
Click here to view a recording of the non-Medicare webinar.

Please Note: The webinar is in Windows Media format, which should be supported by all Windows PCs. If you are using a Mac, you'll need to install Windows Media for QuickTime, which you can find here on Microsoft's Web site. Windows Media is not supported on devices such as the iPad or iPhone.

 

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