18 thoughts on “OPERS Medicare Connector allowance update

    • When I retired I didn’t want the OPERS health insurance until I went on
      Medicare because I was also covered by my wife’s insurance. Additionally, I
      took a lower monthly pension so that my wife would have health insurance
      when she retired. However, I was told that if I didn’t take the OPERS
      health insurance at retirement I woukdn’t be able to get it later. But now
      how much OPERS is going to give us towards our monthly insurance cost is
      based on not only age and lenght of service, but when we took OPERS
      insurance, (I.E., we’d get more for waiting ’til we went on Medicare before
      taking OPERS health insurance).

  1. So we will not have our Medical coverage any more. No dental, no vision,
    minimal health coverage, and we pay up front and HOPE they actually pay us
    back. Pardon me if I don’t jump for joy. $200-400 a month to start, and
    MAYBE it will stay the same, and MAYBE we can find coverage at that price.
    Yipee.

    • Helen,

      That’s not the way it will work. You will be able to select dental/vision
      coverage either through the Connector or through OPERS. You will be
      reimbursed through your Health Reimbursement Account. And there will be
      many choices for plans.

      –Ohio PERS

  2. I guess you retire to become poor. I am waiting to see how this will
    benefit us. I don’t think it will. All the government does is take, take,
    take. Sad, very sad.

  3. Confusing. Not much said about spouses, “money left over to buy spousal
    insurance? Who is going to have money left over? Does this mean we have to
    pay all our medical expenses up front and they reimburse us when they get
    around to it, like a health savings account? Everyone knows costs go up
    every year, retirees cannot afford this. 

  4. So in 2016, my mother, who is the spouse of the deceased OPERS retiree,
    will have her health insurance benefit reduced by 1/3. She will lose
    another 1/3 in 2017, and in 2018, there is no benefit at all. Thank you so
    much.

  5. REMEMBER – We were always guaranteed a pension. We were Never guaranteed a
    healthcare benefit. We all feel awful about losing what we had, but it’s
    better than has happened to a lot of other governmental and business
    retirees. 

  6. These changes are draconian. This has me very angry. Given we have a
    Republican Governor and Senate in Ohio I think this is being influenced by
    their policies. We better vote Kasich out and get a Democrat in…Because
    of these changes we will have to get a plan for my wife through private
    insurance and soon my medicare won’t be covered by the State…Absolute
    partisan BS.

    • +rckz3 Unearned handout? Now that is much more partisan than anything I
      mentioned. My wife earned healthcare by deciding to stay home and raise
      our children (old school) We made that choice together and it had nothing
      to do with reaping an unearned bounty like you so stupidly put it. My wife
      had cancer which is why I am against the opers changes to discontinue
      spousal coverage. If it were up to republicans who want to repeal the
      affordable Care Act she wouldn’t be able to get healthcare once opers stops
      covering her due to pre-existing . Healthcare is a very personal issue to
      me so get lost and stop talking to me…

    • +kenpogodan If you don’t want to be called out, then stop publishing stupid
      partisan stuff like ” My wife had cancer and if it were up to republicans
      she wouldn’t be able to get healthcare once opers stops covering her.

      You didn’t contribute any more than if you had no spouse. So why should
      you be collecting any more in medical benefits than the rest of us? You
      made a life style choice. So don’t be whining about what falls out of your
      own choice.

    • Dude I’m done with you…you sound like a tea party fanatic who only thinks
      of himself…You have no business saying anything about my wife’s issues.
      This is my last response to you.

  7. I already know I am not eligible for Medicare Part A. More information on
    what options are available for others in my situation would be helpful. 

    • +Mary Dustin I thought I was ready to retire at 30 years at 62. I was hired
      in 1985 and no medicare was taken out for me either. I didn’t make enough
      in the private sector to be eligible for social security. My only other
      option is joining my spouse’s future medicare plan but he doesn’t turn 65
      until next April. I have no idea what to do? I hate to try to figure all
      this out over the phone to PERS since they discourage one on one meetings I
      need to take my husband with me. . 🙁

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