LOCAL 1060

Communications Workers of America                          AFL-CIO, CLC

595 Somerset Street  North Plainfield, NJ 07060-4908 (908) 561.8806
HOMECONTACTSLOCAL NEWSNATIONAL NEWSHEALTH CARECWA COMTECHALLIANCE

 

 

Alcatel-Lucent: Medicare Crossover

December 3, 2009

ATTENTION MEDICARE-ELIGIBLE UNITEDHEALTHCARE TRADITIONAL INDEMNITY MEMBERS: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HASSLE-FREE CLAIMS PROCESSING.

UnitedHealthcare offers a service to help streamline claims processing for Medicare-eligible Traditional Indemnity coverage participants: Medicare crossover billing. Medicare crossover billing is a process by which Medicare pays for claims first, and then those claims are automatically forwarded electronically to UnitedHealthcare for processing. What does this mean for you? Less wait time in the processing of your claims and less paperwork — Medicare and UnitedHealthcare do all of the work!

To initiate the process, and/or for more details on how the Medicare crossover billing works, call UnitedHealthcare Member Services at 1-800-577-8567. The customer service team can take your Medicare Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) over the telephone to start the process.

 

Alcatel-Lucent: Medco's Low-Cost Generic Drug Program

June 19, 2009

 

To:  All Alcatel-Lucent Active and Represented Retirees

It has come to my attention that not everyone is aware of Medco's Low Cost Generic Drug Program.  Back in March of this year, Alcatel-Lucent, Medco and the Joint Healthcare Cost Containment Committee (JHCC) were pleased to announce the availability of over 400 generic drugs for $10 or less for a 90-day supply through Medco's Mail Order Pharmacy.

Attached is a list of over 400 generic drugs that cover such therapeutic categories as Arthritis/Pain, Asthma/Respiratory, Blood Pressure/Heart Health, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Mental Health and many more.

This is a great way to save money, ensure that your prescription cost is competitive, and be able to have all of your prescription information in one location to help monitor drug interactions.  To find out if a 90-day supply of your generic medication is available for $10 or less, you can visit Medco online at www.medco.com/lowcostgenerics or call the toll-free number on the back of your prescription drug ID card. 

In Unity,

Martha Flagge
CWA Staff Representative

 

Alcatel-Lucent: Results of the 2009 Retiree Healthcare Negotiations for Plan Year 2010

June 19, 2009

 

To:  All Alcatel-Lucent Local Presidents and Formerly Represented Retirees

The Joint Retiree Healthcare Committee (JRHC) has completed annual negotiations in regard to the Formerly Represented Retiree Healthcare Plan for 2010.  Each year, as negotiated in 2004, the JRHC reviews Retiree healthcare costs reported by the Company to have exceeded the negotiated Retiree Healthcare Caps for that year.  The Committee is required to "True Up" the balance of the excess cost by making changes to the Medical and/or Prescription Plan Designs, as well as Provider-recommended programs designed to help save future costs for the Plans and for the Retirees.  The JRHC must also consider possible increases to Retiree contributions.

The projections for Plan Year 2010 showed a shortfall/true up of $23,400,000.  Medco negotiated contract savings reduced that shortfall/true up by $14,800,000.

Retiree Contributions (premiums) – This year I am happy to report that the premiums the retirees pay for their healthcare will remain the same as last year and NOT increase the half percent as called for in the contract.  As we did in 2008 and 2009, the Unions were successful in holding contributions steady for pre-65 Retirees at 8.5% – Single and 17% – Family.  The contributions for post-65 Retirees will be remain the same as they were in 2009 at 5.5% – Single and 11% – Family.  The cost to the Plan is $2,300,000.

Medicare Part B Coordination – Alcatel-Lucent will be partnering with Medco to provide Medicare Part B coordination of benefits for certain drugs and supplies that are covered under Medicare for retirees and their dependants who are Medicare Part B eligible.  Some of the prescriptions that are typically covered by Medicare Part B are diabetes supplies (test strips, meters), specific medication used to aid tissue acceptance from organ transplants, certain oral medications used to treat cancer, and a full range of ostomy supplies.  Retirees will be receiving communications from Medco that will outline the program.  For those drugs and supplies that are covered under the Medicare Part B Program, the co-pays that the retirees would have been required to pay will be waived.  The Plan will pick up the cost of the co-pays.  The estimated savings to the Plan is $1,000,000.

Prescription Drug Program – The current Four Tier Plan design will revert back to a Three Tier Plan design.  The co-pays for prescription drugs will be as follows:  Retail $10/$33/$55 and Mail Order $25/$82.50/$137.50.  Chemotherapy drugs will be included in the co-pay structure.  In addition, the Generic and Preferred Drug Step Therapy Programs will add to new therapeutic categories.  There will be an expansion to the Prior Authorization and Quantity-Duration categories as well.  The estimated savings to the Plan is $1,547,000.

Medical Plan Design Changes – The Mental Health and Chemical Dependency out-of-pocket maximum will be combined with the Medical out-of-pocket maximum and the three free visits will be eliminated.  What this means is that there are no longer two out-of-pocket maximums that must be met.  The Mental Health and Chemical Dependency out-of-pocket expenses will apply towards the Medical out-of-pocket maximum.  The cost to the Plan was neutral.

Air Ambulance benefit has been improved to eliminate the cap of $5,000.  The cost to the Plan was neutral. 

In addition to the projected savings derived from the Plan changes, the Trustees of the Taft Hartley Trust for Formerly Represented Retirees have authorized that $8,353,000 of Trust assets be utilized to offset the remaining shortfall/true up.

Once again I would like to thank you for your support and understanding as the Union makes these difficult and necessary decisions.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at mflagge@cwa-union.org.

In Unity,

Martha Flagge
CWA Staff Representative

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Lucent: 2007 JRHC Healthcare Negotiations Summary

June 18, 2007

Meetings of the Joint Retiree Healthcare Committee to negotiate possible changes to the Retiree healthcare plan design and/or healthcare premiums, were initiated in March 2007 and were to conclude no later than June 15, 2007.   Once again the Company expected the JRHC to solve for the "True-Up" from 2006 healthcare claims, in addition to the projected shortfall for 2008. 

The Union again pushed back and advised the Company that the contract language required the JRHC to address only the 2006 True-up and not the 2008 projected shortfall.  Negotiations continued and on June 15, 2006 the Parties reached agreement on recommend changes to the Retiree Healthcare Plan.  The changes include the following:

Prescription Drug Plan

  • Change co-pays from $10/$25/$35/$40 (retail) and $25/$62.50/$87.50 /$100 (mail order) to $10/$25/ $35/$50 (retail) and $25/$62.50/$87.50/$125 (mail order).

Medical

  • Increase POS out-of-pocket maximum from $1,250 to $1,500; and
  • Change Traditional Indemnity deductible to 2.5% of pension.

Premiums

  • Decrease post-3/1/90 post-age 65 premiums from 6.5%/13% to 6.0%/12% (no .5% increase as is currently required under the Lucent contract; and
  • Maintain post-3/1/90 pre-age 65 premiums at 2007 level of 8.5%/17% (no .5% increase as is currently required under the Lucent contract language. 

While the changes for the 2008 Plan Year do include a slight increase in the fourth tier of the Prescription Drug Plan, as well as an increase to the POS out-of-pocket maximum, changing the Traditional Indemnity deductible from $150 + 1% of Pension to a flat percentage of 2.5% of Retirees' pensions will equalize the impact across all pension levels.  In addition, premiums were lowered for the Post-65 Retirees and premiums for pre-65 Retirees will not increase in 2008.

CWA JRHC Committee Members:

Martha Flagge
CWA Representative

Brian Reilly
President, CWA Local 1062 

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