The Retiree Chapter of the Faculty and Staff Federation includes retirees from the Classified Employee, the Full-time Faculty and Part-time/Visiting Lecturer Bargaining Units. It holds a Retiree Lunch each semester during which retirees receive updates on their rights under their collective bargaining agreements, hear speakers of interest, and keep in touch with former colleagues.

Retiree Chapter Officers

Richard Keiser and Karen Schermerhorn, Co-Chairs

Planning Committee Members

Gail Chaskes, Ellie Cunningham, Rose LeVere, Noelia Rivera-Matos, Jim Ruffins, and Evan Seymour

For information or to join our Retiree Chapter, please write to Richard Keiser at r2rkeiser@ccp.edu or Karen Schermerhorn at r2kschermerhorn@ccp.edu

January 1, 2024

TO:  Full-time Faculty, Classified Employees, and Retirees

FROM:   Karen Schermerhorn and Richard Keiser, Co-Chairs, FSFCCP Retiree Chapter

SUBJECT:  Retiree Medical Benefits

To determine your Retiree Medical Benefits, you must determine when you will meet the Rule of 77, i.e., in what year will you be at least sixty-two (62) years of age and have at least ten (10) years of service, with your years of service and age totaling at least seventy-seven (77).

Example: You were hired full-time in 2000 at age 30.  In 2024, you have 24 years of service and are 54 years of age.  Your age ­­­+ years of service total (24 + 54) = 78.   Next, look in the text below to see whether you fall in Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, or Group 4.

If you have questions, please email the Federation at aft2026@gmail.com, and an officer will respond to you.

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The following is the contract language on Retiree Medical Benefits from the 2016-2024 FT Faculty contract, which also applies to Classified Employees:

Article XIII. 

  A.  -----

(5) Medical Insurance for Retirees:

Subject to the specific provisions in Article XIII (A)(10) below, Employees shall be eligible for post-retirement healthcare benefits as set forth below in Groups 1-4:

Group 1

Employees who retire from the College on or before December 31, 2020 who meet “the Rule of 77,” i.e., are at least sixty-two (62) years of age with at least ten (10) years of full-time service at the College where the Employee’s age plus years of full-time service with the College equal at least seventy- seven (77).

§     Eligible for all medical, dental, and prescription drug insurance coverage (including dependent coverage) that is available to regular full-time faculty through the end of the appointment year in which they attain age 65. Retirees may retain their PPO or HMO coverage with no contribution toward premium/premium equivalent through the end of the appointment year in which they attain age 65. Once the retired employee is 65/eligible for Medicare, the retired employee shall transition to Medicare and may elect which, if any, additional coverage provided by the College is desired for the retiree and his/her dependents, including supplemental medical insurance (Medigap), prescription and dental insurance coverage. The cost of additional insurance coverage selected by the retiree, beyond Medicare, is to be equally shared by the retiree and the Board. The cost of Medicare (Employee and Spouse), if any, shall be paid by the College provided that the Medicare cost paid by the College shall be the lesser of the Medicare Part B rate the retiree is actually charged or the published Medicare Part B rate in effect each year. (Note: In order to ensure that the Retiree has continuous medical coverage and does not incur any penalties, Retirees should carefully review the time periods to sign up for Medicare and ensure they sign up at a time that will allow them to maintain continuous medical coverage. If they do not sign up within their eligibility window around their 65 birthday, there may be a gap before they are eligible for Medicare again and they may otherwise receive penalties. Retirees are responsible for any penalties. If the Retiree signs up for Medicare before the end of the appointment year in which the Retiree attains age 65 in order to ensure continuous coverage and avoid penalties, the College shall pay the cost of additional coverage through the end of the appointment year in which the Retiree attains age 65.

Group 2

Employees who as of January 1, 2021 have met the Rule of 77 but retire from full-time service with the College on or after January 1, 2021.

§     Eligible for the same benefits as Group 1.

Group 3

Employees who: (1) on October 1, 2018 were employed as Full-Time Employee, but as of January 1, 2021, had not met the Rule of 77 and (2) thereafter meet the Rule of 77 on or before their retirement date.

§     Eligible for all medical, dental, and prescription drug insurance coverage (including dependent coverage) that is available to regular full-time faculty through age 65/eligibility for Medicare. Retirees may retain their PPO or HMO coverage with no contribution toward their premium/premium equivalent through age 65/eligibility for Medicare. Once the retired employee is 65/eligible for Medicare, the retired employee shall transition to Medicare and may elect which, if any, supplemental coverage provided by the College is desired for the retiree and his/her dependents including supplemental medical insurance, prescription and dental insurance coverage. The cost of additional insurance coverage selected by the retiree, beyond Medicare, is to be equally shared by the retiree and the Board. The College shall not contribute to the cost of Medicare Part B payments for Employee or Spouse.

Group 4

Employees hired after October 1, 2018, who meet the Rule of 77 on or before their retirement date.

§     Eligible for the same benefits as Group 3, but only for a maximum of 5 years following their retirement from the College.

TO THOSE IN GROUPS 1 AND 2:  Your monthly payment for Retiree Medical Benefits is calculated as follows.

Executive Summary: When you retire, you will sign up for Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) and Medicare Part B (doctor visits).  However, Medicare Parts A and B are not sufficient. You will also need a Medigap plan to pay what Medicare Parts A and B do not cover.  You will also want to continue your prescription drug and dental coverage.   In 1985, the Federation negotiated Retiree Medical Benefits, including a Medigap plan, prescription drug, and dental benefits.   The College now contributes approximately $466 per month per person toward these benefits.    

The contract language on retiree medical benefits negotiated in 2019 creates three tiers of retiree benefits.

·         For those already retired, there is no change.

·         For those who qualified and who retired by 12/31/20, current retiree medical benefits will continue.

·         Those who became eligible for retiree benefits by January 1, 2021, and all others, should read the new contract language above.  Many future retirees will have more costly benefits or no medical benefits through the College.1

For those in Groups 1 and 2, the contribution is $117.01 according to the letter of December 6, 2023, from Mark Frese, Administrator, Employee Benefits.  The Total Monthly Premium for the coverage is $583.42.

1.      The College pays half the $583.42, i.e., $291.71 each month.

2.      In addition, the College refunds to each retiree the basic monthly Medicare Part B premium taken from their Social Security payment which, beginning January 1, 2024, is $174.70.

3.      As a result, subtracting the $291.71 and the $174.70 from the total monthly cost of $583.42, a retiree is paying $117.01 per month, as of January 1, 2024.

Were it not for #1 and #2, above, a retiree would be paying as much as $583.42 x 12 = $7001.04 per year instead of $117.01 x 12 = $1404.12 per year.

The difference ($7001.04 minus $1404.12) is $5596.92, an additional $466.41 per month, the additional amount the retiree would need to pay without the College’s contribution. 

1 A retiree who does not have medical benefits through the College will need to look for Medigap, dental, and drug plans in the healthcare marketplace or through another group plan. Non-group plans often do not provide the same coverage as group plan.

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Language from FT Faculty and Classified Employee Memoranda of Agreement, April 2019

4. Post-Retirement Benefits – Post Retirement Medical Benefits will be modified as follows:

a. Post-Retirement medical insurance benefits and eligibility for post-retirement medical insurance will remain the same (as provided in existing CBA) for employees who retire through December 31, 2020.

b. Current full-time employees, who as of January 1, 2021 are: (1) at least sixty-two (62) years old; and (2) have at least ten (10) years of full-time service at the College and his/her age plus years of full-time service of the College equals at least seventy-seven (77) will also be eligible for the same post-retirement medical insurance benefits as provided in existing CBA.

c. Current employees who as of January 1, 2021 do not meet the criteria in paragraph 4b. will be eligible for the following benefits. If an employee retires after turning sixty-two (62) with at least ten (10) years of full-time service, and the employee’s combined age plus years of service at the College are equal to at least seventy-seven (77), the employee will be eligible for the medical, dental, and prescription drug insurance that is available to regular full-time employees until becoming eligible for Medicare. When the retired employee becomes eligible for Medicare, the retiree may elect to have supplemental medical insurance provided through the College with the employee paying fifty percent (50%) of the premium/premium equivalent. (Note: No set-off/contribution for Medicare Part B payments; Straight 50%/50% contribution for supplemental Medi-Gap insurance).

d. For new employees hired after October 1, 2018, if an employee retires after turning sixtytwo (62) with at least ten (10) years of full-time service, and the employee’s combined age plus years of service at the College are equal to at least seventy-seven (77), the employee will be eligible for the medical, dental, and prescription drug insurance that is available to regular full-time employees until becoming eligible for Medicare. When the retired employee becomes eligible for Medicare, the retiree may elect to have supplemental medical insurance provided through the College with the employee paying fifty percent (50%) of the premium/premium equivalent. (Note: No set-off/contribution for Medicare Part B payments; Straight 50%/50% contribution for supplemental Medi-Gap insurance). Employees under this section shall only be eligible for benefits for a maximum period of five years after retirement.

Spring 2024 Retiree Newsletter