Your negotiation team will start bargaining for your new contract on December 14! Thank you to Sue Starr and Susan Babcock, your local unit officers, for bringing their expertise and knowledge to the table. Please keep an eye on your email and texts for bargaining updates. You can reach out to Sue, Susan or your WSNA Nurse Rep, Grace Chesterman, with any questions or concerns that you would like to see addressed.

 Upcoming Changes to the Retiree Medical Program

We were notified by the county of some potential changes to the retiree medical program to reduce the premiums to make them more financially viable. This would come into effect in conjunction with the County's new plan year beginning April 1st, 2024.

Here's the update to the plan in their words:
Eligible employees electing to participate in the County’s Retiree Medical plan, can pay up to twelve (12) months of premiums via their excess unused sick leave accruals (100 hours of extra sick leave after cash-outs for one (1) month of premiums).  Participating employees must pay out of pocket to continue in the plan after exhausting their excess unused sick leave or twelve (12) months of pre-paid premiums, whichever comes first...

PRE-65 Retirees:
This plan will be available to employees retiring before the age of 65.  Essentially the current Retiree Medical plan was “re-rated” as it exists now with one modest change (adjusting the Emergency Room copay to $200 – waived if admitted - consistent with most of the County’s other plans).  The new Retiree Medical plan moving forward will be pooled with our non-LEOFF active plan insulating the rates from such volatility.  The estimated cost of this pooling is 0.5% to the non-LEOFF plans, which the County would cover with the April renewal.  The new rates achieve about a 50% reduction in premiums.  The payment of premiums via excess sick leave cash-out for up to 12 months is still part of this plan.

POST-65 Retirees:
Retirees who are Medicare eligible or who become Medicare eligible will have the option to move to a fully insured, employer sponsored Medicare Advantage Plan, or to seek coverage on the market. The option of this new plan for our post-65 retirees will result in a 90% reduction in premiums. The payment of premiums via excess sick leave cash-out for up to 12 months is still part of this employer sponsored Medicare Advantage Plan.

Questions? Contact Grace Chesterman, WSNA Nurse Representative at gchesterman@wsna.org