HCREA
Dear Members
President‘s Message
officers
Joseph Fleischner
President
Barbara Toczko
First Vice President
John Cinciarelli
Second Vice President
Theresa Schillari
Treasurer
Grace Ann Lepore
Recording Secretary
Karen Babinski
Corresponding Secretary
Bill DeRosa
Immediate Past President
Happy New Year and welcome back for the second half of the 2018/2019 membership year. Annual members should be hearing from NJREA by June or early summer that their dues should be paid early enough so that your membership is not interrupted. Lifetime members in NJREA will receive their renewal envelopes from HCREA for local dues by early summer. Remember, local dues will increase to $15.00 for the
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membership year of 2019/2020 and thereafter.
As promised, the HCREA is getting ready to join the 21st century.
Four members of your executive board have attended a workshop at NJEA headquarters to learn how to set up our web page and we have joined Mailchimp, which will enable us to reach out to all the members who had given NJREA an e-mail address when they first enrolled. If you hadn’t done that or changed your e-mail address recently you can still do it now by sending me your name & e-mail addrtess. I will then put you on the master list to receive periodic e-mails from HCREA. You may also opt out from the e-mail blasts to members if you wish.
By the time you receive this newsletter, you will have received a mailing from HCREA for the next two events (Spring Luncheon Meeting and the June Annual Cocktail Party). If you haven’t already, please fill out those reservation forms if you wish to attend one or both of those events.
Hudson County Retired Educator’s Association
1600 Kennedy Boulevard
Jersey City, New Jersey 07305
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Member Benefits
You should know that there are many financial benefits associated with your HCREA/NJREA membership. The green Member Benefits booklet that was given to all attendees at our recent luncheon/meeting lists many of these benefits. If you have misplaced this booklet, you can go online to find out these many benefits:
- go to member benefits.njea.org
- log in with your PIN (on your NJREA membership card)
- everything that Member Benefits offers is on this page
- scroll down to ACCESS DISCOUNTS and click SEARCH ACCESS
- he sure to follow the instructions to download the My Deals mobile app so you can find savings on the go. You can also contact Buyer’s Edge, Inc. at 800″755-5008 for major purchases such as automobiles, appliances, etc.
NEA Member Benefits is offering personal loans. If you are interested, you can call 1-888-800-9556 and use the priority number2018–3 l 8 1- l 538–8003-90676.
Many people ask v,hat they get for their membership in our organizations. By using these services, you can save a great deal
of money.
What to do when things go awry – Health Benefits
Judi Ruff, NJREA Health Benefits Chairperson
Change no matter how well planned is never without a glitch. In the last two years, NJREA/SEHBP retirees have faced changes in their prescription drug coverage carrier as well as movement into an Aetna Educators’ Medicare Plan.
For many members, it has been a smooth, uneventful transition. For others, there have been issues with physicians, office staff, pre-certlfication, as well as prescription denials resulting in stressful interactions with subsequent appeals. It is this second group that contact NJEA/NJREA to receive some assistance.
It is important to understand that ii is not NJEA but the State of New Jersey/ Division of Pensions and Benefits providing the benefits for eligible retirees and their dependents. NJEA staff cart provide guidance to the member when issues arise, but they cannot deal directly with the members’ physicians. Members need to be their own advocates and thatincludes reaching out for assistance when needed.
In order to provide meaningful as well as timely assistance, a procedure was developed last year. We ask members to use the procedure whenever possible. The information can be found on the NJEA/NJREA website and is as follows:
New process for benefit questions
In an effort to allow members to access health benefits information that is accurate and efficient, the NJREA Health Benefits Committee is deploying a new communication model. This approach will help the committee better serve NJREA members and allow for more effective communication with the NJEA Research staff.
Should you have any questions regarding your state-paid, post-retirement medical benefits, please direct them to your respective county REA presidents. The presidents and NJREA Health Benefits Committee members (listed below) receive frequent, up- to date information about retirees’ benefits and are aware of the latest issues and how they are being handled. ShouId the county REA president not be able to answer your question, he/she will contact the health benefits committee member assigned to
your county.
Members of the NJREA Health Benefits Committee include: Joseph Fleischner (Essex, Hudson, Union)josephl08@earthlink.net
Ron Giordano (Bergen, Passaic, Sussex) coventree@optonline.net
Linda Chororos (Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset) liochor@aptimum.net Bette Kirk (Mercer, Middlesex, Salem) hkirknurse@aol.com
Susan Jakob (Cape May, Gloucester) sueaj@comcast.net
Barliara Satz{Hnnterdon, Morris, Warren)basahen@mac.com
William Sia (Atlantic Camden, Cumberland) VISpublius@verizon.net Judith Ruff (Burlington) tortlegertie@gmail.com
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Assistance for Survivors
The death of a spouse or a loved one is a very traumatic event. Dealing with your own feelings as well as those of the family. In addition to making all the necessary arrangements can result in overlooking details and additional confusion. NJEA/NJREA has created a checklist (http//www.njea.org/download/13429/) designed to help you make sense of your rights and responsibilities during this diffucult time. The suggestions are general and should be adapted to your situation through family conversations and conferences with legal and/or financial advisors.
Many retirees and beneficiaries also inquire about the steps that should be taken to expedite the processing of death benefits.
Upon the death of a retired member or his or her beneficiary, the NJ Division of Pensions should be notified as soon as possible by calling the Office of Client Services at 609-292-7524. The individual reporting the death should be able to provide the following:
The full name of the deceased;
The deceased’s Social Security, pension membership, or retirement number
Date of death, the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the person handling the deceased’s affairs.
Once a member’s death is reported, the Division of Pensions reviews the member’s account to determine what benefits, if any, are due. The Division of Pensions informs the named beneficiary or beneficiaries by letter of the benefits payable and sends the necessary claim forms.
The processing time for paying a claim depends entirely upon when the Division of Pensions receives the following items from
the beneficiary:
A certified death certificate; a photocopy is not acceptable;
All claim forms, properly completed; and
Any uncashed pension checks sent to the deceased retiree (any monies due will be reissued to the beneficiaries or the
estate).
Treasurers’ Report for end of 2018
Operating Account at Capital One Checking Starting Balance 12/1/2018 $40,090.63
Deposits………………. $650.00 Expenses$4,530.75 Ending Balance 12/31/2018 $36,209.88
Capital One Bank 1291 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus, NJ 07094
Dedicated Life………….. Capital One Savings $245.56
Capital One Checking…. Philanthropic Fund Starting Balance 12/1/2018 $15,436.11
Deposits…………. $0.00 Expenses……… $0.00……. Ending Balance…………… $15,436.11
Theresa Schillari, Treasurer
Government Relations report on Governor Murphy’s Budget Address
On March 5, 2019, Governor Murphy gave his annual budget address. Here are the highlights:
School Funding: The budget includes a record investment in public education with additional funding for pre-K-12, as
well as higher education. (projects $206 million more for K-12, $33 million more for free tuition at county colleges and
$68 million for pre-K).
It continues the path toward full funding of SFRA, after many years of neglect.
It demonstrates a commitment to investing in students and New Jersey families to build a brighter future for everyone in New
Jersey.
While most districts will see increases, some will face cuts, leaving their students without the resources they need.
Pension Funding: The budget contains a record pension payment as the state continues ramping up to full
funding of our pensions after years of neglect. (This is the 7/10th payment, a total of $3.8 billion).
Millionaires’ Tax: Governor Murphy is asking for a millionaires’ tax, projected to raise $447 million by extending the
millionaires’ tax to those with incomes of $1 million to $5 million.
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HCREA HOLIDAY PARTY DEC. 5, 2018
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HCREA NOMINATION PROCEDURE FOR THE 2019 ELECTION 3.
In May of 2019, we will be electing the H.C.R.E.A. Executive Board Officers for the 2017-2019 term . Positions to be filled include: Second Vice President, Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary.
Any dues-paying member of the H.C.R.E.A. and N.J.R.E.A. is eligible to seek office for any of the positions listed above. You can do so by filing a request, in writing, to the Nominating Committee Chairperson, Judy Woelpper, 78 West 38th Street, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002.
The request should state the following information: your name, address, telephone number and the position of interest. All correspondence must be postmarked by April 3, 2017.
At the H.C.R.E.A. Spring luncheon/Meeting in May, the nominating committee will announce the candidates and bring their recommendations to the group. A procedural vote will be taken at that time. All H.C.R.E.A By-Laws will be adhered to during the process.
ALAN P. EDWARDS SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS
Any dues paying HCREA/NJREA member may sponsor a high school student for this scholarship. Thecandidatemustbearelative of the current HCREA/NJREA dues-paying sponsor.
An application can be obtained by contacting Bill DeRosa by phone or mail. The deadline for filing is April 3, 2017. A $1500 scholarship will be awarded at our Spring Luncheon /Meeting on May 3, 2017. Our Scholarship Committee oversees the funding andselection process.
If interested, contact Bill DeRosa at 201.433.4450 /11 Holly Street, JC, NJ 07305 Contributions to the Alan P. Edwards Scholarship Fund may be sent to:
Bill DeRosa
HCREA OFFICE
1600 Kennedy Boulevard – Suite A Jersey City. NJ 07305
Please make checks payable to:” ALAN P. EDWARDS SCHOLARSHIP FUND”