Affiliated with Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers
Medical Information Standing Committee
Sam Trivette - Director

Mission

The mission of the Medical Information Committee is to promote better understanding and protection of the state retiree’s medical insurance benefits.

Goals

The committee’s goals are

  1. To assist the RPEA Executive Board regarding all matters pertaining to retiree medical insurance benefits.
  2. To continually review the existing retiree medical insurance program and analyze any proposed changes to that program instituted by the State Retirement and Benefits Division.
  3. To conduct forums and surveys on retiree medical insurance benefits in the RPEA News and distribute information to chapters to educate and promote communications concerning these benefits.


News

November 2009

An update on National Health Care Reform.

   National Health Care Reform 11/09 (.pdf document)
 

September 2009

Information on current medical issues affecting retirees from Sam Trivette.

   AlaskaCare Administrator Changeover Update 9/09 (.pdf document)
 
   National Health Care Reform (.pdf document)
 

July 2009

An important update clarifying Wells Fargo's position on using Premera's providers for 90 days and other information regarding UCR and Preferred Providers.

   HealthCare Update 7-21-09 (.pdf document)

Sam Trivette provides another update on the Alaska Retiree Health Care Plan administration changeover, including clarifications from Retirement & Benefits on using member names on the ID cards and from Wells Fargo on temporarily using Premera's providers for 90 days to ensure member service payments.

   Third Party Administrator changeover status as of 7/7/2009 (.pdf document)
 

June 2009

Pat Shier, Director, Retiree & Benefits, provides an update on the issuance and use of new ID cards.

   New Wells Fargo ID cards (.pdf document)

Sam Trivette provides a new update on the changeover of the Alaska Retiree Health Care Plan administration to Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Alaska.

   Third Party Administrator changeover status as of 6/24/2009 (.pdf document)
 

May 2009

Sam Trivette provides some current information on the progress of the changeover of the Alaska Retiree Health Care Plan administration to Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Alaska.

   Third Party Administrator changeover status as of 5/7/2009 (.pdf document)
 

February 2009

Further answers to questions regarding the relationship between Medicare and AlaskaCare from Freda Miller.

   More about the Medicare and AlaskaCare Relationship (.pdf document)
 

February 2008

A recent question to Freda Miller from a member regarding late payments of pharmacy claims for non-participating pharmacies brought this informative answer.

   Pharmacy Q&A - Late Payments (.pdf document)
 

October 2007

An explanation of the relationship between Medicare and AlaskaCare.

   The Medicare and AlaskaCare Relationship (.pdf document)
 

September 2007

At recent chapter meetings, Freda Miller, Benefits Manager for the State of Alaska, answered many questions during forums on Health Care and Retirement Benefits. Follow the links below to view those questions and answers:

   Health Insurance Q&A - Southeast Region (.pdf document)

   Health Insurance Q&A - SouthCentral Region (.pdf document)

   Health Insurance Q&A - Northern Region .pdf document