This year’s annual workshop on the University’s retiree health plans sought to put information about the plans in a larger context. First, John Mach, MD, chief medical officer for Medica, gave a concise but comprehensive summary of the health care needs of retirees.  

To maintain good health, Dr. Mach suggested that we should “play bridge and square dance.” This maxim encompasses three major parts of healthy aging: staying engaged mentally, staying physically active, and interacting socially.  

Regarding health care itself, Dr. Mach offered several thoughts:

• Don’t get COVID. Some people who recover have long-term effects.
• Keep up preventative screenings during the pandemic. Medical offices are taking many precautions and are relatively safe.
• Be alert for medication side effects. Older people are more susceptible to side effects.  Don’t be afraid to report them to your doctor.  
• Ask your pharmacist for a review (usually free) of your medications for interactions and side effects.
• Realistically assess your budget and your potential need for long-term care. Both long-term care and long-term care insurance are becoming more expensive.

Our second speaker, Kersh Cooks, LGSW, representing the Minnesota Area Agency on Aging and Senior LinkAge Line, presented an overview of the confusing terrain of Medicare, including Original Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical), Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), Medigap or Medicare Supplemental Insurance, and prescription drug coverage (Part D).

She spent some time clarifying the differences between Medigap plans, which supplement Medicare payments, and Medicare Advantage plans, which replace original Medicare as the payer. Advantage plans are generally lower cost but more limited in the providers you can use. 

A one-stop service center for seniors

Most importantly, Cooks described the Senior Linkage Line, a state agency with the mission of being a one-stop service center for seniors to find help with questions about Medicare, insurance policies, caregiving, long-term care, and other issues. The agency can be reached at mn.gov/senior-linkage-line or 800-333-2433.

Finally, Jeff Altringer and Katie Kolodge from the Office of Human Resources, gave a brief overview of the U of M’s open enrollment process and retiree health plans options for 2021. OHR’s annual Benefits Fair will be virtual this year, available throughout the month of November. It will feature vendor resources, videos on each vendor’s retiree plans, and contact information for the vendor representatives.

The U of M benefits fair can be found 24/7 at z.umn.edu/VirtualBenefitsFair from November 1 to November 30.

The lineup of vendors and their plans for retirees remains essentially the same this year as last, along with the costs. UMRA members should have received their annual Benefit Enrollment Guide by now, which includes forms for changing plans (also available online at z.umn.edu/openenrollment.)  If you are not changing plans for 2021, you do not have to submit anything.  

—Ron Matross, UMRA Workshop Committee chair