Annual Report RTAM Benefits Committee 2022-2023

Respectfully submitted by David Najduch

Committee Membership

Dave Najduch / Chair / Winnipeg

Pat Bowslaugh / Treasurer / Brandon

Joan Rink / Brookdale

Robert Daigneault / Winnipeg

Terry Nychuk / Wabowden

Bill Cann / Past President / Winnipeg

Mel Montgomer / Carman

Shannon Culbertson / Brandon

Sean Seywright / Executive Director

Jessica Simpson / Johnson Insurance

Linda Blair / President

The Committee held a total of 6 meetings this year starting in September 2022 and concluded March 6, 2023. The meetings were held using ZOOM and generally lasted two hours.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the committee members for their efforts over this past year. We accomplished a lot. Committee members were involved, asked good questions and had positive professional discussions.

I need to also acknowledge and thank Jessica Simpson for her support of the committee and the membership over this past year. Jessica and Johnsons are a true partner in the delivery of the services we provide to the membership.

Annual Plan Renewal (Health, Dental & Travel Insurance)

The major portion of the committee’s time focused on reviewing the three existing plans. These include the number of members enrolled, plan usage and the cost of the plans verses the premiums collected. There is always an attempt to balance what services members may access and how much that will cost each individual enrolled in the various plans.

Based on information received and discussions at the committee, recommendations for premiums and plan changes are then sent to the RTAM Board. The following has been approved.

CORE Extended Health

• An increase of 3.9% was approved in the premium for 20232024 Drug coverage was moved from $900 to $1050 per person per year.

• Glucose monitoring of $300 every 36 months was added.

• Registered Social Worker access was added to the Psychology services.

Enhanced Health

• An increase of 5.3% was approved per person per year.

• Drug coverage was moved from $1800 to $2400 per person per year.

• Glucose monitoring of $300 every 36 months was added.

• Registered Social Worker access was added to the Psychology services.

Dental Plan

• An increase of 2.7% was approved for single and family coverage.

• Increase coverage from $1200 to $1500 per person per year. Note: $40,000 from a surplus account was used to help generate the improved coverage.

Prestige Travel Insurance

• An increase of 8.5% was approved.

• “You or your travelling companion’s death, illness or positive test result as a result of contracting Novel Coronavirus 2019(COVID-19) which prevents you from traveling on your day of departure or your day of return, or causes you to interrupt your trip. A cancellation, interruption or delay of any other reason related to COVID-19 is not covered.”

WTA / Retiree Health Plan

• WTA retired members were informed in writing in the spring of 2022 they would lose their Manulife coverage December 31,2022.

• RTAM developed information to inform these retires of the options available to them. The most important being a newsletter and Power Point which were posted on the RTAM web page and used at the meetings.

• Five in person meetings occurred in September 2022 with over 500 individuals attending. Approximately 225 screens where open for the ZOOM meeting.

• RTAM was given equal time to present its health, dental and travel plans along-side the MTS Blue Cross plans.

• From June to December, RTAM fielded a large number of calls and emails from WTA retirees looking for clarification about coverage.

• There was an increase in RTAM membership and plan enrollment in January of 2023, but it is difficult to determine if these persons were WTA retirees or newly retired individuals.

A special thank-you to Glen Anderson and the MTS for the partnership model they employed when hosting the meetings. WTA retirees felt they had a good opportunity to collect information and ask questions in a positive and open environment. I would also like to thank the RTAM office staff for their efforts in answering what became a barrage of emails and phone calls over the summer and into the fall.

Articles KIT

Regular Committee reports have been provided to KIT. Other articles related to benefits coverage, changes in premiums, best choices for cost effective travel health coverage and information about partnerships have also been included in KIT.

RTAM Partnerships

Thanks to the efforts of the new Executive Director, the committee reviewed and recommended to the Board the approval of partnerships with Hearing Life and Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy. The issue of eye glass coverage was discussed, a proposal considered but not recommend for this year. The purpose of partnerships is to access discounted prices for the services offered by the partner organization.

RTAM Preretirement Seminars

Two Saturday morning sessions took place, one in December and the other March using Zoom. Johnson presented and discussed benefits coverage as part of the workshop and I spoke on a wider range of issues linked to getting ready to retire.

Member Concerns

Over the year members regularly bring very specific concerns to the Chair and committee asking for their help. Generally, they are forwarded to Jessica at Johnson and she responds to them directly or through me as the Chair.

The concern most often identified this year is related to drug coverage and the move from paying for name brand medication to only reimbursing for the cost of generic drugs once they become available. As part of this discussion there is also confusion about the reimbursement for dispensing fees verse what a pharmacy will actually charge.