Retiree Benefits

For your quick reference, an At a Glance Retiree Benefits Chart Updated April 20, 2017.pdf has been charted based upon employment agreements.  This summary is intended for comparison and ease-of-use purposes only and is NOT a guarantee of coverage, please refer to the has been charted based upon employment agreements.  This summary is intended for comparison and ease-of-use purposes only and is NOT a guarantee of coverage, please refer to the Employment Agreements webpage. 

Important News

Advance Medical Announcement

Advance Medical is a free benefit to those on our plans.  Received a diagnosis and aren't sure of it's correct?  Do you have the best treatment plan?  Want an expert reliable medical opinion?  Their Expert Medical Opinions program can be your best advocate.   Advance Medical matches patients to the leading doctors on their specific conditions, who work with you to be sure of your diagnosis and recommend the best path for treatment.  They will help you find comfort and clarity whenever you need to better understand the best options for your care.   For more information on Advance Medical, please visit www.advance-medical.net/sisc or call 1-855-201-9925. 

Prestige Announcement - Retirees NOT on Medicare Only

Attention Shasta College Early Retirees Not on Medicare…

We are excited to announce the beginning of urgent care walk-in service and scheduled primary care visits starting April 4th for covered members.

  • The Prestige membership is being extended to active employees and their covered dependents, as well as pre-Medicare retirees and their covered dependents as a benefit of belonging to STSIG.
  • Services will be provided at no cost to members on the 80G, K or M plans. No membership dues. No copays. No deductibles. No insurance hassles.  
  • HSA-A and B members will pay a nominal fee for each visit (around $25) due to IRS regulations.

For more information, please view this flyer: PRESTIGE - Special Member Alert Announcement - Early Retirees Not on Medicare (PDF)

Dental and Vision

Retirees who are eligible for medical benefits may elect to continue their coverage for dental and/or vision coverage at the time of retirement.  If you have dependents that are covered under the plan, you may continue their coverage as well.  You must select coverage at the time of your retirement.  Once declined, you may not elect coverage at a later date.  Please also note that if you elect dental and/or vision now, but decline at a future date, you will not be able to elect coverage again. 

Retiree Assistance Program

Beginning January 1, 2016, retirees, and anyone in their household, will be able to use our new FREE employee assistance program.  Here are some of the topics they can help you or your family with:

  • Workplace safety
  • Child and elder care resources
  • Tobacco cessation
  • Grief and loss
  • Family health
  • Home improvement
  • Addiction and recovery
  • Dealing with Identity theft

When you or a household member contacts the program, they will work with you to figure out the next steps.  If you need counseling, they can arrange several free visits with a licensed professional.  If you have money or legal questions, they can put you in touch with a financial advisor or lawyer.  The retiree assistance program is there for you 24/7, so you can call at the time and place that are right for you.  Your privacy is ensured and no one will know you've called unless you give them permission in writing.

For more information or to contact the Employee (Retiree) Assistance Program:

1-800-999-7222
www.anthemeap.com
Program name:  SISC

Let them know you are a Shasta College Retiree.

Medicare - Turning 65

While employees are actively working, they are primary under Anthem Blue Cross, even if they are eligible for Medicare. The same is true for his/her spouse. Once an employee retires and is over 65, he/she will then become primary on Medicare and secondary on Anthem Blue Cross. If a dependent is over 65, he/she will also become primary on Medicare and secondary on Anthem Blue Cross once the employee retires.

Before their 65th birthday, the retiree will receive a notice from SISC that they need to enroll in Medicare Part A and B.  Each Medicare eligible enrollee on the medical plan will need to enroll in Medicare Part A and B when they are eligible and submit a copy of their Medicare card to the Human Resources office. 

BENEFIT RESERVE INFORMATION - For Retirees on Medicare and Anthem Secondary.pdf

For questions on coordination of benefits with Medicare, please call the Medicare Benefit Coordination and Recovery Center at 1-855-798-2627.  As a retiree, your Medicare is Primary and your Anthem coverage is Secondary.

Premium Payments

Your insurance premium payment is due on the first (1st) day of each month and must be received by Payroll no later than 30 days thereafter to continue coverage. Payments received later than this will cause your coverage to be terminated. Make your insurance check payable to Shasta College then mail your insurance payment to the following address:

Payroll
Shasta College
PO Box 496006
Redding, CA 96049-6006

Medicare Part B Reimbursements

Medicare Part B Reimbursement Qualifying Information

  • Faculty members and Administrators who were hired pre September 1, 1989 qualify for Medicare Part B reimbursement upon turning 65 years of age; the employee must be retired from Shasta College to qualify.
  • Refer to the current At-A-Glance Summary of Benefits above (Retiree Benefits Chart) for more details.
  • Spouses covered on the District medical insurance plan at the time of the employee’s retirement, and continue to be covered upon the employee’s retirement, also qualify for the Medicare Part B reimbursement; they do not qualify until the employee retires.
  • Retirees and/or spouses must be covered under the District’s medical insurance plan to qualify for payment; qualification is verified each quarter.

Medicare Part B Reimbursement Qualifying Documentation

  • Qualifying retirees and/or spouses must submit qualifying documentation to the Payroll District Officer as follows:
  1. When the retiree/spouse first qualifies: Must be a faculty or administrator retiree, Group A, 65 years of age
  2. At the beginning of each calendar year showing the Medicare Part B premium paid to Social Security;
  • Qualifying documentation must be in writing and on a document the employee and/or spouse received from SSA or STRS. The District does not accept verbal information as backup documentation.
  • Acceptable documentation: Refer to the following link for examples of documentation accepted as backup to pay the Medicare Part B reimbursement:  Medicare Part B Reimbursements - Accepted Documentation Examples.pdf
  • Often, the Social Security Administration (SSA) changes the Part B monthly premium at the beginning of each calendar year. Therefore, each calendar year the District must request backup documentation from qualifying retirees and their spouses to verify the amount paid for Medicare Part B so the District pays the correct reimbursement amount. The District Payroll Officer mails requests for the new calendar information with the December (4rd quarter) reimbursement.
  • Recipients may contact SSA by phone or in person at their local SSA office to obtain qualifying documentation. Find contact information on the SSA web site.

Medicare Part B Reimbursement Payment Information

  • At the end of each quarter, Shasta College reimburses qualifying retirees and/or spouses  up to the standard Part B monthly premium amount.
  • The retiree and/or their spouse may pay amounts different from the standard amount---higher or lower.
  • The standard amount and/or your payment amount can change each calendar year.
  • Reimbursement Quarters: March, June, September, December.
  • Reimbursement continues for the rest of the retiree’s and spouse’s life.
  • Reimbursements are made on paper checks and mailed to the retiree and/or spouse to the address on file with the District.

Submit Qualifying Documentation

Mail, email or fax the District Payroll Officer your qualifying document showing the amount you pay for Medicare Part B.

Remember that the statement must be for the current calendar year.

Mail
P.O. Box 496006
Redding, CA 96049-6006

Email – Sandra Israel at sisrael@shastacollege.edu
*Please remember to black out your SSN except for the last 4 digits

FAX – (530) 225-3942
*Please remember to black out your SSN except for the last 4 digits

Emeritus Association

For more information about the Association, and the benefits of Emeritus Association Membership Privileges, please visit the Emeritus Association webpage.

Email List

To add your email to the Retiree Benefits email list, please contact Amy Westlund, Director of Human Resources, at (530) 242-7648 or by email at awestlund@shastacollege.edu.

Address Changes

Please complete an address change form. Please note that we will change your address with Shasta College, STSIG/JPA, Anthem Blue Cross and Delta Dental and Vision, if applicable.  However, you will need to contact CalPERS and CalSTRS directly and change their address with your retirement agency.