Open Enrollment Deadline Extended for Retirees with Medicare

As many of you may be aware, Extend Health is currently experiencing heavy call volume which is driving long wait times. Extend Health is helping thousands of retirees each day select their medical plan. As of November 14, over 30% of the LLNS retirees have made their selection. Each retiree is given all of the time necessary to work with a Benefits Advisor to make his or her selection, so the process can take 1½ to 2 hours. To be prepared for your call, please complete the health care needs and preferences worksheet on page 13 of the Extend Health Welcome and Enrollment Guide. You may also want to visit their web site at www.extendhealth.com/llns to learn about the plans available in your area.

While the date of November 26 was communicated as the deadline to enroll, this was to ensure you would have your insurance card by January 1. You have until December 31 to enroll. You may want to wait until the early part of December to call.

The open enrollment deadline for retirees without Medicare remains the same, November 21.

For Kaiser enrollees: You may choose to review your other options through Extend Health. If you know you do not want to change medical plans, you do not have to take any action. You do not need to contact Hewitt or Extend Health; your enrollment in Kaiser will continue next year.

LLNL Newsline

Newsline is posted every Friday on the Laboratory's external Website. Click here to view the latest issue of Newsline. You may receive a notice by email each week when Newsline is issued by clicking on the SUBSCRIBE tab at the top of the latest issue.

To submit a classified ad: click here.

Luncheon for $10.00 per Person

Organizers of the retiree's luncheon have announced that the price for the luncheon has been reduced to $10.00 per person. The reduction is possible because of a surplus accumulated over the past few years.

Volunteers Needed

Dear Retirees,

There is a need for volunteers to help middle and low income people with their income taxes. These folks are generally those who never could or are no longer able to do their own, and the cost of a paid preparer is too high. Training is provided in January and then we assist others (about 4 hrs per week) until April 15. The help is provided at Libraries and Senior Centers here in the valley.

Last year we turned away some people due to lack of counselors. If you would like to help, contact Bob Hickman at Bob@LLNLretirees.org.

Bob Hickman

LLESA Discounts

The Livermore Lab Employee Services Association (LLESA), in coordination with the following vendors, is offering LLESA members access to discounts at these events:

San Jose Tech Museum Nut Tree Theme Park in Vacaville Monterey Bay Aquarium Coupon

Universal Studios Orlando & Hollywood UMigo Indoor Kart Racing: - Apple Computers - Employee Purchase Program from Apple

Click here for more information on how to obtain the discounts.

Tours of LLNL and Site 300

Two free tours are available for LLNL Retirees and also for the general public. Both tours last about 2 hours and 30 minutes. All attendees must be at least 18 years old. US Citizens must sign up at least two weeks in advance, non-US citizens must sign up at least one month in advance. To make a reservation, contact the LLNL Public Affairs Office at (925) 422-4599.

Tour 1: Community Tour of LLNL on Tuesdays starting at 9:00 AM.

1. Visit the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) where LLNL has the capability to track chemical and other toxic materials as they disperse throughout the world from natural events like volcanic eruptions, chemical plants and nuclear releases.
2. Visit the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry CAMS) that can accurately carbon date materials with exciting applications in archeological, environmental and biomedical science.
3. Visit the National Ignition Facility (NIF) which is a football stadium sized laser used to produce fusion for a variety of applications.

Guides will describe buildings and equipment during a bus tour of the entire site with time to view of the surrounding terrain from the West observation post (the highest location at Site 300).

On October 1, 2007, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) took over as contract manager of LLNL from the University of California,which managed the Laboratory for 55 years. The LLNS web site is www.llnsllc.com.

LLNS has announced its selection of Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services company, to assume health and welfare benefits administration services from the University of California Office of the President for LLNL retirees. The Hewitt website www.ybr.com/benefits/llns is the main source of information on health and benefits plans. Their Customer Service Representatives can also be reached at 1-866-994-LLNS (5567).

You may also contact Johnetta Jones, LLNS Benefits, at LLNL, 925-422-8726, with any questions regarding retiree's health plan benefits.

Badge Policy For Retirees

LLNS has announced that the self-requested one-day retiree access badge is no longer available. Retirees who wish to go on-site must be invited by an organization using the standard badge request form, LL6376.

Questions about the policy on badges should be directed to Edwin Tippens, (925) 423-7177, or tippens1@llnl.gov.

Summary of the Council of the University of California Retirees Associations (CUCRA) Meeting Held at UC Davis on April 17, 2008

The Council of University of California Retirement Associations, of which the LLNL Retiree Association is a member, met on April 17, 2008, on the UC-Riverside Campus. John Pitts, chair, and Jeff Garberson, CUCRA rep, attended for the LLNL Retiree Association.

CUCRA represents the interests of the various retiree associations with UC’s Office of the President and with the Regents. CUCRA shares information with its member associations is able to lobby and advocate policies and legislation, which the LLNL Retirees Association is not permitted to do under LESA rules. CUCRA also shares interests and information with CUCEA, which is the group of UC retiree associations representing academic employees.

One theme of the Riverside meeting was the report that UCOP will reduce its administrative role with regard to retirees and campuses. Details are not yet clear but the trend will be to outsource activities such as accounting and benefits administration to the campuses. The concept is for UCOP to reduce staff, concentrate on the needs of the UC President and let campuses take care of themselves. The new UC President, Mark Yudof, is expected to agree with this approach, since he had a lean staff at the University of Texas. A similar sort of decentralization occurred years ago, when President Robert Sproul, who wanted to manage activities throughout UC, retired and was replaced by Clark Kerr. Pres. Kerr cut "Systemwide" employment to about 200 from 1100.

The present effort to outsource UCOP benefits activities would not affect the retirement (pension) system, and it may have little impact on LLNL retirees since our benefits are no longer UC-managed. In the past two years, UCOP lost 22 employees after its HR and Benefits office stopped managing benefits for LLNL and LANL retirees. Future staffing changes will depend on a review now taking place, with a decision expected by October. If the decision is made to outsource all benefits activities, UCOP could decline by another 120 employees. However UCOP will continue to look out for the interests of all retirees, including those from LLNL when it is dealing with DOE. UCOP Benefits manager Judy Boyette observed that the consulting group that advocated reducing UCOP staffing did not meet with retirees. However, she stressed that her office considers retirees to be a main responsibility, and has made it clear to DOE that it will continue to receive and transmit concerns and issues that come from LLNL and LANL retirees.

CUCRA has drafted a small tri-fold brochure that will soon be available to retiree organizations to explain CUCRA’s function and operation. CUCRA will also look into the possibility of opening its own website, both for explaining CUCRA activities and for providing a forum for member associations to share information.

Several retiree associations reported on activities ranging from luncheon meetings to travel. Some campuses have active scholarship programs. For example, UC Santa Barbara supports a $1000 annual scholarship with dues, raffles and barbecues. UC-Riverside set up a $40,000 trust fund and uses its return to fund two $1,000 scholarships. (UCR donates $1,500 to its retirees association each year.) UCSF operates a fitness program for retirees. LBNL gives $1,000 per year to charity.

CUCRA has a healthy $25,824 in assets. Funds are used for meetings and university activities. Income is from dues, interest and a return on travel funds from a travel agency used by CUCRA members. CUCRA dues are paid by the member retirees associations at the rate of 50 cents per individual member as of Jan. 1 each year.

The autumn CUCRA meeting will be at UC-Santa Cruz, probably on Oct. 23. There is some uncertainty about the date because of a national meeting starting on Oct. 24 in southern California, which would be hard for CUCRA employees to get to on time if the UCSC meeting ended late in the day.

For further information or comments send an E-mail message to Jeff Garberson or John Pitts at CUCRArep@LLNLretirees.org.

Photos from Retirees

2005 Retirees Picnic courtesy of Alan Mode.

Marian and Hank McDonald's Fiftieth Anniversary Cruise

Donna and Ron Carr's Cruise

Dick Ryon made an eleven-day kayak expedition out the Columbia River and down the Oregon coast for 180 miles to Florence early in August. Click here to read the article submitted by Dick.

Ron Gunn sent us some pictures he took during Fleet Week on October 7, 2007, aboard the Hornblower party boat in San Francisco Bay. Click here to see the photos.

Photo Archives

Teaching Opportunities for Partners in Science

Retiree Art Krakowsky gave a very interesting presentation at the January 2005 luncheon on TOPScience, a long-standing and worthwhile science educational outreach program in San Joaquin County and the Tri-Valley.

A reporter from the Contra Costa Times attended Art's talk and wrote an article on the TOPScience program. Click here to read the article that appeared in the February 14 issue of the Contra Costa Times and the Valley Times.

Click here for more information on TOPScience.

Global and US Energy Presentation

Dr. John Ziagos gave a very interesting presentation at the Retirees' luncheon in April. Dr. Ziagos is waiting for approval from LLNL management to send us a copy of the slides at his presentation. In the meantime, he sent us a link to a similar presentation: Click here.

Steps to Consolidate Nuclear Weapons Complex

Submitted by Jeff Garberson

A draft final report of the Nuclear Weapons Complex Infrastructure Task Force was released in July. Click here to see a summary of that report. The summary contains a link to the complete report.

Fitnotes

Nutrition for Older Adults

Identity Theft

Rose Chaco from UNCLE Credit Union was kind enough to give us a copy of her presentation at the February 2005 Retirees' Luncheon. Click here to view them.

Change of Address for Mailings from the Lab

Have you moved since leaving the Lab? Send an email to Don Johnston at johnston19@llnl.gov if you want to keep receiving mailings from the Lab. Include your old address along with your new address. You need to file a separate change of address with your retirement plan and benefits.

Domestic Partners of Retirees

The University of California Retirement Plan was amended, effective January 1, 2005, to permit an eligible same-sex of opposite-sex domestic partner of a member who retired prior to July 1, 2002 to receive the post retirement survivor continuance.

Retirement Administration is in the process of notifying those who may be eligible for this benefit. Following is some basic information about the mailing and the benefits. Two letters and a reply card to ask for further information were mailed around December 10. The first letter ( click here to view) was mailed to three groups totaling about 8700 members. Those groups were as follows.

1. Members who retired prior to July 1, 2002, elected Basic Retirement Income, and do not have a spouse.

2. Members who retired prior to July 1, 2002, does not have a spouse, and named a Contingent Annuitant who is not a spouse and was over 18 years old at the time the member retired.

3. Members who retired prior to July 1, 2002 who have a spouse who was not eligible for the post retirement survivor continuance because they were married less than a year at retirement.

The second letter ( click here to view) was mailed to non-spouse Contingent Annuitants of deceased members who retired prior to July 1, 2002 and spousal Contingent Annuitants of deceased members who retired prior to July 1, 2002 but were not eligible for the post retirement survivor continuance because they were married less than a year at the member's retirement. This group numbers around 50.

In all cases, the recipients must be able to document that they were in a domestic partnership at least one year prior to the retirement date and continuously to the present (or to the marriage date in the case of spouses married less than one year at retirement).

Retirees who can document that they were in an eligible Domestic Partnership should mail in the reply card ( click here to view) to get additional information.

Click here to view a summary of available benefits.

Inquiries regarding this benefit should be directed to UC Customer Service at 1(800)888-8267.

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICP)

The following is of possible interest to retirees who may have suffered medical problems as a result of their employment at a DOE site.

Provides benefits authorized by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA), including compensation of up to $150,000 and payment of medical expenses to eligible employees (or their survivors) of the Department of Energy (DOE), its contractors, and its subcontractors who have cancer, beryllium disease, or silicosis.

There is a new Part E of the program that can compensate workers as well as eligible survivors for illnesses that can be as result of exposure to toxic substances as well as any wage loss.

For more information, please contact:

California Resource Center
2600 Kitty Hawk Road, Suite 101
Livermore, CA 94551

Phone: 925-606-6302
Toll-free 866-606-6302

Or visit http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/owcp/eeoicp/main.htm

Volunteer Opportunities

The LLNL Retirees is sometimes contacted by the LLNL, private people and groups looking for special assistance, information, or with volunteer opportunities. These non-commercial contacts may be of interest to retirees and will be listed here for your information and consideration.

• Hope Hospice Needs Volunteers

  Hope Hospice, a non-profit agency, has offered compassionate, quality end-of-life care and grief support to patients and their families in the Tri-Valley area for over 22 years. Hospice care is unique because it cares for the body and the spirit. A comprehensive program of medical services and emotional support that includes a personalized plan of care for pain and symptom management is provided in the familiar surroundings of the patient's home. Hospice is a compassionate choice for dying, one that focuses on preserving a person's dignity and comfort.

  Volunteer opportunities for Hope Hospice include:

  • Hope Hospice Shoppe Volunteers: To support our programs we run a quality resale shop at 400 Main St., Pleasanton. Volunteers are needed to sort, tag and display donated merchandise and provide friendly helpful customer service. Open Tues.-Sat. 9am-5pm. Call 925-426-8988.

• Hope Hospice Office Volunteers: Clerical support is needed to answer phones, file, prepare mailings, copy and enter computer data. 3-4 hours/day; 3 days /week.

• Home Care Volunteers: Provide personal visits and companionship to patients and to provide respite for the primary care giver a few hours per week.

• Bereavement Volunteers: Keep contact with the bereaved by making home visits, phone calls and mailings. Keep accurate charts on bereavement clients.

• Special Events Volunteers: Help coordinate and promote various events including: Lights of the Valley, Cioppino Dinner, Bowl-For-Hope, High Hopes Golf Tournament. Help educate the community about Hope Hospice services.

  For more information, please see their Web site: www.HopeHospice.com.

For more information send an email message to info@LLNLretirees.org

LLNL: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
LLESA: Livermore Laboratory Employee Services Association, Inc.
LLNS: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
LLNL Retirees is a networking group under LLESA

Any comments or problems with the web site, send an email message to webmanager@LLNLretirees.org.