MPSERS Virtual Benefit Update Meetings with BCBSM

Aug 06, 2021

Greetings,

We are excited to provide our members with a safe way to remain informed by your Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Team. Our Michigan Retiree Organization Chapters will have the opportunity to connect with us virtually via Zoom. These sessions will provide you and your membership updates on your MPSERS BCBSM medical plan as well as a tutorial on how to access online tools and brief Q & A session where our team will address as many questions as possible. We encourage members to follow up with their dedicated MPSERS customer service center to inquire about questions we are unable to address during these sessions by calling 1-800-422-9146, TTY: 711.

Join us for one of the sessions below

August 4            10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Eastern Time

August 18          10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Eastern Time

September 1     10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Eastern Time

Register

You must register to attend. Click here to register. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with the information you will need to join the meeting.

Zoom and Technical Support

Zoom is a free video conferencing platform that you can access from your desktop, smartphone or tablet at no charge. Go to your Google Play Store on your Android device or the App store for Apple devices.

*** If you or any of your Chapter’s members require support with the meeting you attend, please access the SUPPORT link at the bottom right side of the JOIN MEETING button.

The Support site allows you to:

·         Perform a search of a specific issue

·         Watch tutorial videos

·         Read articles

·         CHAT with a virtual Zoom assistant (access via blue message icon on right side, bottom of support page)

We look forward to meeting with you soon.

Please continue to stay healthy and safe!

Thank you,

Rachel

Rachel Saputo-Abarca

Manager, Key Accounts & FEP

The information contained in this communication is highly confidential and is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom this communication is directed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any viewing, copying, disclosure or distribution of this information is prohibited. Please notify the sender, by electronic mail or telephone, of any unintended receipt and delete the original message without making any copies.

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The State Senate passed the 2021-22 K-12 school budget, adding additional funding.

Jul 16, 2021

Details on historic K-12 budget passed by Legislature

On Wednesday, the State Senate passed the 2021-22 K-12 school budget, adding additional funding to what was already the largest proposed investment in K-12 public schools in the state’s history.

The Senate made changes to HB 4411 that added $300 million to the amount agreed to last week by the Governor and the House, putting the new figure for historic investment in Michigan students at more than $17.1 billion. Early Wednesday evening, the House voted to concur with the Senate’s changes and sent the budget on to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her approval.

The bill’s main feature – the elimination of the per pupil gap in the basic foundation allowance, which has existed since 1994 when Proposal A was enacted. This will bring all districts to the same foundation allowance of $8,700 per pupil (an increase of between $171 and $589 per pupil).

Another item maintained in the bill was $362 million the House added last week for the 2020-21 current fiscal year in federal coronavirus relief equalization payments.  This funding assures all districts will receive at least $1,093 per pupil from the federal aid package, especially for those districts on the lower end of the Title I formula.

Some additional highlights of this new budget include the following:

• A $285 million increase for the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System, as well as a $560 million deposit into the MPSERS Retirement Obligation Reform Reserve Fund.
• A $168 million increase for the Great Start Readiness Program to add 22,000 openings for eligible 4-year-olds. Also full day funding was increased to $8,700 per pupil, matching the K-12 foundation allowance.
• $240 million of new money to help hire additional school psychologists, social workers, counselors and nurses.
• An additional $44.4 million for special education.
• NOTE: State funding for universities and community colleges were not included in this bill – action is still pending on those budgets.

Also added by the Senate was $155 million for reading scholarships administered by Grand Valley State University in a voucher-like program. MEA opposed this concept in previous budget iterations.

In a move to promote more schools with a “balanced calendar,” the Senate added $135 million for districts operating year-round calendars, with $75 million federal funding for one-time HVAC/capital improvements and an additional $60 million for operational cost for districts operating year-round calendars.

As MEA experts dive deeper into the details of the 2021-22 K-12 budget, please stay tuned for more updates (along with developments regarding the higher education budgets for next year.)