• Annual DVA Open Enrollment—Closing Soon
• 2022 Health Fairs—Thank You for Making Them a Success!
• Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) Reimbursement
• Continued Health Coverage - COBRA
• Know Your Benefits: Free Aetna Nurse Advice Line
• Future AlaskaCare Town Hall Event
• Do You Have Questions About Your AlaskaCare Health Plan?
• We Value Your Feedback!
• Health Benefit Contact Information

Annual DVA Open Enrollment—Closing Soon

Act now to make your Dental, Vision, and Audio (DVA) plan elections! The annual enrollment for DVA benefits is occurring now through November 23, 2022, for the plan year beginning on January 1, 2023.

AlaskaCare offers two retiree dental plan options, the Legacy Dental Plan, and the Standard Dental Plan. If you are enrolled in either plan, you have an annual opportunity to select the plan that works best for you. You will only be able to make changes to your plan selection during an open enrollment period unless you have a qualifying status change.

When you are ready to enroll, visit AlaskaCare.gov or click here.

Need more information? Review the following to learn more about the dental plans:

• 2023 Dental Benefit Comparison
• 2023 Dental Benefit Enrollment Guide
• 2023 Dental Benefit Out-of-Network Cost Comparison
• 2023 DVA Benefit Premiums

If you do not participate in Open Enrollment, your benefit elections will not change from what you have now.

If you need assistance or have questions about Open Enrollment, contact the Member Service Center at (907) 465-4460 or Toll-Free at (800) 821-2251.

2022 Health Fairs—Thank You for Making Them a Success!

After a two-year hiatus, the Health Fair events were back in 2022. AlaskaCare partnered with the Pacific Healthcare Coalition (PHC) to host several events all over the state this fall. Events were held in Palmer, Fairbanks, Soldotna, Anchorage, and Juneau over a period of three weeks in September and October, and the events were a great success.

Altogether, over 2,000 comprehensive lab tests and almost 900 flu vaccines were administered to State of Alaska retirees and employees at no cost to our AlaskaCare members. Representatives from Aetna, Optum, Delta Dental, and other AlaskaCare vendors were on hand to assist with registration tasks and answer member questions. And perhaps best of all, our AlaskaCare team was able to interact with many of our members face-to-face and get to know you even better. These types of interactions were greatly missed during the pandemic, and we were pleased to see so many familiar faces in attendance.

We would like to thank everyone that came out to help make these events so successful and we hope to be able to do it all again in 2023.

Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) Reimbursement

The new year is around the corner, and it is almost time to review your account and submit your 2023 Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) reimbursement request!

What is an IRMAA?

Certain high-income retirees are required to pay an IRMAA surcharge for their Medicare coverage. The IRMAA assessment is determined by the Social Security Administration. If you are subject to an IRMAA surcharge for being enrolled in the AlaskaCare Employer Group Waiver Program (EGWP) Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the Division of Retirement and Benefits (Division) will reimburse you for the full amount of the Part D IRMAA through a tax-advantaged Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) account.

What do you need to know?

• If you are not assessed a 2023 IRMAA Part D surcharge this does not apply to you.
• If you are assessed a 2023 IRMAA Part D surcharge, you will need to submit a request for reimbursement.
• OptumRx and Optum Bank handle the IRMAA reimbursements on behalf of AlaskaCare.
• You need to submit a new reimbursement request every year since IRMAA surcharges are based on your annual income which may change from year to year. (If you currently have direct deposit set up with Optum Bank, that information does not need to be submitted again).
• 2023 IRMAA claims received prior to January 1, 2023, will not be processed until after the start of the year.

Please note, the 2023 online IRMAA HRA Enrollment Form will be available at the end of December. You have until December 31, 2024, to submit your 2023 IRMAA reimbursement request.

How do I know if I will be assessed a Part D IRMAA surcharge in 2023?

You will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration letter advising of the monthly Part D IRMAA surcharge amount you will be assessed. These letters are typically sent out in November. Please review the table below to see if your income qualifies you to be assessed an IRMAA surcharge based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from the 2021 tax year.

Instructions on how to submit a reimbursement request can be found at AlaskaCare.gov/IRMAA.

If you have any questions on how to submit your documents online or if you do not have internet access and would like to submit paper documentation, please contact OptumRx at (855) 409-6999.

Continued Health Coverage - COBRA

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue benefits provided by their health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events. If you and/or your dependents lose coverage due to a qualifying event, you and/or your dependents may continue coverage under the AlaskaCare Retiree plan by electing COBRA coverage and paying the required premium. You may elect coverage under the plan that is the same or less than the level of coverage that you or your dependents had at the time your coverage terminates.

For more information, please call the Member Service Center toll-free at (800) 821-2251 or in Juneau at (907) 465-4460.

Know Your Benefits: Free Aetna Nurse Advice Line

You can call the Aetna nurse line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This service is provided at no cost to you. Simply call the nurse line number at (800) 556-1555 anytime to discuss any health concerns. The nurses can be a resource in considering options for care or helping you decide whether you or your dependent needs to visit your doctor, an urgent care facility, or the emergency room.

The nurse can help you with:

• Deciding whether to visit a doctor or urgent care center
• Understanding your symptoms
• Managing chronic conditions
• Learning about treatment options and medical procedures

Future AlaskaCare Town Hall Events

Retiree Town Hall Events are group calls hosted by the Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Retirement and Benefits for all interested AlaskaCare retirees and families to ask questions about the AlaskaCare health plans. You can join the call to learn more about your health plan and ask Division staff any questions you have about your benefits. This format gives retirees a chance to connect directly with Division staff to hear the latest news on all things AlaskaCare, raise questions, share comments, and learn more about the health plans.

Town hall events occur on the third Thursday of each month and you can pre-register now online. We want to hear from you!

Please join us for a Town Hall event on:

• Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 10 a.m. Alaska Time

Do You Have Questions About Your AlaskaCare Health Plan?

Do you have questions about your AlaskaCare health plan or need assistance with your benefits? Here are some helpful resources that can provide you with more information and make navigating through the healthcare maze easier.

Division of Retirement and Benefits Member Service Center

The Division of Retirement and Benefit’s Member Service Center provides essential support to our membership, including employees, retirees, and other benefit recipients. We provide education and assistance relating to retirement, medical, and other optional benefits.

The Division’s Member Service Center team has comprehensive knowledge of the retirement systems and has dedicated team members that are experts on the AlaskaCare health plans. We are here to answer questions ranging from benefit enrollment for newly hired employees, applications for retirement, the AlaskaCare health plan, and beyond.

You can reach us at (907) 465-4460 or toll-free at (800) 821-2251. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Alaska Time.

Aetna Concierge and Local Offices

An Aetna concierge can help you understand your benefits and give you the tools to make more informed decisions about your health care. A concierge can help you:

• Locate providers in your area
• Understand your benefits
• Plan for upcoming treatments
• Find out what it would cost to see an in-network doctor versus an out-of-network doctor

Contact the Aetna Concierge at (855) 784-8646.

We Value Your Feedback!

Your input is valued and important. Below, please see a list of ways to contact us with your feedback. Also, a full list of AlaskaCare health plan and partner contact information can be found on our website.

AlaskaCare – Plan Administrator

• Toll-Free: (800) 821-2251
• In Juneau: (907) 465-4460
• TDD: (907) 465-2805
• Fax: (907) 465-3086
• Email: doa.drb.mscc@alaska.gov

Health Benefit Contact Information

Division of Retirement and Benefits
DRB Call Center: (907) 465-4460 | Toll-Free: (800) 821-2251

Medical Benefits: Aetna
Member Services: (855) 784-8646

Long-Term Care Benefits: CHCS Services, Inc.
Member Services: (888) 287-7116

Dental Benefits: Moda/Delta Dental
Member Services: (855) 718-1768

Pharmacy Benefits: OptumRx
Member Services: (855) 409-6999