Health Benefits
Gary Sawatzky | Chief Operating Officer , ARTA
The ARTA Retiree Benefits Plan — Built by Retirees , for Retirees
The ARTA Retiree Benefits Plan has enjoyed great success since it was first established in 1995 . We have grown to a critical mass and began self-administering our plan earlier this year . While the transition to self-administration has not been as smooth as hoped , we have improved considerably since the start of the year and have again started to provide the level of service our members have become accustomed to .
As with anything else in a free marketplace , the success ARTA and its members have enjoyed has led to competition . We understand retirees have a number of options available for benefits , but none of the other options have the same advantages that ARTA brings . The ARTA Retiree Benefits Plan is designed by retirees , for retirees . The individuals ultimately responsible for the plan design and coverage details are the ARTA Health Benefits Committee and the ARTA Board of Directors . Both of these groups are made up of Regular ARTA members ( retired teachers ), although all Regular and Affiliate members are welcome to submit suggestions for plan design considerations , and all requests are given equal consideration . The committee and the board make decisions on plan design and rates based on the benefit to members and not the financial bottom line of an insurance company .
All money paid into the plan stays in the plan . ARTA operates the plan to ensure every dollar collected as premiums from our covered members is used to cover claims and administration costs . This means that no premiums paid by our members are used to subsidize any other plans , such as a plan that simultaneously offers benefits to its active and retired members . The move to self-administration has further allowed ARTA to re-invest savings from self-administration back into the plan , instead of using the funds to subsidize other groups or generate profits .
ARTA has improved the plan while leaving health rates unchanged . A byproduct of ARTA ’ s incredible growth since the plan ’ s inception is the ability to improve the coverage available under the plan . This is because more people covered means there are more people over whom to spread the risk . The Health Benefits Committee has always tried to keep the monthly premium rates as steady as possible , especially considering that most of our members live on a fixed income . We have instead been able to offer enhanced benefits and to cover additional costs by reducing overhead expenses and implementing sensible cost-savings initiatives . This is not always easy , especially with ever-increasing healthcare costs . A number of other plans have already announced premium rate increases , not only for this year but also for the following two years .
ARTA provides a number of other benefits . Our Retiree Benefits Plan is just one of the many benefits of being an ARTA member . We have other value-added perks for our members , including the BOOM discount program , travel partner programs , our advocacy work , and our charitable foundation . ARTA is well-positioned to continue offering its members the very best in benefits , with decisions affecting covered members made by other members — something no other plan has . Such member representatives will always ensure our covered members ’ benefit dollars go as far as possible to meet our members ’ needs , while ensuring the longterm sustainability of the plan for current and future plan members . news & views SUMMER 2021 | 11