The picnic was filling
and fulfilling…
but healthcare and
governor’s race are no picnic
On Aug. 8, Retired Members Local 600 held its annual meeting/picnic in Lac-
ey Township. We had a great turnout and once again were treated to the top-
shelf cooking of Lou Tuccillo, our Second Vice President and grill master. Along
with Local 600 Treasurer Tom Milmoe, Lou put in a tremendous amount of work
purchasing, preparing and coordinating the food, facilities and meeting for this
annual event. To keep 120 or so hungry members fed and then attentive for the
meeting is quite an achievement.
When we did get to the meeting part of the day, much of the discussion sur-
JIM
rounded health care and the move that many members have made into Medi-
TOMA
care Advantage Group Plans. As I’ve suggested in the past, go to our website –
www.njspba600.org – and scroll down to the section titled “Medical Advantage”
that explains this program the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) provides through Horizon
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey (BCBSNJ).
As a reminder, here are some key points of information regarding the Horizon Medicare Ad-
vantage plan:
• All eligible services will be covered when you receive care from a doctor or other health
care professional who accepts Medicare.
• When claims are processed, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits statement from
Horizon BCBSNJ, not Medicare.
• Your doctor should not charge you any additional amount for covered services, other
than your co-payment or other member cost share (responsibility).
Horizon BCBSNJ and the SHBP remain committed to helping members get and stay healthy
by providing access to care managers and other resources, such as nurses, dieticians, social
workers and other healthcare professionals to help those members with serious and/or chronic
medical conditions. This will all be coordinated with your doctor so you will be better equipped
to follow your doctor’s care plan and handle your medical circumstances.
If you have any questions, Kevin Lyons at the State PBA office is the best resource for infor-
mation. He can be reached at 732-636-8860 or by emailing klyons@njspba.com.
Carry on
Another issue that came to the floor was the position of the NJ State PBA in support of the
State Senate bill to raise the age limit for retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms from
75 to 80. Of course, the first legislative priority is the bill for COLA reinstatement, but if the leg-
islation passes, the State P