Month: November 2009

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Vaccine for the highly contagious H1N1 virus (commonly called “swine flu”) is now being released to the public as supplies become available. The information below will help you decide if you should obtain the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that certain priority groups should receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. These groups are:

  • pregnant women;
  • caregivers for children younger than six months of age;
  • health care and emergency medical services personnel;
  • children and young adults from six months through 24 years old;
  • persons aged 25 through 64 years who have underlying health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, conditions that suppress the immune system, heart disease and kidney disease) that might increase their risk for flu-related complications.

In an effort to minimize the occurrence of H1N1 flu among railroad plan participants and their dependents covered under group health insurance plans GA-23111 (for former railroad employees and their dependents), the cooperating rail labor organizations and UnitedHealthcare have taken a number of steps to reduce the cost of immunization.

To that end, effective immediately, group health insurance plans provided under GA-23111 will cover the administration of the H1N1 vaccine through the end of December 2009 for covered plan participants and dependents, with no co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance payments.

Where to get the vaccine

Employees and their dependents have a broad range of options from which to choose where to get the H1N1 flu vaccine:

  • Public health clinics: The H1N1 vaccine should be available at most local public health clinics at no cost. Please call the health clinic first to make sure it has the vaccine.
  • Retail pharmacies and other clinics: Please call the pharmacy or other clinic first to make sure it has the H1N1 vaccine available.
  • Doctor’s office: Contact your primary care physician or network provider to find out if the H1N1 vaccine is available and if you should be immunized. Please note office visit co-pays will not apply if you see your doctor solely to obtain the H1N1 flu vaccine.

For the latest information on the H1N1 flu vaccine, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/) and/or contact UnitedHealthcare at (877) 201.4840; www.myuhc.com.

Vaccine for the highly contagious H1N1 virus (commonly called “swine flu”) is now being released to the public as supplies become available. The information below will help you decide if you should obtain the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that certain priority groups should receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. These groups are:

  • pregnant women;
  • caregivers for children younger than six months of age;
  • health care and emergency medical services personnel;
  • children and young adults from six months through 24 years old;
  • persons aged 25 through 64 years who have underlying health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, conditions that suppress the immune system, heart disease and kidney disease) that might increase their risk for flu-related complications.

In an effort to minimize the occurrence of H1N1 flu among railroad plan participants and their dependents, the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan and the National Railway Carriers and United Transportation Union Health and Welfare Plan and their medical vendors (Aetna, Highmark and UnitedHealthcare), as well as the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan and its medical vendor (UnitedHealthcare), have taken a number of steps to reduce the cost of immunization.

To that end, effective immediately, the plans named above will cover the administration of the H1N1 vaccine through the end of December 2009 for covered plan participants and dependents, with no co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance payments.

A decision as to whether or not this special coverage handling will be extended into 2010 will be made by the end of the year.

Where to get the vaccine

Employees and their dependents have a broad range of options from which to choose where to get the H1N1 flu vaccine:

  • Public health clinics: The H1N1 vaccine should be available at most local public health clinics at no cost. Please call the health clinic first to make sure it has the vaccine.
  • Retail pharmacies and other clinics: Please call the pharmacy or other clinic first to make sure it has the H1N1 vaccine available.
  • Doctor’s office: Contact your primary care physician or network provider to find out if the H1N1 vaccine is available and if you should be immunized. Please note office visit co-pays will not apply if you see your doctor solely to obtain the H1N1 flu vaccine.

For the latest information on the H1N1 flu vaccine, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/) and/or contact your benefit administrator:

Effective Jan. 1, UTU members taking certain brand-name drugs will be required to pay more for them unless they switch to generic or preferred versions.

Members who choose to stay on the non-formulary/non-preferred drug will be subject to the non-formulary/non-preferred copay.

If you are using one of the drugs noted below, contact your physician and request a prescription for one of the preferred alternatives to avoid paying the higher price.

A mailing will occur on Dec. 1 to members affected by this change.

These formulary changes are made quarterly.

The preferred alternative to Activella (0.5-0.1 mg) is estradiol-norethindrone acet (1-0.5 mg), Prempro or Premphase.

The preferred alternative to Alamast is cromolyn sodium, Patanol or Optivar.

The preferred alternative to Altace is ramipril capsules.

The preferred alternative to Ambien CR is zolpidem tartrate IR (generic Ambien)

The preferred alternative to Cimzia is Humira, Enbrel or Remicade.

The preferred alternative to Ertaczo is econazole nitrate, ketoconazole or nystatin.

The preferred alternative to Lorabid is cefdinir.

The preferred alternative to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo is Trinessa, Tri-Previfem or Tri-Sprintec.

The preferred alternative to Quixin is ciprofloxacin, tobramycin sulfate, Zymar, Vigamox or Iquix.

The preferred alternative to Retin-A Micro is tretinoin gel.

The preferred alternative to Retin-A Micro Pump is tretinoin gel.

For rail employees covered under the health and welfare provisions of the national railroad agreement, health care insurance cost contributions rise beginning Jan. 1, from the current $170.96 per month to $200 monthly, owing to increases in health care costs under the plan.

The carrier monthly payment rate for other than on-duty injury health care insurance also will rise Jan. 1, from $1073.76 per employee per month to $1,273.41 per month. Carriers pay 100 percent of the plan’s administration costs.

The 15 percent of health care insurance costs for medical, dental and vision benefits paid by employees in 2010 will reach the 2010 monthly cap on employee health care insurance contributions. Without that cap, employee costs per month would be higher in 2010.

Owing to the rise in health care costs nationwide, the national rail plan’s health care costs will rise by 18.8 percent in 2010 compared with 2009, while costs of the dental plan will rise by 1.8 percent, and the vision plan by 2.5 percent.

UTU general chairpersons on Nov. 2 served on railroads represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC) the UTU’s intended amendments to agreements affecting rates of pay, rules and working conditions.

Such notices are required by Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act and are served on each other by parties to existing agreements.

The national rail contract between the UTU and railroads represented by the NCCC became amendable on Jan. 1, 2010.

The existing contract will remain in force until tentantively negotiated amendments are presented to UTU members and ratified under the craft autonomy provisions of the UTU Constitution.

During this round of national contract negotiations with the UTU, the NCCC will be the chief bargaining representative for BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Soo Line, Union Pacific and numerous smaller railroads.

Other railroads, including Amtrak and U.S. operations of Canadian National, negotiate individually with the UTU.

Some 40,000 UTU members are affected by these national contract talks with the NCCC, and the resulting agreements frequently set patterns for other negotiated rail agreements.

UTU International President Mike Futhey, who headed the UTU team that negotiated the most recent member-ratified amendments to the existing agreement, will lead the UTU negotiating team in this round of collective bargaining. Members of the negotiating team will be selected later in November.

Other rail labor unions will negotiate their own agreements with the NCCC.

Major elements of the UTU’s Section 6 notices include:

  • Complete and permanent elimination of existing service scale (entry rates of pay).
  • Complete and permanent elimination of the two-tier pay system.
  • A series of general wage increases, effective Jan. 1, 2010, and every six months thereafter.
  • Cost of living adjustments.
  • A crew calling window structure or no less than a 10-hour call.
  • A process to resolve fatigue issues relative to cross-craft utilization, inaccurate line-ups and manipulation of pool crew boards caused by paper deadheading and dropping of turns.
  • Compensation for certifying as a conductor (certification to be established by the FRA as directed by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008).
  • Peer related craft pay for training periods.
  • Carriers to give first employment consideration to qualified conductors furloughed from other railroads.
  • Furloughed employees called back to work will be guaranteed a minimum of 60 days of work and pay.
  • Increased meal allowances.
  • Restrictions on transferring, consolidating, combining or centralizing yardmaster assignments.
  • Establishment of a formula for yardmaster extra boards.
  • Enhanced benefits under the NRC/UTU Health and Welfare Plan and the Railroad Employees’ National Health and Welfare Plan (GA-23000).

UTU Section 6 notices were developed beginning with recommendations offered by UTU members.

A committee of general chairpersons from the Association of General Chairpersons, District 1, reviewed and fine-tuned those suggestions, which were then approved by the entire Association of General Chairpersons, District 1.

To view the UTU Section 6 notice, click here.

To view the carriers’ Section 6 notice, click here.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced that the standard monthly Part B premium will be $110.50 in 2010.

However, most Medicare beneficiaries will not see an increase in their monthly Part B premiums in 2010 because of a “hold-harmless” provision in current law. Monthly premiums for most beneficiaries protected by the “hold-harmless” provision will be $96.40, the same monthly Part B premium as in 2009.

Some beneficiaries will pay the new standard monthly premium of $110.50 in 2010. These beneficiaries are not subject to the “hold-harmless” provision because they are new Medicare Part B enrollees during the year, they do not have their Part B premiums withheld from railroad retirement or social security benefit payments, or they are subject to the income-related additional premium amount (as explained below).

The Part B monthly premiums for some beneficiaries will increase again in 2010, depending on an individual’s or married couple’s modified adjusted gross income. The income-related Part B premiums for 2010 will be $154.70, $221.00, $287.30, or $353.60, depending on the extent to which an individual beneficiary’s income exceeds $85,000 (or a married couple’s income exceeds $170,000), with the highest premium rates only paid by beneficiaries whose incomes are over $214,000 (or $428,000 for a married couple). The accompanying tables (hyperlink to tables can be viewed by clicking here) show the 2010 Part B premiums based on income. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates that about 5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries with Part B will pay higher premiums in 2010 based on their incomes.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for all income-related monthly adjustment amount determinations. To make the determinations, SSA uses the most recent tax return information available from the IRS. For 2010, in most cases that will be the beneficiary’s 2008 tax return information. If that information is not available, SSA will use information from the 2007 tax return.

Those railroad retirement and social security Medicare beneficiaries affected by the 2010 Part B income-related premiums will receive a notice from SSA by December 2009. The notice will include an explanation of the circumstances where a beneficiary may request a new determination. Persons who have any questions or would like to request a new determination should contact SSA after receiving and reviewing their notice.

(The preceding release was issued by the Railroad Retirement Board in October 2009.)