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CSR BILL WATCHHere is an update on someof the bills that we aremonitoring and may be of interestto CSR members:SupportAB 1130 (Wood) Wouldestablish the Office of HealthCare Affordability to analyze thehealth care market for cost trendsand drivers of spending, developpolicies for lowering consumerhealth care costs, and create a statestrategy for controlling health carecosts and ensuring affordability.STATUS: Awaiting hearing inSenate Health Committee.ACR 115 (Nguyen) Wouldrecognize the month of May 2022as Older Americans Month andencourages all Californians torecognize and treat all older adultswith compassion and respect, andwith Ted Toppinto participate in activities thatcontribute to the health, welfare,and happiness of older adults.STATUS: Awaiting hearing inAssembly Rules Committee.SJR 11 (Skinner) Would affirmthe Legislature’s support forexpanding Social Security and alsorequests California Representativesin Congress to support expandingSocial Security by voting in favorof the Social Security 2100 Act: ASacred Trust.STATUS: Awaiting hearing inAssembly Public Employment &Retirement Committee.OpposeAB 386 (Cooper) Would establishnew, inappropriate restrictions onthe release of information underthe California Public RecordsAct (PRA) for CalPERS privatedebt investments. AB 386 wouldmake broad exemptions of prudentinformation related to private loansfrom being accessed through aPRA request, limiting transparencywithin the investment portfolio.STATUS: Two-year bill.AB 2782 (Mayes) Wouldprohibit a person who entersinto service with the state or anyagency, department, authority,or instrumentality of the state ora contracting agency subject toPEMHCA, on or after January 1,2023, from being reimbursed for,or receiving, any subsidy for healthcare expenses or coverage afterretirement from service, if that theperson is eligible to enroll in Part Aand Part B of Medicare.STATUS: Awaiting hearing inAssembly Public Employment &Ted ToppinRetirement Committee.For a complete list of all billsthat are being monitored by CSR,please see the most recent CSRLegislative Report online.CSR Endorsementscontinued from page 1AD 37 Gregg Hart (D-SantaBarbara)AD 47 Christy Holstege (D-PalmSprings)AD 51 Rick Chavez Zbur (D-LosAngeles)AD 69 Josh Lowenthal (D-LongBeach)Open Seat Senate CandidatesSD 08 Dave Jones (D-Sacramento)SD 10 Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward)SD 18 Steve Padilla (D-ChulaVista)SD 20 Daniel Hertzberg(D-San Fernando Valley)For more information, pleasecontact CSR HQ atCSRinfo@CalRetirees.org or call888.808.7197.Members On The MoveCSR ExecutiveVice PresidentElnora Fretwelland Chapter 3members LilyGee, Erlinda Villa,Bridget Blount,Skip Charbonneaujoined StateAssemblymemberPhil Ting at hisre-election event inSan Francisco.Attention CSR Members! Members On The Move is Back!Please send in your high resolution photos to CSRInfo@CalRetirees.org for achance to be featured in an upcoming Retiree.Please include any details on the photo including names, dates and event specifics.PAGE 4CALIFORNIA STATE RETIREEMAY 2022

PUZZLESFull-Service Spa Star Spangle Layered DipIngredientsTwo 15-ounce cans refried beans2 cups guacamoleOne 16-ounce container sour cream4 scallions, thinly sliced, light green and white partsonly2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese1/4 cup chopped black olives1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese1 1/2 cups salsaCorn chips, for serving Ex:Fritos scoopsDirections BICYCLE BULGES CURLING IRONDIET EXERCISE FIRMUP FITNESS FLABBY GYM HAIRDRYER HAIRSALON ASUREMIRROR WORDLIST MUSCLESNAILSPEDICUREPOOLPUSH UPSSAUNASHAMPOOSHOWERSIT UPSSLIMSPASTEAMSTYLIST SWIMSUIT TRAINERTRIMWEIGHTSWHIRLPOOLWORKOUT Evenly spread the refried beans on the bottom ofa 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the guacamoleover the beans and then spread the sour cream overthe guacamole. Sprinkle with scallions and then theshredded cheese.To make the shape of a flag, arrange the black olivesin the top left corner of the dish.Sprinkle with a dusting of cotija cheese. Spoon salsain stripe formation on the rest of the dish. Sprinklethe remaining cotija cheese between the salsa tocreate white stripes.Refrigerate until ready to serve.Serve with corn chips for dipping.Facebook: @CaliforniaStateRetireesTwitter: @CAStateRetireesLinkedIn: gMAY 2022CALIFORNIA STATE RETIREEPAGE 5

RETIRE EASYWITH BLUE SHIELD.Blue Shield Medicare (PPO) offers flexibility that makes a difference.We at Blue Shield are dedicated to making retirement a simple transition for you. We valuehigh-quality and high-touch care at low rates. With Blue Shield Medicare (PPO), you can travelnationwide and see the doctors that best fit you, even if they are out-of-network.Blue Shield Medicare (PPO) is right for you if you Travel out of stateWant a stress-free transitionto retirementWant to see any doctor whoaccepts MedicareWant prescription drug coverageWant a 0 deductibleWant a Personal Emergency ResponseSystem (PERS) from LifeStation To learn more about Blue Shield Medicare (PPO), visit www.blueshieldca.com/calpersor call (888) 802-4599 (TTY: 711), 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.Blue Shield of California is a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Blue Shield of California depends on contract renewal.Blue Shield of California offers individual and employer group retiree plans to Medicare beneficiaries who have Part A and Part B.Individual plans are open to all Medicare beneficiaries who reside within a plan’s specific service area. Employer group retiree plansare open only to Medicare beneficiaries who are eligible group retirees and who reside within a plan’s specific service area. Individualand employer group retiree plans have different service areas, benefits and provider networks. Out-of-network/non-contracted providersare under no obligation to treat Plan members, except in emergency situations. Please call our Customer Care number or see yourEvidence of Coverage for more information, including the cost-sharing that applies to out-of-network services. The company complieswith applicable state laws and federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude people, or treat them differently on the basisof race, color, national origin, ethnic group identification, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, religion, sex, marital status,gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, mental disability, or physical disability. La compañía cumple con las leyes de derechosciviles federales y estatales aplicables, y no discrimina, ni excluye ni trata de manera diferente a las personas por su raza, color, paísde origen, identificación con determinado grupo étnico, condición médica, información genética, ascendencia, religión, sexo, estadocivil, género, identidad de género, orientación sexual, edad, ni discapacidad física ni mental. ��族群 行歧視、排斥或區別對待他人。Blue Shield of California is anindependent member of the Blue Shield AssociationH4937 22 182A M 04152022PAGE 6CALIFORNIA STATE RETIREEMAY 2022

To Your Healthcontinue to be stayed until the nextCase Management Conference,currently scheduled for May 9,2022.”The filing is signed by attorneysfor the Plaintiffs and CalPERS.This is not surprising at all to me.I thought it was unlikely that 90%of class members would electa premium refund and opt outof their policy. Apparently only70% did so, giving CalPERS theoption to opt out of the Settlement.By Larry Woodson, CSR HealthNegotiations will continue andBenefits Committee chairthe actuarial projections used forhe topics in this month’sthe next premium hike will not becolumn are nearly identicalinfluenced by a settlement. Thisto last month’s column with onemay give out-of-state retireesaddition:who were unjustly excluded from Update on Long Term Care (LTC) the class to request inclusion. ACO REACH Program formerlyThe plaintiffs attorneys websiteMedicare Direct Contracting Pilothas their explanation of this Healthy California for Alldevelopment atCommission Updatewww.calpersltcclassaction.com My public comments at theOur HBC will continue to monitorCalPERS Pension and Healthand report.Benefits April Committee (PHBC) ACO REACH Long Term Care Valuation Report Our March 14 letter to HHSand Semi-Annual Health PlanSecretary Xavier Becerra (see lastFinancial Reportmonth’s edition of CSR newspaperUpdate on LTCto read) has received a lot ofThe biggest new developmentresponse. First and foremost, weregarding LTC is that on Aprilwere contacted by a Division20, 2022 the Attorneys for theChief in the Center for MedicarePlaintiffs and Defendants filedand Medicaid Services Centerthe following joint letter tofor Innovation (CMSCI) sayingthe presiding judge over thethey received our letter, valuedpreliminary settlement:our feedback, and would like to“Dear Judge Highberger,set up some time to discuss theThis joint submission on behalf ofcomments in our letter. I have hadPlaintiffs and CalPERS regardinga phone conversation with her andthe status of the Settlementwe have now set a date in mid-MayAgreement preliminarily approved to meet by Zoom. Drs. Gilmanby the Court on July 23, 2021.and Hynum from our HBC andBecause approximately 30% ofVincent Hererra our CSR Boardthe settlement class opted out,Liaison will join me. We have nothe parties have determined thatillusions that we can get them tothe existing settlement will not behalt the program, but we intend togoing forward. The parties request strongly assert our concerns. Wethat the June 8, 2022 hearing onsent the letter to Secretary Becerrafinal approval of the Settlementwho is over CMS. His office didAgreement be taken off calendar.not directly respond to our letter.The parties continue to work withMy hunch is his staff in the Officethe Hon. Layn Phillips (Ret.) toof the Secretary turfed a responseattempt to reach agreement on anto CMSCI, who are the very folksamended settlement that would bewho designed, implemented andacceptable to both CalPERS andare promoting the program. Sothe members of the class. In light of I followed up with an email tothose attempts, the parties requestOffice of the Secretary asking thatthat proceedings in this mattersomeone from that office attendTMAY 2022our Zoom. I made the same requestof the Division Chief. We’ll seewhat happens.Healthy California for AllCommissionThe Commission released its finalreport on options for advancingprogress toward a health caredelivery system in California thatprovides coverage and accessthrough a unified financing system,including, but not limited to, asingle-payer financing system,for all Californians. This is theculmination of over 2 years ofmeetings and work in between bycommission members, consultants,and California Health and HumanServices Agency leadership.CSR HBC Vice Chair TomConsidine and I have attended allthe meetings and are in the processof reading and analyzing the reportand discussing our impressions.We will be attending the finalmeeting of the Commission onApril 25 where the Commissionerswill likely have some robustdiscussion, since there have beendivergent views on some issues.We will be reporting on this to theCSR Board and I will give our finalobservations at that time in thiscolumn.CalPERS PHBC April MeetingOn April 18 I attended (virtually)the PHBC meeting and gavepublic comments on 2 topics. Asreported in last month’s column,I gave comments at last month’sPHBC asking the Board and Staffto reverse their new policy ofonly accepting public commentsfrom persons willing to attend thecommittee and Board meetingsin person. Due to much lowerincidence of Covid recently,CalPERS decided to meet inperson for these meetings andrequire Stakeholders who maybe immunocompromised or areat greater risk due to age (usretirees) to be there in person if wewanted to give public comment.I attended in person with a mask.There were very few masks on inthe audience or staff. I asked theycontinue to allow phone commentsin addition to in person. Earlier thismonth they announced they wouldCALIFORNIA STATE RETIREEallow phone-in comments, so mycomments this time were by phoneand I thanked the staff and boardfor reversing the policy.I also gave comments on the ACOREACH Program, how CMS hadrebranded the previous programbut opened up applications toeven more for-profit companiesto apply. I described our letterto Secretary Becerra which wecopied to CalPERS Board ChairTheresa Taylor, CEO Marcie Frost,and Health Benefits Director DonMoulds. We received a responsefrom Board Chair Taylor sayingshe shared our concerns as outlinedin the letter and she asked staffto look deeper into the program.I used the opportunity to thankMs. Taylor for her response in mycomments.Long Term Care ValuationReport and Semi-Annual HealthPlan Financial ReportBoth these reports werereleased and discussed at thelast Stakeholders meeting andpresented at the CalPERS Financeand Administration Committeemeeting April 18. I asked afew questions about them atStakeholders, but both are long,complicated and I have notcompleted reviewing them. Bothreports cover the fiscal year endingJune 30, 2021. The LTC ValuationReport reports things like numberof subscribers on claim (6,470),number of policies in force(111,518), and higher morbidityassumptions which lowered themargin by 7.9%. The good news isthat LTC Fund investment returnof 13% exceeded the assumedinvestment return of 4.75%. Andthe balance of the LTC Fundincreased by 571 M resulting in anew fund balance of 5.4 B. Also,the funded status increased from101% last year to 108% for 2021.It does reflect the 52% increaselast November and the anticipated25% increase next November.Being 108% funded suggests thepossibility of stable premiums,Continued on page 9P A G E 7

SAVVY SENIORSavvy Senior: How to Get Help as an Elder OrphanDear Savvy Senior,I need to find someone honest andreliable to look after my estate,health and long-term care whenI’m no longer able to do it myself.I’m a 67-year-old recent widowwith no children and one sibling Irarely talk to. Any suggestions?Solo AgerDear Solo,This is big concern for millions ofolder Americans who don’t havea spouse, children or other familythey can depend on to watch outfor their well-being. While there’sno one solution to this issue, hereare some tips and resources thatcan help you plan ahead.Essential DocumentsIf you haven’t already done so,your first step, before choosinga reliable decision maker, isto prepare a basic estate planof at least four essential legaldocuments. This will protectyourself and make sure you’rewishes are carried out if youbecome seriously ill or when youdie.These essential documents include:a “durable power of attorney” thatallows you to designate someoneto handle your financial mattersif you become incapacitated; an“advanced health care directive”that includes a “living will” thattells your doctor what kind of careyou want to receive if you becomeincapacitated, and a “health carepower of attorney,” which namesa person you authorize to makeof attorney for finances and healthcare, or executor of their will. If,however, you don’t have someoneto fill those roles, you may want toSend your senior questions to:Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443Norman, OK 73070or visit SavvySenior.orgmedical decisions on your behalfif you’re unable to; and a “will”that spells out how you’d like yourproperty and assets distributed afteryou die. It also requires you todesignate an “executor” to ensureyour wishes are carried out.To prepare these documents yourbest option is to hire an attorney,which can cost anywhere between 500 and 2,000. Or, if you areinterested in a do-it-yourself plan,Quicken WillMaker & Trust 2022( 199, Nolo.com) andLegalZoom.com ( 179) are sometop options.Choosing Decision Makers &HelpersMost people think first of naminga family member as their powerask a trusted friend or associate butbe sure to choose someone that’sorganized and younger than youwho will likely be around afteryou’re gone. Also be aware that ifyour choice of power of attorneyor executor lives in another state,you’ll need to check your state’slaw to see if it imposes any specialrequirements. If, however, youdon’t have a friend or relativeyou feel comfortable with, you’llneed to hire someone who hasexperience with such matters.To find a qualified power ofattorney or executor for your will,contact your bank, a local trustcompany or an estate planningattorney. If you need help locatinga pro, the National Academy ofElder Law Attorneys(NAELA.org) is a great resourcethat provides online directory tohelp you find someone in yourarea. Another resource that canhelp you manage and oversee yourhealth and long-term care needsas they arise, and even act as yourhealth care power of attorney, is anaging life care manager. These aretrained professionals in the areaof geriatric care who often havebackgrounds in nursing or socialwork. To search for an expert nearyou, visit AgingLifeCare.org.Or, if you need help with billpaying and other financial/insurance/tax chores there areprofessional daily money managers(see AADMM.com) that can help.Aging life care managers typicallycharge between 75 and 200 perhour, while hourly rates for dailymoney managers range between 75 and 150. It’s also important tonote that if you don’t complete theaforementioned legal documentsand you become incapacitated, acourt judge may appoint a guardianto make decisions on your behalf.That means the care you receivemay be totally different fromwhat you would have chosen foryourself.HAVEYOU MOVED?Don’t miss anissue of theCalifornia State Retiree!To update your information, please emailCSRInfo@CalRetirees.orgPAGE 8CALIFORNIA STATE RETIREEMAY 2022

Welcome Aboard, New Members!Now that you have become a member of the largestand most experienced state retiree organization inCalifornia, we want to properly welcome you aboard.California State Retirees (CSR) has 26 different chaptersstatewide, and there is one just right for you. Members whodon’t specify which chapter they want to be in are automaticallyplaced in the chapter within their zip code. Just let us know if thechapter you have been assigned is where you want to stay.Chapter 1Jenny RamatToni Pome’eLarita SnowdenJoseph MayoBrenda WallaceJanice DavidsonWilma SacramentoJosefina JugarapJohana WestChapter 2Joanne McdermottJennifer BurnettKelly SturgesRicardo DuranHeather LockhartStefanie MarchiGertie DavisIrene BeckhamEvelyn GuajardoJohn FlorezSkye BergenCatherine PierceGreg SwainLisa CarterRonald EspinosaKaren ClavelleKimberly StarrTerence JohnsonAkira YamamotoJoanna SelimGina LopezSusan ReamerLance LauJanice BradfordSheryl AguileraLarry HicksMartin MontanaAndrew SullivanSheryl SheehanLinda Mc CarthySilverio RamosSophia Clark-JacksonChapter 3Charles PrescottChapter 4Doyen DinhMichael LavoieTempy Dixon-JosephMary CooperMontina BaileyChapter 5Lester TuckerDale TidwellShirley CrescentiChapter 6Renetta CloudDennis SalcedoBertha CamposSamuel VaughnManuela ReyesAvelardo BustamanteGloria MyersMAY 2022Josep

COLA paid on the May 1 benefit payment. The law says retirees receive their first COLA in their second calendar year of retirement. That means if you retired in 2020, you will get your first COLA in May 2022. If you retired last year — 2021 — you won't see your first COLA until May 2023. Your COLA Percentage COLAs are limited to a maximum