District 2: Community Advisory Board (CAB) meeting
April 17, 2024 @ 7:00 am – 8:00 am
Meeting for CAB members ~ please join us for a virtual meeting via Zoom! Questions, please contact Community Liaison Deryl at Deryl@NCRGEA.com.
Diving In
When Cynthia Ferebee retired after a more than 30-year career as a teacher and assistant principal, she knew she wanted to stay active.
Social Security is Changing How They Collect Overpayments
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | SSA Press Release
Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley today announced he is taking four vital steps to immediately address overpayment issues customers and the agency have experienced. Commissioner O’Malley testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging and the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (excerpt):
“For 88 years, the hard-working employees of the Social Security Administration have strived to pay the right amount, to the right person, at the right time. And the agency has done this with a high degree of accuracy over a massive scale of beneficiaries. But despite our best efforts, we sometimes get it wrong and pay beneficiaries more than they are due, creating an overpayment.
When that happens, Congress requires that we make every effort to recover those overpaid benefits. But doing so without regard to the larger purpose of the program can result in grave injustices to individuals, as we see from the stories of people losing their homes or being put in dire financial straits when they suddenly see their benefits cut off to recover a decades-old overpayment, or disability beneficiaries attempting to work and finding their efforts rewarded with large overpayments. Innocent people can be badly hurt. And these injustices shock our shared sense of equity and good conscience as Americans.
We are continually improving how we serve the millions of people who depend on our programs, although we have room for improvement, as media reports last fall revealed. We have also embarked upon a deep dive into the extent of the overpayment problem at Social Security, the root causes of these administrative errors, and the steps we can take as an agency to address these individual injustices.
Our deeper understanding of the complexities of this problem has set us on the following course of action:
- Starting next Monday, March 25, we will be ceasing the heavy-handed practice of intercepting 100 percent of an overpaid beneficiary’s monthly Social Security benefit by default if they fail to respond to our demand for repayment. Moving forward, we will now use a much more reasonable default withholding rate of 10 percent of monthly benefits — similar to the current rate in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
- We will be reframing our guidance and procedures so that the burden of proof shifts away from the claimant in determining whether there is any evidence that the claimant was at fault in causing the overpayment.
- For the vast majority of beneficiaries who request to work out a repayment plan, we recently changed our policy so that we will approve repayment plans of up to 60 months. To qualify, Social Security beneficiaries would only need to provide a verbal summary of their income, resources, and expenses, and recipients of the means-tested SSI program would not need to provide even this summary. This change extended this easier repayment option by an additional two years (from 36 to 60 months).
- And finally, we will be making it much easier for overpaid beneficiaries to request a waiver of repayment, in the event they believe themselves to have been without any fault and/or without the ability to repay.
Implementing these policy changes — with proper education and training across the people, policies, and systems of the agency — is an important but complex shift. And we are undertaking that shift with urgency, diligence, and speed.
I look forward to working with Members to discuss ideas that could address the root causes of overpayments.”
Social Security launched a comprehensive review in October 2023 of agency overpayment policies and procedures to address payment accuracy systematically. (See Learn about Overpayments and Our Process | SSA and Press Release | Press Office | SSA). These changes are a direct result of the ongoing review. Additionally, the agency recently announced it is working to reduce wage-related improper payments by using its legal authority to establish information exchanges with payroll data providers that will significantly reduce the number of improper payments, once implemented. (See Press Release | Press Office | SSA for more information). The agency will continue examining programmatic policy and making regulatory and sub-regulatory changes to improve the overpayment process. More details on these updates will be shared as they become available.
To watch the testimony and read Commissioner O’Malley Statement for the Record, visit Keeping Our Promise to Older Adults and … | Senate Committee On Aging and Hearing | Hearings | The United States Senate Committee on Finance.
Rep. Jeffrey Elmore: NCRGEA’S First Legislator of the Year
Winter 2023/2024, Living Power Magazine
The executive board and staff of the North Carolina Retired Governmental Employees’ Association (NCRGEA) is proud to award Wilkes County State House Representative Jeffrey Elmore as our 2023 Legislator of the Year. Elmore is the first legislative member of the year named by the association.
Elmore serves the 94th House District, representing Wilkes and Alleghany counties. In his 11th year in the North Carolina General Assembly, Elmore serves as a House appropriations chairperson and also serves on the House Pensions and Retirement Committee, among other appointments.
Elmore worked tirelessly to secure bonus money for TSER retirees. In addition to his role in the legislature, Elmore also works as an educator in his 23rd year of teaching and has also served as president of the Professional Educators of North Carolina (PENC), a nonpartisan group of 7,000 teachers in North Carolina. Prior to serving in the state legislature, Elmore was a planning board member, commissioner in North Wilkesboro, and he served as chairman of the town’s board of adjustments.
A native of Wilkes County, Elmore has deep roots in the region. He resides in North Wilkesboro with his wife and two children, where he’s also a member of First United Methodist Church.
“We are grateful to Rep. Elmore for his service and for championing North Carolina’s public service retirees,” said NCRGEA Executive Director Tim O’Connell.
Prevention is the Best Cure
By Dale R. Folwell, CPA
State Treasurer of North Carolina
The only thing that beats a happy new year is a healthy new year! The State Health Plan offers many preventive care services and medications at no cost to members. Plan members can start their year off right by taking advantage of all the preventive care benefits available to them on all the options the State Health plan offers, including the Base PPO Plan (70/30), Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20), and Humana Medicare Advantage plans.
Preventive care is routine health care that includes screenings, checkups, and patient counseling to help prevent illnesses or disease. Preventive care is covered at 100% when it is provided by an in-network provider, when the claim is filed as a preventive visit, and when services are identified as preventive care under the Affordable Care Act. Examples include mammograms, preventative colonoscopies, and immunizations. There may be exceptions, so it’s important to know what qualifies as preventive care, as well as what questions to ask your provider to avoid extra costs. Good questions to ask include:
- Will any additional tests, labs, or treatments I get during my appointment not be considered preventive care?
- Will talking about other topics that are not considered preventive care during my appointment lead to out-of-pocket costs?
For members enrolled in Humana Medicare Advantage Plans, your coverage includes additional benefits, such as the SilverSneakers® fitness program—free of charge—and the Go365 wellness and rewards program, which offers personalized activities, tracking, support, and rewards to keep your health top of mind. To learn more about SilverSneakers and other preventive benefits, visit Humana’s website at Your.Humana.com/ncshp.
These great benefits mentioned above are all part of the Humana Base Medicare Advantage Plan, which is offered to plan members for a $0 premium with Medicare-eligible spousal coverage for just $4 a month, all at no cost to taxpayers. For more information, members are encouraged to visit the State Health Plan’s website at SHPNC.org.
Getting Her Kicks
Fitness has always been important to Julie Lowery. As a certified registered nurse anesthetist for more than 25 years at UNC Hospitals, Lowery saw fitness as an extension of her health—a way to keep her body strong and vibrant.
NCRGEA 2024 Spring Conference
NCRGEA welcomes our members, pre-retirees and guests to Raleigh on Monday or Tuesday | April 1 or 2 for our Spring Conference! The venue space is limited, so we are offering the event again on Tuesday. Please choose which date works best for you.
We’ll have free continental breakfast to enjoy as you attend our morning sessions, which include:
- “Medicare and Healthcare” by CenterWell
- “Local Landscaping Tips” by NC Cooperative Extension
- “Brain Fitness” by Brookdale Senior Living
There will be many vendors at information tables to answer your questions and provide one-on-one assistance. Giveaways will occur during the day!
Breakout sessions for state and local government retirees will be held to provide updates on your benefits. Candidates for State Treasurer will speak; this is the office that manages the pension for our retirees. Our current State Treasurer will discuss the current news from their office, and presentations will be given by the State Employees Credit Union, the Local Government Federal Credit Union, as well as CenterWell and AMBA.
Door prizes will occur throughout the presentations!
We will have a catered lunch that is free, and we hope you bring a guest to also enjoy this day of fun! They will also attend free~
Stay Active with NCRGEA in 2024
By Deryl Davis Fulmer, PhD
NCRGEA Community Liaison
Over the past year, it has been our pleasure to offer opportunities for members to engage and stay active with NCRGEA. As we move into a new year, we want to take time to recap 2023 and encourage continued engagement in 2024.
In 2023, NCRGEA launched new activities and broke new ground with our outreach efforts while maintaining personal service. I often hear from the office that “the phones are hopping.” Our amazing staff, Margaret Burrell and Cathy Spruill, stay busy each day answering the phones. I heard through the grapevine that they and all others in the office answer hundreds of calls each day and thousands every year. The greatest compliment we often receive is, “I can’t believe I got a live person on the line, and you all helped me!” Thanks, Margaret, Cathy, and the staff at NCRGEA!
In addition, Outreach Coordinator Josephine Lanier, has been traveling across the state, meeting with small groups at our Local Community Outreach Meetings. While there, she explains our benefits and gives a brief legislative update. Check out the “Upcoming Events” list to see when she will be in your area.
In 2023, we added a tool called FastDemocracy, which aids us in our advocacy efforts to key leaders. Last May and June, with our initial use of FastDemocracy, we may have influenced the General Assembly in passing a bigger bonus than the 1% bonus initially proposed. Members sent more than 6,000 letters to their state representatives and senators, resulting in a 4% bonus. When you receive these requests, please use this tool—instructions come with our requests, making it easy to participate.
Our Community Advisory Boards (CABs) are up and running in each of the nine districts. COVID actually helped us to understand the needs of our membership better, as we were challenged to find new ways to engage our membership. We went to cyberspace and quickly learned how to use Zoom, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). We found that many of you were learning those modalities simultaneously with us. At
the same time, we stepped up our website presence to improve engagement.
Currently, we seek chairs/co-chairs for each of the CABs. Some of you have already accepted the challenge, and we are grateful! We would like to have more of you involved so we can begin hosting fun and informative activities across the state. Please consider joining your CAB and give input for planning activities and other ideas to help retirees remain active and engaged. Your voices help us enhance and maintain retiree benefits.
Last June, we launched the virtual Lunch and Learn webinar series. These programs occur monthly on Wednesdays from 12:30–1:30 p.m. Hundreds of you have enjoyed and benefited from such offerings as Aging Un-Lonely, Social Security Updates, Estate Planning, Long-Term Care, Getting Ready for Aetna and AMBA Benefits and How to Access the Passport Discounts. Tune in and invite your friends to these informative sessions. Membership is not a requirement to participate. Watch your email and website announcements for info on upcoming sessions.
We also joined two major efforts this year as 200 NCRGEA members participated in the March for Meals Champion Week for Meals on Wheels. We plan to join this effort again on March 18–22. Please watch for the notices as we get closer to March.
On Oct. 7, several staff and family members joined the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Raleigh. It was an amazing walk to raise funds for the research and services needed to address this growing issue. Please consider joining such efforts in your respective communities, and if you have, we will feature you in our “Active and Engaged” Facebook posts.
By 2031, the age 65 and older population in North Carolina will be larger than our 18 and under citizens. NCRGEA recognizes that efforts to reimagine aging are paramount for our future. By making you aware of the services and activities you can join efforts in, we hope that we can contribute a small part to healthy aging and your joy in retirement.
Throughout 2023, I featured several agencies and opportunities for volunteerism. I also included the Hometown Strong initiative through Governor Cooper’s office for those interested in part time employment. If interested, please take advantage of these opportunities to stay active and engaged.
Finally, NCRGEA has joined forces with “All Ages, All Stages, A Roadmap for Aging and Living Well,” the governor’s initiative to make North Carolina an aging-friendly state. The initiative aims to ensure that programs and services are addressed to help everyone age in place and the best environment possible. If you are interested in your voice being heard regarding housing, homelessness, food security, social connectedness, transportation accessibility, broadband accessibility, and community safety and protection pertaining to aging in North Carolina, please get in touch with me. We welcome your voices and input in our mission to help you become active and engaged.
As always, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at Deryl@NCRGEA.com.
Health is Wealth: Living a Healthy Retirement Lifestyle
Winter 2023/2024 Living Power Magazine
When you’re busy working, sometimes your health can get relegated to the back burner. Now that you’re retired, taking the time to focus on maintaining a healthy body and mind will allow you to lead a richer, more active life.
Eat a Balanced Diet
As you age, you’re more likely to have problems linked to deficiencies in certain vitamins or minerals. While a supplement might seem like an easy solution, getting these nutrients from food will most benefit your body. Try to eat a balanced diet of protein, fat and carbs, and cut back on processed foods, as they can be high in blood pressure-boosting sodium. Lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables should play major roles in your diet.
Stay Active
Regular exercise offers myriad benefits to the body and mind. Aerobic activities such as walking or swimming can boost energy levels, using weights helps build strength, and yoga and pilates keep your body flexible. Shoot for at least 30 minutes of gentle to moderate activity each day, and choose something you enjoy, so you’re more likely to stick with it.
Visit the Doctor
Putting off medical or dental appointments may have been no big deal when you were younger, but as you age, it’s critical to get regular checkups. Regular blood work and blood pressure tests can help you prevent heart attacks or strokes, and cancer screenings such as mammograms and prostate exams will allow your doctor to catch any abnormalities before they get out of control.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Snoozing for the recommended seven to nine hours per night may be easier said than done, as many experience sleep disruptions with age. But you can sidestep some of those slumber-disturbing issues by limiting caffeine to eight hours before bed, cutting out liquids by two hours before bed, and ensuring your bedroom is dark and cool. Still struggling with sleep? Over-the-counter supplements such as melatonin can help without leaving you groggy the next day—be sure to check with your doctor first.
Reaching the Summit
Winter 2023/2024 Living Power Magazine
Alan Foster isn’t the type of person to just sit around. Foster retired in 2009 from a career that included four years in the Air Force and more than two decades as a paramedic with Wake County EMS. After retirement, he took on a part-time role with Rex Hospital, where he currently serves as the director of emergency preparedness management.
While that work kept him busy, the desk job didn’t give Foster the same active lifestyle he enjoyed as a paramedic. So he began hiking and camping, eventually traversing part of the Appalachian Trail. As he got deeper into hiking, he looked for a new challenge and found it on Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding peak in the world.
“I had a high school friend who had done it a couple years prior, which sort of sparked my interest,” Foster says.”I started doing research and finally decided to do it.”
Foster’s oldest daughter and her boyfriend joined him on the journey to Tanzania, where Kilimanjaro is located, in September. Their trek up the mountain took seven days, hiking and then camping in segments to allow their bodies to acclimate to the altitude—Kilimanjaro towers 19,341 feet above sea level.
“That was sort of a life lesson, too,” Foster says. “Taking shortcuts and trying to do things too fast often leads to failure.”
Though they took their time, Foster’s daughter experienced altitude sickness that rendered her unable to complete the climb. Her boyfriend accompanied her back down the mountain, and Foster trudged on. By the time they’d reached the peak from base camp, several other hikers from their group also bowed out, leaving Foster with just two others reaching the top.
“[Summiting Kilimanjaro] was easily the hardest physical and mental challenge I’ve ever put myself through, and that includes military basic training that I did as a teenager in a much better physical condition,” he says.
While Foster says he won’t climb any other mountains soon, he believes the active lifestyle he’s kept up since—regular walks, swimming, and other activities—have helped him maintain the conditioning that allowed him to reach the mountaintop. As he prepares for his daughter’s nuptials—her boyfriend proposed on Kilimanjaro that day—he knows that healthy lifestyle will allow him to enjoy more of life’s big moments ahead.
“She’s got a wedding coming up, and I’ll be around hopefully to participate and be physically able to travel if I need to,” he says. “There are so many benefits of staying active and healthy and finding a challenge like a Kilimanjaro or an Appalachian Trail hike that will make you prepare and stay focused on your health and well-being.”