Change can feel complicated—especially when it comes to something as personal as your health care. But here’s the simple truth: your coverage isn’t being reduced or taken away. The benefits you rely on remain fully intact, protected under the same laws that allow your retiree plan to exist in the first place.
What’s changing is the partner, not the promise.
Starting January 1, 2026, your coverage will be provided through Anthem instead of UnitedHealthcare.
Think of it this way: the recipe stays the same, but the chef changes. Anthem may season things a little differently—they have their own systems, tools, and approach—but the core ingredients of your health and prescription coverage remain what they’ve always been.
And if you’re wondering whether you’ll still be able to see your doctor or fill your prescriptions:
If your physician accepts Medicare, they’re already set. Just like before, your provider will simply bill the new insurance company—Anthem—instead of United. Your part in the process doesn’t change.
The goal here isn’t to disrupt your care. It’s to make it easier, smoother, and, ideally, better supported. Because great coverage isn’t just about paying for care—it’s about creating confidence in every decision you make about your health.
Learn What’s New
To help you understand this transition and get comfortable with your new plan, you’re invited to attend an in-person education meeting on:
📅 Tuesday, November 4, 2025
🕙 10:00 A.M. or 1:00 P.M.
At this session, representatives from RetireeFirst and the Fund Office will walk through the new plan’s benefits, coverage details, and what to expect beginning January 1st.
RSVP Required by October 31, 2025
Please RSVP no later than October 31, 2025, to confirm your attendance.
📞 RetireeFirst
Local: (219) 220-4037 (TTY 711)
Toll-Free: (844) 617-5747 (TTY 711)
🕗 Monday–Friday, 8:00 A.M.–5:00 P.M. CDT
Frequently Asked Questions – Anthem Medicare Preferred PPO Transition
Q1: Does this change mean my retiree health or prescription coverage is being reduced?
A: No. Your coverage remains the same—protected by the laws that allow your retiree plan to exist. What’s changing is who administers it. Beginning January 1, 2026, your coverage will move from UnitedHealthcare to Anthem under the new Medicare Preferred PPO program.
Think of it like switching from one trusted pharmacy counter to another: the labels, safety, and results stay consistent, but the service and experience may feel a little different.
If your doctor accepts Medicare (as most do), nothing changes on your end. Your provider will simply bill Anthem instead of UnitedHealthcare, and your prescription coverage will continue through the new plan.
Q2: Will I need a new ID card or have to do anything before January 1, 2026?
A: Yes. You’ll receive a new ID card from Anthem before the new plan begins. Once you get it, use it for all doctor visits, hospital services, and prescriptions starting January 1, 2026.
You don’t need to re-enroll or complete additional paperwork—your transition happens automatically. The Fund Office and RetireeFirst are working closely with Anthem to make sure your information transfers smoothly and your coverage continues without interruption.
The only thing you need to do right now? RSVP for the November 4th education meeting by October 31, 2025. Understanding your new plan in advance makes the transition seamless.
Q3: What if my pharmacy or doctor has questions about the new plan?
A: Simple: they contact Anthem directly, just as they did with UnitedHealthcare before. Anthem has dedicated support teams ready to answer questions from providers about coverage, billing, and prescription claims.
From your perspective, nothing changes—you just continue to see your doctor and fill your prescriptions as usual. The Fund Office and RetireeFirst are also available to help resolve any issues quickly, so you never have to navigate it alone.
Think of it like switching phone carriers: your number stays the same, your friends can still reach you, and you can reach them, and the new company handles the technical side so you can focus on what matters—your health.
Q3 HOURS SHORT?
ACT NOW,
OR,
RISK HAVING YOUR WALLET CRY.
December 31st at 12 PM—the ghostly hour that has haunted newsletters and the Fund website for the past five months, and, not to be dramatic, the SPDs for what feels like six full revolutions of the sun. Ooooooooooo! Very spooky.
To the habitual meeting-avoiders, mail and newsletter-ignorers: we see you.
If your Q3 hours fell short, oh, do brace yourself. Because come late November—or perhaps early December if the postal spirits are feeling mischievous—you’ll receive not one, but two chilling omens.
First, an explanation of benefits, dutifully mailed and posted online, just in case you enjoy ignoring both. Then, a shortage-of-hours notice, which can be confirmed by that ancient relic known as the pay stub—the thing you should absolutely should have looked at, but didn’t.
Miss the payment deadline and consider yourself doomed to the relentless specter of COBRA—stalking you like a Halloween horror extra in a B-grade movie.
Still unsure if this affects you. Oh, that’s tragic. Like wandering around as the Headless Horseman—no horse, no head, and zero idea what you’re doing. Terrifying, really.
It gets worse. Oh yes, much worse. We’re not holding your hand on this, because that would be insulting—and patronizing. You are an adult. You chose this organization. Which means that responsibility isn’t optional. Failing to act doesn’t just damage our confidence in you—it chips away at your own dignity, your agency, and, frankly, your ability to sleep at night knowing you’ve done the bare minimum.
And if you don’t care about that, well, that’s probably a bigger problem than a missed deadline. Meanwhile, it’s unfair to everyone else who actually shows up, pays attention, and participates. So, here’s the deal: do the right thing—or don’t. It’s your life. Just remember, effort is a two-way street. If you want anyone else to care, you have to care first. Simple as that.
Alright, now for the proverbial elephant in the room…which, conveniently, has decided to relocate to another Local’s jurisdiction. Yes, it’s still your elephant, still stomping around, and yes, you’re still the one responsible for keeping track of it.
So, if you happen to be working outside the jurisdiction, a few things to keep in mind:
- Clear into the Local properly.Just because you’ve worked there before—or think you know the ropes—doesn’t mean skipping the check-in is okay. Missteps happen, fumbles happen, and trust me, not clearing properly is a classic way to create them. And,
- Make sure that Local’s Fund Office has your hours and benefits reported back to 697 on time.The 697 Fund Office has no magical awareness of your off-jurisdiction adventures. So, for example, if you worked in another Local’s jurisdiction during the third calendar quarter of this year, and a shortage-of-hours’ notice pops up in your mail or your coverage is dropped, guess what? The phone number you need isn’t ours. It’s the entity that dropped the ball.
And while we’ll happily own our own screw-ups, we are not responsible for the mistakes of others—or anything completely beyond our control. Expecting otherwise is like blaming your umbrella for the rain. It’s unfair, irrational, and honestly, a little absurd.
Lastly, we’ve been there, done that, and as the eighth reminder in five months clearly proves, we have the receipts to prove it. We’ve communicated, nagged, nudged, and posted it everywhere short of hiring a blimp. At this point, we’re considering hiring an actor dressed as a giant calendar to shout the date outside your house.
But at some point, you realize yelling at ghosts is pointless. And yes, I mean that literally and figuratively. Some people just aren’t interested. Or, plot twist, have to learn the hard way.
And that’s fine. We’re cool with it. Really. It’s okay—we’ll just dim the lights, grab the popcorn, and watch from the shadows as the world’s most predictable horror film unfolds: “The Avoidable Terror” Spoiler: It doesn’t end well.
Tick-tock, my friends. Noon of December 31st, is nigh!
A SIMPLE STROP THAT KEEPS YOUR COVERAGE SECURE
Every now and then, the Plan needs to make sure our records reflect real life. People move, families grow, coverage changes. That’s why you recently received a short form asking you to confirm or update your insurance status — for you, and for any dependents you cover.
It’s a small task with big impact. Completing it ensures your benefits continue without interruption. Ignoring it, on the other hand, could lead to denied claims or, worse, to consequences that affect not just you, but the integrity of the Plan that more than a thousand of families rely on.
Please take five minutes to complete and return the form today. It’s an easy way to honor the trust you place in the Plan — and the trust the Plan places in you.