Newsletter

This month’s off-topic topic is… traffic circle etiquette. Some of you call them “roundabouts.” And yes—before anyone emails the office—Roundabout was indeed a magnificent song by the band YES, and if you haven’t heard it, do yourself a favor and give it a spin.

America. Land of the free, home of the brave, and for over a century, U.S. agriculture has been a quiet colossus — feeding the world while policymakers argued over whose steak was medium-rare.

But this month (It’s October 26th, while I write this), the export engine that powered rural prosperity has seized up.

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.

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.

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.

Well, it seems we may have accidentally created... a thing. Last month’s “mailbag” experiment — where we answered real questions sent to the Fund Office — has, rather alarmingly, sparked a bit of momentum.

Now, whether this is a stroke of genius or the administrative equivalent of poking a hornet’s nest is anyone’s guess.

Okay, don't worry-- this isn't some dramatic shake-up. It's more like swapping out the batteries in the remote: the function stays the same, but things just work a little better.

Starting in plan year 2026, a new Medicare Advantage insurer will be stepping in.

While we were distracted by other September headlines, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan quietly signed a mutual defense pact last month. Sounds serious, until you remember…. they don't share a border; they don't share enemies and couldn't realistically come to one another's aid without a very long layover in Dubai.

The human eye is nothing short of a biological marvel.

Second only to the brain in complexity, each eye is made up of over 2 million working parts--and considering that around 80% of what we learn comes through vision, it's safe to say our eyes are doing some serious heavy lifting.

It turns out money can buy happiness--;at least at the dentist's office. Beginning January 1, 2026, your dental benefits are getting a rather handsome upgrade:

Active participants: Your annual family dental allowance climbs to $3,500.
Retired participants: Your annual family allowance rises to $1,500.

And because we know nothing says "peace of mind" quite like never worrying about cleanings again--effective the same day, the Plan will now cover 100% of all diagnostic and preventative dental services up to those annual family limits.