Rectel does not discriminate and hate the Retirees Group.
They hate EVERYONE equally, (except maybe for their mgmt.)
For years LLNL provided information about medical and other benefits to the LLNL Retirees, then Rectel established the most complicated system imaginable:
You had to get Hewitt to tell B of A to request the funds from LLNS, then to be sent to Kaiser or whatever medical program you had. They changed companies often and for no reason.
Each company had different and conflicting rules, deadlines, bureaucracy, with employees who did not know the systems, and no incentive to perform. It appears the idea is that some people will get lost in the paperwork, and LLNS will pocket their medical costs. When the LLNL Retirees requested a speaker or several speakers, Rectel just stonewalled.
Then they told the LLNL Retirees that they could not help retirees.
Comments
Hewitt/BofA/LLNS etc. failed to process my application for several months after my Kaiser coverage expired, despite my requests months in advance, and REPEATED requests to all parties for help.
Hewitt's (aka AON Hewitt) favorite response is that they will "Research" the issue, which is their code for GAK: "Go Away, Kid." They almost never get back to you, much less "within 10 business days."
Kaiser, after several calls over months, said that they had seen this many times from LLNS, and had faith that LLNL would eventually make this right, even months late, so they provided me temporary coverage while the LLNS keystone cops continued to stall.
(LLNS Benefits was sympathetic, but not empowered. They did provide help to show that they HAD paid Hewitt, despite Hewitt's denials)
Turned out I needed it, and the temporary coverage was actually far better than the LLNS Group Kaiser Senior Advantage that I eventually got.
Note that LLNS no longer pays for your Medical, instead they offer an B of A HRAccount good for up to $2400/year, that if you go thru their maze might be funded and then used to help pay for coverage or meds.
This is related to Medicare when you get to be 65.
IF you have less than 20 years service they "prorate" this, but down to the lowest whole year. Example: 15 years 11 months plus is called 15 years. So you'd only get $1800 in the HRA. But then they prorate again the first year you become 65. So you get a percentage that year, based on how many months are remaining in the calendar year.
There is a group suing to get UC to cover the Medical for retirees who worked for UC (like all other UC employees). UC Retirees do get their pension from the UCRP.
http://llnlretiree.com/
The Group KSA actually costs you more than the plain vanilla individual KSA that Kaiser offers to the public. About twice as much per month.
The Group coverage is slightly better.
Some co pays are less, etc.
But since LLNS will NOT fund the HRAccount if you want the plain KSA, it is in your best interest to go with their Group deal.
UC, on the other hand, is negotiating for all their campuses, and other employees and gets as a much better deal, which costs them LESS. Note that the cost do not affect LLNS, as they are reimbursed by DoE.
They have hurt you, and relish the thought.