QWEST
CONTRACTUAL COMMITTEES
Executive Work Council
Reed Roberts, Co-Chair
Mary Taylor, Co-Chair
Tim Donovan, Local 7200
Corky Cammarata, Local 7400
Lisa Bolton, Local 7777
Jeanne Stewart, Local 7803
Committee on Substance
Abuse
Scott Horn, Coordinator,
Local 7603
Sue Head, Local 7019
Mark
Rocha, Local 7102
Sheila Lieder, Local 7777
Terry Mitchell, Local 7800
Health and Wellness Advisory
Committee
Reed Roberts, Co-Chair
Mary Taylor, Co-Chair
Chris Washburn, Local 7777
Ken Saether, Local 7906
Sean Morrow, Local 7818
Health
Benefits Coordinator
Carla Floyd, Health Benefits
Coordinator
Employee Development
Council
Reed Roberts, Co-Chair
Don Dawson, Local 7102
Christy Kuehn, Local 7201
Pathways to the Future
Committee
Rhoda Hailey, CWA Representative
Jeff Taylor, Local 7603,
Co-Director
Terri Newman, Local 7214
Lisa Avila, Local 7704
Carol Giampaolo, Local 7777
Occupational Safety and
Health
Committee
Rick Sorensen, CWA
Representative, Co-Chair
Terry Wich, Local 7019
Bill McAleer, Local 7400
Tommy Costello, Local 7717
Mike Nord, Local 7804
Family & Work Development
Fund
Linda Rasmussen, CWA
Representative
Network Leadership Council
Mary Taylor, Co-Chair
Paul Castaneda, Local 7019
Brent Duvall, Local 7603
Holdiong
Down Prescription Costs
Brother's
and Sister's, as you all are aware the costs of prescription drugs and
health care are right out front with all of the political debates that
have been going on and will continue to be a very burning issue in our
contract negations and with the political elections in November.
I went on line and have been doing some investigations about drug prices.
Most of us use the MEDCO mail in prescriptions to save money on the 90
day supplies. WELL, I have had my eyes opened during my investigations!
First of all the $4.00
lists that Walmart (I know I can hear the groans already and wondering
WHY WOULD ANYONE GO TO Walmart! Those of us who are retired and on fixed
incomes will tell you one word MONEY! That's why.) and TARGET have out
there are the SAME! So if you don't want to shop Walmart you can go to
TARGET and spend the same amount for generic prescriptions. So what I would
recommend everyone to do is print out a copy off the Internet and take
it to your doctor and have them put the list in your file and when it comes
time for a prescription have the doctor look to see if the medicine is
on the list and go that route for your prescription instead of MEDCO by
mail. Now another interesting bit of information that I discovered a medicine
that I take is $50.00 for a 90 days supply at Met MEDCO, at Target the
same medicine is $4.00 a 30 day supply making a 90 day supply $12.00 a
difference of $38.00. HELLO - Where am I going to get that medicine?
Also I had heard that you
didn't need to be a member to use the Costco pharmacy. Well that did turn
out to be TRUE! Since the pharmacies are state and federal regulated you
have everyright to use them WITHOUT A MEMBERSHIP. To stare and compare
prices you can access the information at www.costco.com
and look for the pharmacy and access it that way. The same medicine at
Medco again was $50.00 and at Costco it was $16.50 so again it was cheaper
than MEDCO and some were cheaper than Target so again SHOP AROUND for the
best "deal".
So if you are out traveling
and need some prescriptions or are at home you have more money saving options
at your fingers. It's also a way to help lower the high costs of prescriptions
that the company will be saying is killing them. So again if you know of
any retirees that don't have access to the Internet please pass this along
to them so we can help everyone save some money. After all that's the name
of the game!
The
Wal*Mart $4 Perscription web site.
The
Target
$4 Perscription web site.
The Hy
Vee $4 Perscription web site.
If you have any questions
please contact me at jimperkey@cwa7102.org
In Unity, Jim Perkey EVP,
7102
Note: The Medco section
on www.myuhc.com
has an option "My RX Choices" that will check your current drugs
and tell you what they cost and if there is a generic that has a lower
co-pay cost to it. Also by going to "Claims and Balances" on
the site it will show what the plan paid and what you paid on
the drugs you ordered. (by webmaster)
Hints for Dealing with Benefits Department.
When dealing with Medical
or the Qwest Service Center, have a pen and paper handy and take notes.
REMEMBER
the W's:
Who did you talk
to?
When did you talk
to them?
Why did you talk
to them?
What did you ask
them?
What did they say?
When you talk to the Qwest
Service Center
(1 800 729 7526) they will
give you a tracking or case number -- very decent of them and VERY helpful!
Keep your receipts, insurance
papers and notes in a file folder - this can be REAL helpful.
Health Benefits
Coordinators
Are available to assist
the Locals and Members with any health care problem or issue.
Carla Floyd
phone: (503) 251-7026
fax: (503) 252-3364
email Carla.Floyd@qwest.com
Do
not hesitate to use the HBC if you need assistance.
|
Qwest Savings
& Investment
Plan, Life Benefits
http://qwestbenefits.csplans.com
United Health
Care Medical and Prescription Drugs
www.myuhc.com
Health Care and Group Life Benefits
Overview
of your Benefits
Qwest Benefit Site
https://qwestbenefits.csplans.com/portal/PortalLogin.jsp
Qwest Retiree HR Site
http://www.qwest.com/about/retirees/index.shtml
Pension Information
http://www.qwestpension.com

Qwest
Tuition.com
https://www.qwesttuition.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/welcome.aspx
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
Medicare
Modernization Act Prescription Drug Benefit /
Medicare
Advantage Program
Your source for information
on these programs.
Forms
CWA/Qwest
Grievance Report
Qwest
Time in Title
Debit
Authorization Form
for
the Qwest Benefit Plan
The following
people have assisted our members with questions on pensions
and reitrement.
Feel free to take advantage of their services.
Dale
A. Roshek
Senior Finacial Services
Representative
454 Walnut, Suite 100
Des Moines. IA 50309
515 246 4076
800 543 4015 ext 64964
roshek.dale@principal.com
Vincent
P. Sturm
Division
Manager
2700
Westown Parkway, Suite 260
West
Des Moines, IA 50266
515-278-2347
Fax 515-278-4324
Toll
Free 800-959-0881
vsturm@wradvisors.com
www.waddell.com
Waddell
& Reed does NOT support, in any way, privatizing Social Security
Whelan & Associates
Wealth Managemenent
Leading the Way to Financial
Independence
Kyle
Whelan Financial Advisor
14225 University Ave, Suite
200
Waukee, IA 50263
515 223 2265
800 943 5269
kwhelan@whelan-axxos.com
Program
for Employee
Information
Referral
If
employees or members of their families are having problems, or have questions
concerning alcohol, drugs, stress, domestic voilence, gambling, depression
to mention a few, a PEIR
can
assist them find the rigt agency for assistance. Click on the link for
more info.
Feel
free to contact any of the following.
It's
confidential.
First
number is work, second is pager or cell
Jackie Brown IA 515-235-3194
Lorie Head * IA 515-246-2700
515-360-4555
Mark Rocha IA
515-480-6886
Denny Ryan IA 515-235-3779
515-971-5783
Carol Spurgeon IA
515-235-3773
515-967-1576
Theresa Weston IA 515-246-2662
515-558-1069
* Indicates Management
Please
contact the Union Office for any assistance, if you are going through
a force
reduction or reassignment.
We are
all in this together.
Union Plus was created by the AFL-CIO
in 1986 to help unions to provide union members and their families with
high-quality consumer benefits and services
Each program is carefully researched
and developed by a team of experts. They do all the homework and negotiate
the best deals using the financial clout of the more than 13 million members
represented by AFL-CIO unions. Through this affiliation, Union Privilege
is able to offer benefits of much greater value and quality than members
can generally get on their own. Because Union Privilege carefully monitors
each program, members get prompt, courteous service and high-quality benefits
-- as well as help in resolving any problems.
Visit the Union
Plus Benefits page for detailed summary of some great union negotiated
discounts on a wide variety of goods and services. |