AFLAC has been available to all PORAC members since 1977 and provides financial support (cash) when things go wrong. Whether it is a small laceration that requires stitches or a catastrophic cancer illness, AFLAC is there to help keep you financially whole through that accident or illness. These plans are available to help PORAC members cover the costs we do not think about. The obvious things like copays and deductibles, but also mortgages, groceries, car payments, phone bills, etc. In other words, the benefits paid by AFLAC can be used any way you see fit.

An Accident is something you can pinpoint to a time and event. Aflac’s Accident Advantage plans pay benefits based on what happens at doctors and hospitals related to accidental injuries, on or off the job. Defined cash benefits for emergency treatment, hospital stays, physical therapy, and follow-up visits, specific injuries, and ambulance, etc., increased benefits for organized sporting activities like school sports, little league, Baker to Vegas and the National Public Safety Football League. If a member is more than fifty miles from home when injured and hospitalized there are additional benefits for transportation and lodging.

The Cancer Protection Assurance plan was developed to provide members with cash benefits from first diagnosis to hospice, skin cancers to malignant, internal cancers. Designed to help protect the member’s income and savings from expenses that are not covered by major medical insurance, including deductibles and co-pays, experimental cancer treatments, and transportation and lodging, to name just a few of the thirty separate ways this plan can help during a cancer illness.

Aflac’s Critical Care Protection plan provides peace of mind should you experience a named critical health event or need to be in the ICU for any reason. This plan provides financial assistance should the covered person experience a heart attack, stroke, major third-degree burns, coma, paralysis, etc. This plan pays subscribers a lump sum benefit upon diagnosis of a covered event with additional benefits payable for things such as a hospital confinement, intensive care unit confinement, limited heart surgeries, ambulance, transportation, lodging, and therapies to help with recovery. The most common use of the ICU benefit is for NICU babies (policy must be in force for at least 10 months at delivery).

The Hospital Advantage Plan is a hospital confinement indemnity policy that provides cash benefits to members. Benefits are paid regardless of any other insurance members may have. This policy is customizable based on individual or family needs and is compatible with other AFLAC plans. The benefits include, initial hospitalization benefit, daily hospitalization benefit, surgical benefits, and doctor visits, in addition to ER and short stay benefits.

For more information on Aflac sponsored products, call (858) 344-4331 or visit the website at aflac.com/porac to review detailed plan information or to connect with a local agent.

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Featured in the December 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.

Nobody wants to buy insurance. But it’s a have-to-buy item.

If you’re like most people, it’s not that you don’t understand the value of life insurance. In fact, many people believe they need more coverage. You probably wouldn’t mind having more life insurance. It’s just that you don’t want to buy it.
Thinking about buying life insurance, talking about buying life insurance, discussing the reasons for buying life insurance – all of this makes many people feel uncomfortable.

“I Don’t Have The Time Right Now.”

You’ll eventually get around to buying life insurance, but not today. With all the things you’ve got to do, buying life insurance can come off as a low priority – just one more thing you ought to do. Plus, the whole idea of discussing life insurance isn’t a whole lot of fun. Who wouldn’t rather attend a ball game, take the dog for a walk, or spend those precious few hours of free time in the evening with family and friends?

Nonetheless, buying life insurance is really an important task that should be addressed now, rather than later. Especially considering your line of work as a peace officer. Life insurance can help to ensure that your family will have enough money to meet their financial obligations in the event of your death.

The Subject Is Uncomfortable

No one really likes to think about death. Death is an unpleasant subject, and life insurance raises issues of our own mortality. Some people say that the very thought of starting the life insurance buying process makes them feel stressed out. It’s a subject we’d rather ignore than address.

It doesn’t have to be that way. People who act on the need tend to focus on the positive aspects: the idea of meeting their responsibilities to provide for, and care for, their loved ones. They think of it as contingency planning, protecting their family against the uncertainties of life. They also recognize that life insurance is really about life and love, about helping to ensure a positive quality of life for their spouse and children if they die prematurely.

The Bottom Line

It’s easy to understand why people tend to put off purchasing life insurance they know they need. But look at it this way: buying life insurance is one way you can help secure your family’s financial future. And what could be better than knowing your loved ones will be protected, even if you’re no longer around to take care of them?

The Insurance and Benefits Trust of PORAC’s Group Life Insurance Program is provided to assist you in financially protecting your loved ones. It also affords you the peace of mind of knowing that should something happen to you; they will be taken care of financially. The Life Insurance Program provides many different options including both the 10- and 20-Year Group Level Term (GLT) plans. These plans are offered at very competitive rates. For example: Under the 10-Year Group Level Term Plan, a Member, age 35 and a non-tobacco user may obtain $500,000 of life insurance coverage for $23.00 per month. For more information and assistance, please contact our Plan Administrator, Myers-Stevens & Toohey (CA License #0425842) at (800) 827-4695.

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Featured in the November 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.

California Casualty, in partnership with PORAC, offers PORAC members Auto & Home/Renters Insurance designed with your needs in mind.

California Casualty recognizes that peace officers work every day to provide protection and safety to California citizens. So we at California Casualty strive to protect you with the same honor and integrity by providing auto and home insurance designed specifically for peace officers.

Our policies include public safety professional-focused coverages, such as a reduced auto deductible, a Fallen Officer Survivor Benefit, reimbursement of up to $500 for uniforms you’ve purchased, if stolen out of your vehicle, homeowners/renter’s insurance that covers up to $3,000 for laptops while away from your home, and many more.

California Casualty’s insurance is coverage you can count on, service you deserve and at a value you’d expect.

Let us help you protect the things that are most important to you and your family.

Start your personalized quote today. Visit us at www.calcas.com/porac or call (833) 989-3898.

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Featured in the October 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.

CalPERS Open Enrollment Runs from September 19 Through October 14

The 2023 rates for the Police and Fire Health Plan sponsored by the Insurance and Benefits Trust of PORAC, were finalized in June. Our rates are some of the lowest rates available to our members and, in some cases, lower than some HMO plans!

The Police and Fire Health Plan proudly serves over 24,000 safety members and their families in all 58 counties in the state, with one of the most comprehensive health plans available in the CalPERS system.

If your employer is a member of the CalPERS health plan network, your association is an association of PORAC and you are a member of PORAC, you should be eligible to enroll in the plan.

If you were previously covered by the Police and Fire Health Plan but are not now or you wish to be covered, open enrollment is the only time you can change plans (with little exception). The 2023 open enrollment period will run from September 19 through October 14.

Please review the rates and compare PORAC’s rates in your area. We encourage you and your family to consider joining the over 24,000 current subscribers in one of the most comprehensive health plans available to PORAC members in the CalPERS system.

The Insurance and Benefits Trust of PORAC is committed to serving its members, and we look forward to serving you and your family’s insurance needs now and into the future.

We also have a dedicated staff whose only job is to make sure you and your family receive the best care and service available.

For questions about the plan, contact our Insurance Services Representatives at (800) 655-6397.

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Featured in the September 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.

The Board of Trustees of the Insurance and Benefits Trust of PORAC (IBT) has set the 2023 health plan rates for its sponsored Police and Fire Health Plan.

The Trustees met in May and June to review the experience for each region and plan for active employees and retirees. The years 2021 and 2022 have been extraordinary, and the experiences of all regions and plans were thoroughly considered.

While some region and plan rates were slightly increased, some plan rates were also slightly decreased. The 2023 rates for the Health Plan still remain lower than some HMO plans, and the Plan’s Special Reserves remain strong.

No changes were made to the coverage of the Police and Fire Health Plan for 2023.

The Police and Fire Health Plan proudly serves approximately 24,000 safety members and their families with one of the most comprehensive health plans available in the CalPERS System. We have a dedicated staff whose only job is to make sure you and your family receive the best care and service available, including assisting our PORAC members with eligibility, benefits, claims processing and claim inquiries.

Open Enrollment for 2023 coverage will be from September 19, 2022 through October 14, 2022. If you were previously covered by the Police and Fire Health Plan but are not now, or you wish to be covered or make changes to your coverage, open enrollment is the only time to do so.

We encourage you to contact your Human Resources Department, or CalPERS if you are retired, and make the switch over to one of the most comprehensive health plans offered under the CalPERS umbrella.

The Insurance and Benefits Trust of PORAC is committed to serving its members, and we look forward to serving you and your family’s insurance needs now and into the future.

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Featured in the August 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.

Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) have long been used by Law enforcement associations to negotiate terms between employers and associations, and are a useful tool to develop a trusting business relationship.

MOUs record the terms and establish a basic intention between the parties in creating a business relationship and providing a common intention, reducing the risk of uncertainty, memorializing prior agreements and providing a framework for future negotiations. ¹

It’s important for associations to know the various terms and benefits each employer offers its employees to determine what potential benefits and protections may be lacking to employees.

The Insurance and Benefits Trust provides exceptional insurance products at a reasonable price, and in the process offers services and support to members in understanding how our products can best protect them and their family members. The Trust also advocates for members in cases when they need assistance and provides assistance to association leadership in negotiating our products into their MOUs.

The IBT’s disability plan was designed to protect one of the most important assets for law enforcement officers: future earning ability. If a member becomes disabled due to an injury or illness and can’t work, this disability plan provides the member and their family with a continuing monthly income up to a maximum of $10,000 per month. This plan far exceeds other plans offered to law enforcement officers in providing unparalleled financial security.

In reviewing your MOUs, make sure to know what, if any, disability plan the employer provides its employees. Make sure to identify if there is a lack of coverage, and if so, consider the IBT’s disability plan to help ensure your members’ continued receipt of a monthly income.

In addition to protecting future earning ability, the IBT also provides members with group life insurance with a simplified life insurance offering and accidental death and dismemberment coverage.

For more information on the IBT’s disability plan, life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverage, please contact our trusted partner, Myers-Stevens & Toohey & Co., Inc., at (800) 827-4695.

The IBT is committed to serving its participants and we look forward to serving you and your family’s insurance needs now and into the future.

As always, the IBT thanks PORAC members and its participants for supporting the IBT’s benefits.

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Featured in the July 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.

^{1. Worrad, Laura (2019, December 3) “5 Benefits of Using a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Retrieved from Lawpath.com ↩}

The Insurance and Benefits Trust of PORAC Health Plan completed its first quarter under the new Anthem Blue Cross Joint Administrative Agreement (JAA) and is continuing to process claims in-house with no delays.

Under the JAA arrangement, all claims processing is now being done in-house, as of January 1. Processing claims in-house will ensure a higher level of customer service with added savings to the plan and will allow us to further control administrative costs.

As with all big undertakings and system conversions, there were some unfortunate technical difficulties that were encountered with the plan conversion, and we greatly regret the inconvenience it caused our participants. For this, we certainly apologize as we are committed to resolving all plan and system issues immediately as they arise and providing our participants with quality customer service.

Staff worked diligently with Anthem Blue Cross to resolve these issues, and we are happy to say that we have worked through all issues and have resolved over 98% of all coverage discrepancies.

As of January 1, all participants have been provided with information regarding the health plan conversion to a JAA, a questionnaire regarding the Coordination of Benefits (COB), as well as information on COVID-19 home test kits, which went into effect on January 15.

We are still continuing to see the COB questionnaires coming in, and we thank our participants for their diligent responses, as this information will assist in expediting claims.

As of March 28, the health plan claims inventory contains less than seven days of claims, with approximately 3,000 claims in the queue.

The health plan is also developing an online portal, I-Site, for participants to view their benefits and track the status of their claims. Once the portal is finalized, we will advise all participants of the available access.

In addition to processing claims, our fully staffed health plan department continues to assist all participants with enrollment and coverage issues and is available to answer your questions and assist with your plan coverage.

The 2022 CalPERS Open Enrollment period will run from September 19, 2022 to October 14, 2022.

The Board of Trustees will be meeting in the coming months to establish rates for the 2023 coverage year. Please look for more information in the coming months to stay informed on the 2023 rates.

The IBT is committed to serving its participants and we look forward to serving you and your family’s insurance needs now and into the future.

As always, the IBT thanks PORAC members and its participants for supporting the IBT’s benefits.

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Featured in the June 2022 issue of PORAC Law Enforcement News.