October 30, 2009, 7:47 am
Here’s the report that appeared yesterday. Again, CMS is taking the position that those of us covered by UniCare will receive notice and options will be identified. Sounds like it is still under discussion given the CMS response yesterday.
UniCare to pull out of Illinois, Texas
180,000 Illinois customers have option to switch to Blue Cross and Blue Shield
By Bruce Japsen
October 29, 2009
Just as Congress works to pass health reform that would give insurance companies tax dollars to help consumers pay for coverage, the nation’s largest medical insurer said it would exit the Illinois market, leaving behind more than 180,000 customers.
Read more at the Chicago Tribune…
October 29, 2009, 4:43 pm
Our colleague, Russell Benjamin, contacted CMS today following a radio report that Unicare was leaving Illinois as a health care insurer. Here is the CMS response to his question about the departure of Unicare from Illinois.
Yes, all indication is that Unicare is planning to withdraw from the Illinois market by the end of the year. The Department of Healthcare and Family Service (DHFS), the agency which negotiates contracts for state employee and retiree healthcare vendors, is having discussions with Unicare to explore all options for the remainder of FY10. Once the information is final, we will send notice. Employees will not be without coverage. They may have to choose a new plan, depending on the final decision between both parties.
Watch for your notice….
October 23, 2009, 9:35 am
Reminder
Please be aware that the 2004-08 contract is still in effect. The duration article stipulates that the contract continues on a month by month basis until either the administration or the UPI decides to terminate the contract. That said, all language on workload remains the same…workplans for ASP are in place and any changes must follow the contract – full time workload for instructors ranges from 18-24 credit hours, it is not measured by the number of courses. The workload ranges for Teaching Professionals and Resource Professionals have not changed nor has the unit of measure – credit units not the number of courses is the measure for Teaching Professionals that appear in the 2004-08 contract.
Update
Your bargaining team is in the process of preparing a proposal as a response to the administrative proposal. As part of the transition to traditional bargaining, the administration reached an agreement with the union about which articles are rolled over or TAed (tentative aggreement reached during IBB) and which articles remain open and are being negotiated. To help you understand the scope of the proposal that is being prepared by your bargaining team, I have listed those articles/topics below. Please contact me or a member of the bargaining team if you have any questions.
Open Articles
(may be more than one with that title)
- Definitions
- Recognition
- Instructional Technology
- Personnel Files
- Union Rights
- Dues Check Off
- Leave without Salary
- Compensable Fringe Benefits
- Grievance
- Compensation
- Workload (all Employee Groups)
- All Workload Guidelines (measurement of work)
- Evaluation (all Employee Groups)
- Promotion
- Tenure
- Sanction and Termination (all Employee Groups)
- Staff Reduction (all Employee Groups)
- Retention (ASP)
- Duration and Implementation
October 16, 2009, 7:09 am
We came together with one goal…the restoration of MAP funding. An NEIU community of students, faculty, staff and administrators emerged as a result of our efforts to preserve higher education in Illinois. Our strategies were as diverse as our community…phone calls, emails, office visits, rallies, postcards, letters, coalitions, resolutions, appeals to higher political powers, websites, social communities, blogs and more.
Let’s celebrate our NEIU community, our commitment to our university values and our ability to put words and beliefs into action. We are part of a statewide higher education community and through our collective actions accomplished the restoration of MAP funds for Illinois students.
Bravo!
October 15, 2009, 4:37 pm
Illinois legislature OKs scholarships without the funding
Gov. Pat Quinn will have to find the money elsewhere in budget
By Monique Garcia
October 16, 2009
SPRINGFIELD—The Illinois General Assembly today turned up the pressure on Gov. Pat Quinn to find money for scholarships for low-income college students, sending him legislation that authorizes spending for the grants but doesn’t include a way to pay for them.
Read more at the Chicago Tribune…
