Fred,
A REMINDER that all professional insurance brokers have cautioned about making any change away from the State Healthcare Insurance Program until the terms of the new plan are known – you cannot go back to TRIP once you leave it. Early impressions from those in Springfield who have preliminary information suggest the Advantage Plan options may be good for most people.
IEA is exploring with District #39 whether they will reimburse for healthcare coverage outside of the Advantage Plan only at the premium level assessed by the State or whether they will reimburse to the full extent of the contract in force at the time of retirement.
GATHER INFORMATION, but don’t act yet is the professional advice on the healthcare matter.
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Fred Klonsky 
I concur 100% with this advice, especially if you’re in TRIP. Those of us in SURS have a little different scenario, as we can opt out and then opt back in next year at this time. That option is not available to TRIP. They have promised that we will have all of our information (including the 3 key pieces of information: Coverages, provider lists, and drug formularies) by November 12th. Keep in mind that this date leaves less than one month to make a decision, as the federal choice period ends on December 7th. So it would pay to be doing all of your research now in anticipation of getting the specifics on the state plan by November 12th.
This comment by Anonymous (thank you) leads me to a question–why CAN’T members opt back into TRIP? Is it to much trouble for TRIP administrators (& it shouldn’t be, if SURS & others can do it) to allow us this option? I’m afraid that many of our elderly members are going to be really screwed (sorry, I cannot think of a nicer word) by this morass of confusion and T.M.I. In my opinion, there would seem to be no reason not to afford us this same service. Can you answer my question, Fred? (If not, can any reader out there do so?)
Thanks!
I cannot answer that question. I can tell you that a SURS member told me today that not all SURS employees can get back in. Junior College teachers, she told me, cannot.