Maryland's Largest School District
You may have recently received the most recent edition of the MCPS publication, Retiring Times, in the mail. This edition includes a summary regarding 2027 healthcare benefits. Please be sure to read the information. We are including an important time- limited reminder.
WELLNESS INITIATIVE FOR MCPS RETIREES NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE
HAVE YOU TAKEN the Wellness Initiative for 2027?
Complete your biometric health screening and a health-risk assessment by October 2, 2026
If you are an MCPS retiree enrolled in an MCPS medical plan and are not yet Medicare-eligible, you can reduce your 2027 health insurance costs by completing a biometric health screening and an online health-risk assessment through the Wellness Initiatives program.
If you are eligible for this benefit and have not yet completed your screening or online assessment, you have until October 2, 2026. For each step completed by the deadline, MCPS will contribute an additional 1 percent toward the total
cost of your health insurance, reducing your share of the premiums, effective January 1, 2027. Completing both activities will reduce your contribution by a total of 2 percent.
Additional health insurance updates can be found at on the MCPS website.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/ersc/retirees/benefits/open-enrollment
MEMBER QUESTION:
I read that in contract negotiations, the topic of cutting health insurance for budgetary reasons has come up. How would this impact retirees?
RESPONSE:
While MCPSRA is not an official member of the contract negotiating team, we are in regula formal and informal contact with MCPS Employee and Retiree Services Center, Budget and negotiations staff and our union and association colleagues. This is a negotiations year for MCPS with each union/association.
Through our formal and informal relationships, MCPSRA is able to regularly share the concerns of our members and to provide recommendations and suggestions regarding benefits as well as the communication about those benefits.
Importantly, MCPSRA is formally represented on the MCPS Joint Employee Benefits Committee (JEBC) where health benefits and related information are discussed. For example, MCPSRA was critical to ensuring that the percentage of increases in health care premiums for retirees are consistent with those of current employees.
MCPS shared with retirees that there will be a one percent increase in premiums beginning in January 2027.
MCPS has publicly reported anticipated general budget deficits as well as health care deficits. These items are key components of the negotiations cycle.
MCPS is committed to offering active employees and retirees continued health insurance and prescription coverage.
MCPSRA will continue to provide input and monitor as appropriate, as well as communicate regularly with our MCPSRA members.
