First Pay of the Fiscal Year  

The July 31, 2008 Arlington County retirement benefit payment is the first monthly payment of the 2009 Fiscal Year and includes all changes from your Open Enrollment elections (held in May), any applicable cost-of-living adjustment (COLA’s), and potential “crossover” adjustments. Enclosed with this newsletter is your monthly deposit advice for the month of July. The benefits team is asking that you review this advice closely and contact us by August 31 with any questions or concerns. You can call us on 703/228-3500, option 1 or e-mail us .

At Your Fingertips  

Did you know that much of the information you seek is just at your fingertips? The Arlington County benefits team is hard at work updating the Retirement Website.  You will find: 

Forms – To make changes to your direct deposit, taxes, beneficiary elections, and insurance elections.

Benefit Payment Information – Access your monthly deposit advices, reprint previous years’ 1099 information, view your current tax exemptions, and verify your beneficiary designations. 

Online Board Election Process (coming in late August) – Submit nominations and cast your vote online for the upcoming Arlington County Employees’ Retirement System’s Board Election.  Positions are available for retiree trustee and substitute trustee. (Paper ballots will still be available upon request.)

The site is updated monthly and we encourage you to visit our Retirement Internet page regularly to see what’s new.  As always, you can contact the Arlington County Government’s Benefits Unit Monday through Friday 8 am–5 pm EST at 703/228-3500 or by e-mail for any additional questions.

HealthSmart Wellness Program  

HealthSmart, as you may know, is the Arlington County Wellness program.  We promote good health habits, enhance knowledge and improve the overall well-being of Arlington County employees and retirees. 

HealthSmart wants to know what health issues our retirees are concerned about and what we can do to help you lead a healthier lifestyle.  Please take a moment to share your thoughts by completing a brief survey about health topics and programs that are important to you.  Click here to access the survey (a new window will open).  You can also share additional thoughts or request a paper copy of the survey by contacting HealthSmart via phone at 703/228-1827 or via e-mail .

Get Up, Work Out, Feel Better  

Do you have 30 minutes to spare for yourself today?  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that adults should have at least 30 minutes of moderately strenuous activity, such as walking, at least 5 days of the week (or 20 minutes of vigorous activity, such as jogging, three days per week) and resistance training, such as weight lifting, two days per week.  For example, walking the dog for 10 minutes, three times per day is just as beneficial as walking for 30 minutes at a time.

Here are a few easy and enjoyable ways to include physical activity into your daily routine:

Medical Minute - Vision Benefits With EyeMed  

Retirees enrolled in the CIGNA or Kaiser Health plans receive vision benefits which include coverage for exams and discounts on lenses and frames.

Beginning July 1, 2008, CIGNA members access their EyeMed benefits using the Healthy Rewards part of their CIGNA benefits.  The Healthy Rewards Discount Vision Plan uses the EyeMed Vision Care Plan’s network of providers and for eyewear discounts.  Simply login to mycigna.com, click on ‘Discounts from Healthy Rewards’, Select “Vision and Hearing Care”, and follow the prompts for providers and discount information.  Your CIGNA EyeMed group number is 9234030.  You will no longer receive a separate card for the County vision plan. You will simply use your existing CIGNA insurance card for vision benefits.

Accessing Your Vision Benefits

CIGNA and Kaiser

Through your medical provider, your regular eye exam is equivalent to the cost of seeing your primary care physician.  To find a provider use one of these links (a new window will open):   CIGNA  Kaiser  

For CIGNA Members (Network HMO & Point of Service)

Vision Services are accessible through the following vendors, outside of EyeMed:

• Routine vision exams must be performed by a Vision Service Plan (VSP) participating provider, phone number is 800/877-7195 or visit the VSP site and search by either by zip code or by doctor name.  If you do not wish to register you may still search the site for providers by answering “no” to “Are you a VSP member?”
• For medical vision services (cataracts, trauma, disease, etc), will be provided by Advantica Eye Care, phone number is 866/425-2323 or visit their site.  Select member through a managed care organization, then select CIGNA HealthCare Mid-Atlantic HMO medical from the dropdown box, fill in your zip code and a list will be generated.
  

Moving Out of the Metro Area?  

If you are enrolled in the Kaiser Health Plan or enrolled in CIGNA and you move outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan service area, you may need to change to a CIGNA network that services the area to which you have moved. The change must be made within 60 days of your move outside of the service area. Please contact staff in the Benefits Unit regarding your move at 703/228-3500 or by e-mail .

Financial Focus - ING Offers Retirement Income Planning to Retirees  

ING Financial Advisers, LLC has been the administrative services and financial advisor for Arlington County’s 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan and the DROP account since January 2001.

ING has four full-time onsite representatives available to retirees.  ING can help you:

• Review your financial holdings and retirement income sources and prepare a consolidated statement of assets.  Consolidating assets can aid in the management of retirement income portfolios and retirement income withdrawals.
• Review your investment portfolio to fully understand what risks you are taking.  Everyone is well aware of investment risk, but may not realize that inflation poses a serious risk to purchasing power over long periods of time.
• Review your withdrawal strategy to ensure that assets are properly invested and amounts withdrawn are appropriate.

A number of free one-hour seminars are scheduled around the County which may be of value to retirees.  Recommended seminars include Retirement Income Strategies, Asset Allocation and Fund Selection, and for those interested in college funding for children or grandchildren, 529 College Savings Plans.  Retirees are welcome at any of these seminars or the informal coffeehouses held in the lobby of Courthouse Plaza.

If you have questions or would like to sign up for one of these seminars, call Karen Beans of ING at 703/228-3470.   Karen can also arrange a telephone call or schedule an appointment with one of the ING financial advisors.

Location Addresses:

Courthouse Plaza, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201

Department of Human Services (DHS), 3300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201