Odds & Ends

Odds & Ends

I have received information from several people the last several weeks on different topics. Thank you for forwarding these to me. The more information that is shared can only help our members, active and retired alike, and make our Union stronger. The following may be of some interest to many of you and/or your relatives.

1) Increase in CPD retirees net monthly payment

2) New Medicare Cards

3) Microsoft (Windows): Tech Support Scams

4) Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)

1) Beginning with the Feb./18 annuity payment there was an increase in the net on our monthly pension check. The Pension Board says that due to the tax law changes they are withholding a lower percentage. If you need to adjust the amount withheld because you have other taxable income you need to call the Pension Board (312-744-3891) and fill out a new form indicating how much you wish to have withheld.

2) Medicare has started sending new cards with new Medicare Numbers to people with Medicare. Your new Medicare card will include a new number unique to you, instead of your current Social Security-based number. This will help to protect you against fraud.

Starting this month (April/18), people who are enrolling in Medicare for the first time will be among the first in the country to get the new cards. If you have Medicare already, you’ll get your new card over the coming months. Medicare will mail cards on a rolling basis, sending a new card with a new number at no cost to everyone with Medicare over the next year. To update your official mailing address, visit your MySocialSecurity account, or call 1-800-772-1213.

If you want to know when new cards start mailing to your area, visit Medicare.gov/NewCard, and sign up to get email alerts from Medicare. They will send you an email when cards start mailing in your state, and they’ll also email you about other important Medicare topics. While the cards have a new look, your Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same.

SCAM ALERT: Medicare will NOT call you about this. There is NO COST to you for this. Do not respond to any phone calls saying there is a cost to have the new cards delivered to you.

3) The following is info that I received from a relative who works for Microsoft. This was released by Microsoft in regard to Tech Support Scams. If you have any devices that run Microsoft products (Windows, etc.) you may find this interesting.

Check this site out for all the scams that are going on around the world with respect to Microsoft

4) For those of you that will be able to receive Social Security you need to be aware of the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). If you receive a government pension your social security benefit amount almost always is greatly reduced. The following link will give you more specific information for your individual situations.

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/wep.html