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ALLEGHENY COUNTY SCHOOLS HEALTH INSURANCE CONSORTIUM

To Better Times Ahead

WINTER 2021 | VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 4

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AFT PENNSYLVANIA Donald Alexander Christine Armbruster Jo Ann Hunter Walt Michalski AIU Joseph Lucarelli BUSINESS MANAGERS

F inally, the last welcome letter for the 2020 magazines. Like all of you, the Allegheny County Schools Health Insurance Consortium Board of Trustees has faced the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like you, we have worked around day-to-day changes in rules, sudden notifications of implemented and revised government-imposed guidelines, and the availability of our various health care provid- ers and vendors. Like you, we have done all of that while main- taining our duties to you in a “business as usual” manner. Also, like you, we have been working on the needed effort to continue our duties in the future. Trustees made a fortunate decision at the 2019 development sem- inar: Because of the growth of ACSHIC and the need to use our time wisely, an initiative spawned at the event was to revisit the need for and use of our subcommittees.

Dana Kirk | PINE-RICHLAND SD Doug McCausland | AMBRIDGE SD HIGHER EDUCATION Michael Swartzendruber | CCAC PSEA Barbara Bell Alisa Murray Marylou Stefanko Robert Tuite Jr. David Wyatt SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

David Wyatt ACSHIC Chair

Over the years of growth, ACSHIC has beenmuchmore that a “mom-and-pop” consortium. To maintain the excellence we have striven to maintain and that you have come to expect, com- mittees were consolidated, redefined and empowered to do particular work. DougMcCausland andWalt Michalski have done an unbelievably helpful job leading the pharmaceutical group. TheWellness Committee has done a masterful amount of work withMike Swartzendruber at its head. Budget and finance is being covered by Joe Lucarelli, a move that will streamline that committee. Joanne Hunter is leading us with a strategic planning process, and has constructed a format that each of our vendors must follow in the future. This will allow us to track vendor costs, income, contract details, product and advertisement requirements, and other valuable infor- mation. Trustees will be able to share the needs of our members with the vendors contracted to meet those needs. The trustees who serve on these committees have made things a little easier for the Board, and the committees’ reports have provided the Boardmore time to focus onmeeting our goals. Trustees have been using their time with our vendors to focus on what we can offer members to help alleviate problems caused by the pandemic. Trustees have worked tirelessly with our health provider’s liaison, Susan Ballengee of High- mark. With daily updates when available, texts and emails, Sue has been a valuable and reliable source of information from local, state and federal agencies. She has also assisted with the day- to-day functioning of the consortium. Our EAP provider, Lytle, and their representative, Bev Brem, have reached out to our school districts, community colleges and others to offer assistance to people who are experiencing stress. While physical well-being is obviously crucial, members are no doubt under pressure because of the challenges presented by e-learning and hybrid teaching models, and uncertainty about which they’ll be using and when; all while trying to maintain as normal an existence as possible, both personally and professionally. Our consultants, Mike Garofalo and Diana Gregorakis, have seen to it that the trustees are as well-informed as our members. Because of the uncertainties of our situation, the financial reports we receive fromCarleen Burns of AMCA are not only informative, they help us focus on areas where costs can be contained or reduced. We are now approaching our end-of-the-year tradition: setting the rates for the next year, in this case 2021-22 We want our members to take care of themselves, so stick to the maintenance schedule you may be following; get flu shots and, if necessary, pneumonia shots; and take care of your regular doctor and dental appointments and procedures. And as you try to stay well, we will continue to function as well as we can, and provide the level of health care you expect at the most affordable cost possible. With the Board consisting of superintendents, school boardmembers, business managers, teachers, librarians and education- al support staff, ACSHIC is very aware of what you face every day. Being that this is my final welcome of the year, I will take some personal privilege and extend to all our members greetings of the season, and the sincere hope that 2021 will be as hopeful as 2020 was chaotic. As I write this, the potential vaccines are being touted by the media. I am hopeful that in the next issue of our magazine, we’ll be able to share pertinent information or even some success stories. Stay well and stay safe, and here’s to a Happier New Year.

BUSINESS OFFICE Michael Garofalo Diana L. Gregorakis

c/o Aon Consulting 625 Liberty Ave., 27th Floor, Suite 2700 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412) 263-6365 | (412) 765-3022 Fax

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE GROUP Larry Perrotto | CHAIRMAN Mark Hornung | MANAGING DIRECTOR Jason Maholy | EDITOR Caitlyn Bettenhausen | PROJECT MANAGER

Shannon Mashek | ART DIRECTOR Joe Zannelli | GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dee Edington| WELLNESS EDITOR Jeff Mercer | REGIONAL SALES REP

1550 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 880-0370 | jason@communityhealthmagazine.com ADVERTISING | Call Jeff Mercer at (412) 596-3727, or email jeff@communityhealthmagazine.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Send comments, letters, story sugges- tions and photos relating to your local health news to jason@communityhealthmagazine.com . This magazine and its content are for general consumer educa- tional use only. Nothing contained in this magazine is or should be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagno- sis or treatment by a licensed medical practitioner. Nor does the Allegheny County Schools Health Insurance Consortium endorse any products or services marketed by advertisers in this issue. As always, please consult your physician. Community Health magazine content is published to educate consumers about health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. As always, please con- sult your physician. COMMUNITY HEALTH ACSHIC is published quarterly by Community Magazine Group, 1550 S. Indiana Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605.

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WINTER 2021

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