April 2021

Volume 44

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Highlights


MEET THE TEAM: LOTTI ELSWICK

POP UP OFFICE APPOINTMENTS IN MAY & JUNE

SANTA BARBARA OFFICE DROPBOX HAS MOVED

Also in this edition...


  • Santa Maria Office Sign is Up!
  • 2021 COLA Tracker
  • March 2021 Investment Results
  • March 24, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Highlights
  • April 28, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Agenda
  • CareCounsel Information
  • RESBC Membership Information

MEET THE TEAM: LOTTI ELSWICK

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Lotti Elswick joined SBCERS in February 2020, bringing several years of customer service experience to the Member Services Team. Lotti is a key resource for SBCERS members by ensuring they are able to enroll in the MySBCERS portal.


Are you from the California central coast? If not, where did you grow up?

I grew up in a very little town in Austria in Europe, but lived the last few years in Vienna, Austria and also in Cork, Ireland before I moved to California about 3 and a half years ago. In fact, my very first job was working as a Sales Representative at a huge European fashion wholesaler in Vienna.


What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time I like to spend time with my dog, Louis, and go on hikes, or cheer for my husband at the Motocross track on weekends. 


What do you like most about your job?

It’s a wonderful mixture of talking to our members and administrative work. No day is like the other, and successfully walking a member through an enrollment process and ending the conversation happier than before they called makes me very proud. I also love learning something new from all my coworkers every day, which makes my workdays very exciting.


If you need help setting up your MySBCERS Member Portal account, give Lotti a call at 1-877-568-2940!

POP UP OFFICE APPOINTMENTS


SBCERS Member Services Representatives are available for in-person "Pop Up" appointments on May 27 in Santa Barbara and June 4 in Santa Maria. These appointments will be in person, yet adhering to CDC social distancing requirements.



Members may choose between 20-minute or 60-minute appointments.


Some examples of 20-minute appointment topics for active members include discussing service purchase of medical leave or extra help time, or divorce. For retired members, a 20-minute appointment may be useful to help with tax withholding changes, Health Reimbursement Claims, direct deposit changes, or insurance questions.


60-minute appointments for active members include pre-retirement or retirement counseling sessions. Retired members should book a 60-minute appointment for topics such as death benefit claims or continuance onboarding.   


Click one of the buttons below to schedule an appointment.

Santa Barbara Pop Up Appointment Details

Date: Thursday, May 27, 2021

Location: HR Cachuma Room (Basement Conference Room) in the County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St, Santa Barbara, 93101.

Click Here for Santa Barbara Appointments on May 27

Santa Maria Pop Up Appointment Details

Date: Friday, June 4, 2021

Location: Santa Maria Board of Supervisors Hearing Room in the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Administration Building, 511 Lakeside Pkwy, Santa Maria, 93455.

Click Here for Santa Maria Appointments on June 4

SANTA BARBARA OFFICE DROPBOX HAS MOVED

Due to ongoing construction at the Santa Barbara office, the SBCERS document dropbox has been relocated to the front of the building located at 130 Robin Hill Road, Goleta, 93117.


The office remains closed, however SBCERS Member Services is available to serve you remotely.

Santa Maria Office Sign is Up!

SBCERS Santa Maria office recently relocated to 2236 S. Broadway, Suite D. Keep a look out for our new sign on the outside of the building!


Due to COVID-19, both SBCERS offices remain closed to the public. Member Services Representatives are still available to assist members virtually.

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2021 COLA Tracker


For March 2021, Los Angeles Area Inflation (year over year) was 2.19%. The average monthly increase for 2021 to date is 1.34%.


View monthly inflation figures compared to last year. 


Want to track the COLA on your own? On the 15th of each month, the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor statistics releases CPI data for Los Angeles.


Read the current Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

March 2021 Investment Results

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The Total Fund returned 1.83% for the month of March, net of fees.


Since July 1, 2020, the portfolio has returned 17.62%, generating over $547 million for our beneficiaries.


Read the full March 2021 Investment Flash Report.

March 24, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Highlights


At the March 24th meeting, the Board of Retirement adopted staff recommendations as its determinations regarding the inclusion or exclusion of stand‐by duty pay in compensation earnable. The Board also received a monthly investment report from RVK, Inc.


Read the draft March 24, 2021 Minutes.

April 28, 2021 Board of Retirement Meeting Agenda Available


The next Regular Board of Retirement meeting will be held remotely on April 28, 2021. You can watch the meetings via YouTube live stream at https://www.sbcers.org/board-of-retirement/watch-live/.


Members of the public who would like to make a public comment may email [email protected] for instructions on how to do so remotely.


Click HERE to access the agendas and board materials on our agenda management website.

WANT HELP WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE INQUIRIES & CONCERNS?

Looking for a stress-free solution to your healthcare inquiries and, or concerns? CareCounsel is our health advocacy partner and is a service offered as part of your benefit package. CareCounsel works independently from your insurance carrier and is a completely confidential resource. 


It’s easy, call: (888-227-3334), or email [email protected] Monday through Friday 6:30 am to 5:00 pm PST. After hours, you can leave a message and they will get back to you the next business day.


A few examples of why you should contact CareCounsel:

  • Education
  • Making Sense of Medicare
  • Benefits and Coverage Questions
  • Claims and Billing Assistance
  • Eligibility Status
  • Quality Concerns
  • Grievances and Appeals
  • Assistance with Locating Healthcare Providers

RETIRED EMPLOYEES OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY (RESBC)

RESBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of county retirees by providing information on critical retirement issues and offering educational/cultural social opportunities. Membership in RESBC is $2.50 monthly. Dues are deducted from the member’s Santa Barbara County pension payment. County employees may join RESBC by completing the RESBC Membership Deduction Authorization form at the time of their retirement exit conference.


Retirees may join at any time by requesting a membership form from SBCERS, 130 Robin Hill Road, Suite 100, Goleta, CA 93117, 1-877-568-2940 or, by clicking HERE and sending the completed form to [email protected]. 


RESBC Membership benefits include:

  • 4 issues of the RESBC newsletter per year
  • 4 subsidized luncheon meetings per year held at various county locations
  • Opportunities to participate in subsidized day trips and special events
  • Attendance at special presentations on critical issues such as health insurance, pension litigation, pension-related court decisions, etc
  • Opportunity to socialize and have fun with former co-workers and friends

Have a question about an item in this newsletter?

Call a Benefit Representative at 1-877-568-2940. We are ready to help you!


Want to look at prior newsletters?

Click HERE to visit the SBCERS Newsletter Archive.