Mike Bresnahan
In past newsletters, I have written about the Retiree Issues Task Force (RITF). For those who may be reading this for the first time, I wanted to briefly describe the RITF and the important role it serves for retirees.
The RITF brings together representatives from REA, the Retired Fire and Police Association, management from SDCERS, staff from Benefit Outsourcing Solutions (BOS), and key personnel from the City of San Diego. As you probably know, BOS has assumed many of the retiree health benefit administrative functions that were previously handled by SDCERS staff. Meeting quarterly, the RITF provides retirees with a direct voice on issues affecting retiree benefits and services.
One of the important advantages of REA membership is that your concerns and interests are represented at the table. The RITF is another way REA continues to work on behalf of all retirees.
At our most recent RITF meeting on April 21, 2026, we discussed several topics impacting retirees, including preliminary thoughts and planning considerations for the 2027 Open Enrollment and Retiree Health Fair.
Another key topic continues to be the transition of retiree health benefit administration to BOS. BOS offers retirees a modern online platform where members can securely access benefit information, update personal details, review health plan information, and communicate directly with customer support. As of the April meeting, 2,445 retirees had signed up for the BOS online portal.
While the online portal is a convenient option, retirees who prefer not to use it can still contact BOS by phone or mail to obtain information and assistance. The online system is simply another tool available to help retirees access their benefit information more easily. If you would like to explore the BOS portal, you can visit: www.sdretireehealth.com. If you have not yet registered, you may want to consider doing so and becoming familiar with the system.
Thank you for your continued support of REA.