The SERMA reimbursements are not taxable. If you are able to deduct medical expenses (consult your tax advisor) and if you are utilizing less than 100% SERMA reimbursement you can deduct the amount you received from SERMA to calculate your tax deduction amount, for example: 

SERMA 2011 Total Reimbursement Received:  $ 4,500

2011 Total Medical premium paid:                     $ 7,500

Total allowed medical premium tax deduction: $ 3,000

• MarketPlace - quick and easy way to promote your business, find trusted service providers
• Careers Center – whole section devoted to helping you find a position or post a jobs
• Local Chapter Groups - easier ability to connect with alumni in your area and get updates about programs near you
• Forums – devoted to special interests and compelling topics –you have greater control of how and when you receive notifications
• · Member Profiles & Directory - it’s now easy to find and keep in touch with other members

Now it’s time for Intel Alumni Network members, or any Intel retiree who wants to join, to move over to the new site. Our Bigtent site shuts down on February 29 and you need to register by the end of February or lose your membership status. It takes only a few minutes to register. Go to www.intelalumni.org and click on “Haven’t Registered Yet?” to complete your profile.

We hope everyone had a happy and safe celebration of the New Year!  We are back fulltime working your Intel retiree issues. We want to welcome a new IRO board member,  Abigail Scott. She has joined as our New Mexico Site Representative. Her bio and picture are posted on our website, along with the rest of our board members. If you are interested in volunteering with the Intel Retiree Organization as a board member, site representative, committee member or simply ad hoc support, please drop a note to our mailbox. We’d love to have you join the group!  We are working closely with Intel to get our 2012 priority list resourced.  More on this next month!

HEALTH AND BENEFITS COMMITTEE – Cheryl Pruss, Chairperson

VAULT CARD
When you receive your new Vault card, the instructions with it are for employees, not retirees. There is no need to register the card or to have a unique personal Intel email address to access the Vault Card website.  Simply enter retiree@intel.com as your email address. Intel will be adding a sticker with this information to all Vault cards mailed after 2/3 . Click here for the easy online process for requesting that the new Vault card be sent to your home.

HEALTHCARE INSURANCE UPDATE
While The Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act (Healthcare Reform or Obamacare) case is to be reviewed by Supreme Court in 2012, planning for Oregon Health Exchanges is in the works and may be used as a model for other states’ Health Insurance exchanges in 2014.  Go to the article by Tom Piete, an Intel retiree and member of the Health and Benefits Committee.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE – Ben Manny, Chairperson

AZ JUDGES NEEDED FOR SCIENCE FAIR
Arizona is looking for judges for the Science and Engineering Fair. Judging day begins April 3rd, 2012 at 8:00am with breakfast for our judges followed by a brief question and answer period. We ask our judges to be at the Phoenix Convention Center to check in before 8:00am. See complete schedule of events for further Fair details or contact Renee Levin, Community Affairs. Click here to register.

SIGN-UP TO VISIT AN OREGON CLASSROOM DURING NATIONAL ENGINEER MONTH
Join current Intel employees in getting kids excited about engineering careers. Full training and materials are provided to support your classroom visits. Retirees must sign-up by February 17th. Click here for additional details and how to sign-up. This is especially fun and rewarding if you have a grandchild in the classroom.

For volunteer opportunities at other sites click here.

COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE – Randy Williams and Howard High, Co-Chairpersons

NEW RETIREE FEEDBACK NEEDED
As part of the Great Place To Work Value, Intel put plans in place last year to improve the retiree experience.  If you retired in the last six months, please drop us an email about your retiree experience and let us know how your experience went. This will help us provide feedback to Intel.

CHANGES TO INTEL ALUMNI NETWORK
The Intel Alumni Network is inviting Intel retirees to a new combination website and online community developed exclusively for IAN members. The IAN Big Tent site shuts down on February 29 and you need to register by the end of February or lose your membership status. Go to the alumni website and click on Haven’t Registered Yet? to complete your profile.  For more detail, click the announcement on our website.

SITE UPDATES

We are always looking for volunteers to help each site with event planning, so if you interested in helping out, please send an email to our mailbox.

FOLSOM – A successful dinner event was held on January 25.  Look for the write up and pictures next month.

NEW MEXICO – Abigail Scott has joined our group as the new Site Representative from New Mexico.   Please check the calendar for upcoming events.

OREGON- Lunch will be a week early this month, February 7, since our standard day is Valentine Day! It is at a brand new restaurant.  Details are located on our calendar.

See complete schedule of events for further fair details or contact Renee Levin, Community Affairs at renee.e.levin@intel.com.  You can register at http://www.azsef.org/register/judge_registration.php.

As we look at 2011 in the rear-view mirror, we welcome you to 2012! With a number of time-sensitive deadlines, we are publishing an abbreviated News Flash in January and are back full-time in February. If you are interested in volunteering with the Intel Retiree Organization as a board member, site representative, committee member or simply ad hoc support, please drop a note to our mailbox at organization_mailbox@yahoo.com. We’d love to have you join the group!

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE – Ben Manny, Chairperson

REPORT VOLUNTEER HOURS BEFORE JANUARY 15, 2012
Intel Involved contributes $10 for each volunteer hour worked at a qualifying non-profit organization by a US retiree. Hours, including international, must be reported before January 15, 2012 using this form. Use the link at the top of the form for complete program details. For information on reporting hours, see the tips on reporting. Most US non-profits qualify, however any 2011 volunteer hours MUST be reported before the January 15th deadline to be considered for the Intel Involved Matching Grant program. Last year only 175 retirees reported hours, but those reporting hours resulted in over $52,000 in matching grants going directly to the non-profit organizations.

COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE – Howard High and Randy Williams, Co-Chairpersons

ROBERT NOYCE GOOGLE DOODLE TRIBUTE
By the time Bob Noyce died in 1990, at age 62, he was one of the towering figures of the personal computer revolution. Read the recent Google tribute and be sure to watch the video for a great remembrance.

VAULT CARD DISCOUNT CHANGE
NEW VAULT CARDS
Although your current card shows it has expired, you can continue to use it through January 31, 2012. You can order your new vault card online starting January 12. The process has been simplified so that all retirees will order online directly from the distribution center. The cards will ship within 24 hours of placing your order and sent via UPS to your doorstop. You should receive it within 3-5 business days depending on where you live. (The closer you live to Colorado, the better!)
To order your card starting on Thursday, January 12, go to our website, www.intelretiree.com, and select Intel Benefits, then select Discount Programs.

HEALTH/BENEFITS COMMITTEE – Cheryl Pruss, Chairperson

CIVIC VENTURES OFFERS STIPENDS FOR ENCORE FELLOWS
Fellowships are designed for professionals who want to put their skills to work in a social-purpose organization while earning a stipend. Follow the links on our website for more information available to both pre-retirees and retirees in CA, OR, NM and AZ. For example, Arizona is offering a $20,000 stipend and has an orientation scheduled for January 24, 2012 for applicants. Contact Linda Mason for details.

SITE UPDATES

ARIZONA – The Arizona Science Center and Intel Alumni Association are hosting an “Evening of Innovation” on Friday, January 20, 2012 which will culminate in an exclusive screening of the film, The Real Revolutionaries. Tom Innis will moderate a panel discussion and the event will be attended by Craig Barrett, Doug Davis and Tom Franz. See our calendar for the agenda and more information. RSVP by January 16, 2012.
FOLSOM – The winter event will be held January 25, 2012 at the Empire Ranch Country Club. Check out the calendar for additional information.

Happy Holidays from your Intel Retiree Board! We are taking an end-of-the-year break, publishing a smaller News Flash in December and in January. If you have any Intel retiree issues and/or questions, we will be monitoring our mailbox. You can reach us at organization_mailbox@yahoo.com.

Health/Benefits – Cheryl Pruss

- Apply Now for Intel Scholarship for Retirees’ Children

The Intel Scholarship for Retirees’ children is a competitive scholarship program for students who are pursuing a two-year or four-year degree. You can apply mid-November through mid-January. For more information and an application go here.

- SERMA Reimbursement

The SERMA plan year runs from Jan 1^st through December 31^st of each year. You can submit claims for premiums incurred during these dates as long as you file your claim after your insurance coverage began and before March 31^st of the year following (the “run-out” period) and you were eligible for a SERMA reimbursement when your coverage began. This run-out period provides you extra time to submit your claims. If you don’t submit your claims with complete supporting documentation by March 31^st, your claim will not be approved.

You can click here and look at more information about SERMA, and you can go to the My Health Benefits website to check your SERMA balance.

- New Vault Cards will be available in Jan. (correction from last month)

Watch for the information on how to request them in our January News Flash.

- Information on the Intel Encore Career Fellowship Program

Volunteer Committee – Ben Manny

Report Your 2011 Volunteer Hours before January 15

Intel Retirees are full participants in the Intel Involved benefit program. This program contributes $10 for each volunteer hour worked at a qualifying non-profit organization. Hours must be reported by January 15, 2012 to qualify for an Intel Involved matching grant. International volunteering qualifies for the Intel Involved matching grant program for US retirees. Hours are reported using this online form . For complete details on the program see, Intel Involved Matching Grant Program. For more information on reporting hours, see Tips for Reporting Volunteer Hours.

Social Events/Activities

Bay Area: View pictures and read all about the annual dinner held in October.

Folsom: The Winter Dinner Event will be held Wednesday, January 25, 2012. Join us at The Empire Ranch Country Club. Click on our calendar for additional information.

Annual retiree luncheons or dinners have just occurred for Arizona, Oregon, the Bay Area and Massachusetts. Folsom will be rescheduled to the first of the year so that a guest speaker can be lined up. Thanks to Intel for helping us with mailing invitations, the budget and providing interesting and engaging speakers for our dinners.

Health/Benefits – Cheryl Pruss, Chairperson

The government’s Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program (CLASS), slated to assist Americans in need of long-term care, has been deleted from the health care reform law. To understand why it was deleted and how that might impact you, click here.

We have recently learned that Met Life will discontinue accepting new members into its Long-Term Care Insurance in the near future. Intel retirees have access to this voluntary benefit. It is your responsibility to pay the premium, although you can apply for reimbursement from your SERMA balance. It is available through Intel, but we believe that access will end by the end of 2011. Click here for more information, or call Met Life at 800-438-6388.

Don’t forget open enrollment for Intel Retiree Medical Insurance, ends on Nov 11, 2011. This information has been sent to your home.

Communication Committee – Randy Williams and Howard High, Chairpersons

New Vault Cards Coming in December

VAULT CARDS for great discounts will be mailed out in December to those retirees who have a current mailing address on file.

IMPORTANT: Due to incorrect mailing addresses, Intel reminds us that it is receiving approximately 200 mailings returned each time information is sent to retirees. Recently, you should have received both a postcard in August and a dinner invitation in September from the Intel Retiree Organization. If you have not received information from Intel recently concerning the dinners, please go here to update your home mailing address and your email address.

Volunteer Committee – Ben Manny, Chairperson

Intel Involved Internationally

If you are a US retiree and volunteer outside the United States, your volunteer hours may still qualify for a matching grant from the Intel Foundation. The program operates the same way as described here. You will need to help the organization complete the necessary paperwork to show they are the equivalent of a US 501(c)3 organization, which most international non-profits are NOT. Request forms here.

Social Events/Activities

MASSACHUSETTES: Mike Adams, fab manager, hosted twenty-two retirees at a luncheon on 10/20/11 at the Hudson site. Ann Hurd, public relations and Carolyn Kelley, Hudson HR also participated. Thanks to all for a great turnout!
OREGON: Click here to see the write-up and pictures from our October dinner which was attended by 70 guests.
FOLSOM: Dinner postponed until January, 2012.
ARIZONA: 73 guests attended our first dinner event! Thanks to Steve Megli, VP of TMG who presided over a great Q and A session and Intel business update. Check out the pictures and write-up here.
BAY AREA: 61 guests attended our third dinner event and enjoyed hearing Jackie Sturn, Materials VP give an Intel update.

Intel Retiree or Alumni –  Same or Different?
We have gotten these questions from several retirees lately. Is there a difference between the Intel Retiree Organization and the Intel Alumni Network? If I join one group, am I a member of both groups?

These are two separate organizations and while the Intel Retiree Organization partners with the Intel Alumni Network on some activities, we have very different functions and membership requirements. To understand the differences and focus of our two groups, read this article or for a quick summary of the differences, you can view this table.

Health/Benefits – Cheryl Pruss, Chairperson

Open Enrollment
Information explaining IRMP options for all retirees will be mailed the week of October 10 and will be posted on the IRO website.
Caring for Elders
Many retirees are caring for aging parents and this has stimulated them to think about their own care in their later years. We are gathering information, news articles, and FAQs on our website to help retirees educate themselves about this topic. We will highlight specific articles in our future News Flashes.

After the healthcare reform bill passed, some people thought the long-term care provision in this bill as some type of new entitlement covering long term care for all. However, premiums are paid by those who choose to participate in the program. You can read more about this provision here.

Volunteer Committee – Ben Manny, Chairperson

Intel Needs Your Vote
Intel, along with its non-profit partner, Society for Science and the Public, have been selected as finalists for the 2011 Best Partnerships Award given by the Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC). Please support Intel by voting here. Voting ends this month, so vote now. Winning would bring much-needed attention to STEM education and the education programs Intel supports. More information about this award is found at their blog.

Communication Committee – Randy Williams and Howard High, Chairpersons

Sean Maloney – The Man Who Could Not Speak
Sean Maloney was one of the leading candidates to become the next CEO of Intel when a stroke at age 54 took away his ability to speak. Read how Sean, through determination, talent and support, returned to work (now as chairman of Intel China), and found his voice again.

Social Events/Activities

Intel has mailed the fall dinner invitations to retirees in Oregon, Santa Clara and Arizona. Folsom retirees will be receiving their invitation via email. Intel has provided a generous subsidy for this event so all sites have been able to select from an extensive buffet menu. Further details are available on our website.
Arizona: Thursday, October 27 – Grace Inn with Steve Megli, VP, TMG and GM of ATM as our guest speaker.
Oregon: Tuesday, October 25 – Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
Bay Area: Friday, October 28 – Fiorillo Restaurant, with Jacklyn Sturm, VP, TMG and GM of World Wide Materials as our guest speaker.
Folsom:  Thursday, November 3 – Empire Ranch Golf Club
Massachusetts: Hudson has a luncheon scheduled for Thursday, 10/20 at noon in building HD2 at the Hudson, MA site. Mike Adams, Fab Manager, will host and provide a brief business update. See our calendar for more information.

Additional Information

The Intel Retiree Organization communicates Intel benefits and other important retiree information. Our members also receive timely announcements, News Flashes, and local social event information. If you no longer wish to be a member of our group, you can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email to, organization_mailbox@yahoo.com, and you will no longer receive communications from our organization. Please include your name, email address, and site information.