RECOM Blog

Open Enrollment for choosing/ switching health plans and updating personal information will be October 1st to October 15th and will be passive.  

Jack Broadhurst - Retired Mesa Police Officer Jack Broadhurst passed away on April 7, 2025.  Jack retired in 2013 with 26 years of service.  Here is the information for Jack’s service:  Friday, April 25, 2025 – Viewing will be at 3 PM and Honor Guard/Service will be at 4 PM at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, 7900 E. Main St., Mesa.  Jack’s body will be cremated and laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.

Herschel Vincent (Vince) Anderson - Herschel (Vince) Anderson passed away April 5, 2025 at the age of 93. Vince requested memorials be sent to the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 2222 S Price Rd, Tempe, AZ 85282, or the Mesa Public Library, 64 E First St, Mesa, AZ 85201. Link to his Obituary.  

In a significant move towards modernization, the Social Security Administration has confirmed a substantial change in its payment methods set to take effect on September 30, 2025. This change involves transitioning from issuing paper checks to adopting electronic payments. Starting September 30, paper checks will no longer be used for disbursements, including government benefits, supplier payments, and tax refunds.

All executive departments and agencies are required to transition to modern electronic funds transfer (EFT) methods, such as direct deposit, debit or credit card payments, digital wallets, and real-time transfers. This substantial change will impact approximately 456,000 Americans receiving their Social Security payments via paper checks. These individuals represent about 0.7% of the total 68.2 million Social Security beneficiaries across the United States.

The Employee Health & Wellness Center's new address is: 59 S. Hibbert, Mesa, AZ 85210  (cross streets: 1st Ave & Hibbert)

On February 25, 2025, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the SSA has begun to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to individuals whose Social Security benefits had been reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 5, 2025, repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) applicable to workers, and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) applicable to workers’ surviving spouses, with respect to monthly benefits payable in or after 2024.

Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)

The WEP reduced the primary insurance amount of a government worker who has wages covered by Social Security and who also has a pension based in whole or in part on their own earnings from employment not covered by Social Security. Note: Some states do not require Social Security payments or wage reductions for certain professions (e.g., police officers, firefighters, teachers).

·         The repeal of the WEP means that retired federal workers and other public servants who spent part of their career working in the private sector (and accordingly received wages that were subject to Social Security withholding) will not have their benefits reduced with respect to monthly benefits payable in or after 2024.

Government Pension Offset (GPO)

The GPO reduced a surviving spouse’s Social Security benefit if the deceased worker had also received a federal, state or local pension based on earnings from non-covered government employment.

·         The repeal of the GPO means that a surviving spouse of an applicable deceased participant will not have their Social Security benefit decreased with respect to monthly benefits payable in or after 2024.

For more information login to the RECOMAZ.org website, click the Info header, then Social Security WEP and GPO web page or

For addition information on WEP or GPO from SSA, sign into your Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. At the top of the page are two banners: one for setting up an appointment for SSA and the other banner “information about the Social Security Fairness Act (WEP & GPO)”.  Most questions can be answered with the FAQs located here.

Follow these 3 tips to protect yourself from Medicare fraud and scams:

1. If you get a call, text or email asking for your Medicare Number, don't respond. Don't give your Medicare card or Medicare Number to anyone except your doctor or people you know should have it.

2. Check your Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) or claims statements carefully. If you see a charge for a service you didn't get or a product you didn't order, it may be fraud. If you suspect fraud, report it at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or Reporting Medicare fraud & abuse | Medicare. 

3. Guard your Medicare card like it's a credit card.

Visit Medicare.gov, the official source for Medicare information, to learn more about preventing Medicare fraud and medical identity theft.

Tips to help support a healthy back during the day:

Move your muscles – Stretch regularly, take standing or walking breaks every 30 minutes, hold walking meetings and always take the stairs. Practice better posture – Adjust your chair so your knees are about level with your hips, keep your wrists straight and hands at or below elbow level, and sit about an arm’s length from your monitor. Try a standing desk – They can help you burn more calories than sitting, help loosen your muscles and reduce back pain, and even boost your productivity.

Stretches You Can Do at Home or Work

• Surepay deductions occur on the 10^th of the month unless it is a non-business day or holiday.
• This will occur 3 more times in 2025
• Loof for and review Annual Open Enrollment newsletter each September
• Take note of changes, including cost
• Contact Employee Benefits Office 480-644-2299 or benefits.info@mesaaz.ogv to update contact information – address, email, phone number.

If you've changed your emailor mailing address and have not communicated that information to the City of Mesa Employee Benefits office, you might be missing important information pertaining to your benefits. 

Of course RECOM tries to ensure general benefits information is passed along to our members timely, but specific informaiton may go only to you and might be missed for lack of a current address.  

To notify the Benefits office of email or address updates, contact Jean Bettis at 480-644-6706.  She will be able to assist you!