pamelaf's blog

Please note that the 2020 U.S. Census is currently underway. The results of the survey will impact funding in many important areas for the state of Arizona so your participation is very important!

Please visit AzCensus2020 to learn more about how you can participate in shaping the future of Arizona.

Director Paul Matson recently attended the annual conference for the National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA) which, like so many conferences at this time, was held virtually. We wanted to share his update, presented at the conference, about the ASRS' response to the pandemic, and how we were able to shift member services to safer, remote support.

To our Members:

As the ASRS moves into its annual “retirement season” I wanted to take a moment to reassure our members that while our staff continues to be predominantly working remotely for everyone’s safety, our commitment to providing you the highest levels of service has not waned. I am proud to report that during this time of transition, the ASRS continues to meet our monitored and measured high standards for processing pension, health insurance, disability and forfeiture payments and applications, as well as responding to various member inquiries.

Continue reading the Director's Message

The Arizona State Retirement System has selected two new dental insurance providers for the Retiree Group Dental Services program, beginning January 1, 2021. Delta Dental of Arizona and Cigna Health were selected after a solicitation for bids (Request for Proposals) was held. The contracts were approved on April 20.

As a reminder, for everyone's safety, the ASRS offices continue to be closed. All member and retiree services are offered remotely (via online or phone). Members may drop off documents at the office, however, no staff will be available to assist you. Watch this video to learn more about ASRS remote services:

During this time of enhanced health and safety concern, ASRS member education meetings are currently being offered online only. Similarly, member appointments are currently being offered by phone or online. Read on for more details:

With recent significant losses to financial markets attributed largely to uncertainty over the spread of the coronavirus, ASRS members may be concerned about the impact to the ASRS benefit plan.

The ASRS manages a diversified investment portfolio which is comprised of equities, real estate, credit, and bonds. Unlike personal retirement accounts, such as a 401(k), ASRS retirement benefits are set by a formula and not by the ups and downs in the investment market.

Here’s a summary of market impacts to ASRS members:

Avoid delays in processing your retirement!