Friday, April 23, 2021

THE CITY REPORTS ON RETIRED CITY WORKERS POSSIBLY BEING FORCED INTO A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN

This article on retiree healthcare for NYC government worker retirees is from The City-New York Focus. It was sent to us by a number of people.

The first few paragraphs:

Nearly 250,000 retired New York City employees and their spouses could have their health insurance changed to “Medicare Advantage” plans managed by private insurers as soon as July 1, New York Focus has learned.

Retirees, who are pushing to delay the switch, say they are worried that a switch away from their current Medicare plan could lead to dramatically higher out-of-pocket costs and a smaller network of providers.

“It’s a little frightening,” said Jane Roeder, a retired city administrator. “The word on the street is that these Advantage plans are fine as long as you don’t get sick, as long as you don’t need the chemotherapy that my friend is having right now, or radiation treatment, or infusion treatment, or skilled nursing.”

The proposed switchover follows a June 2018 agreement between the Municipal Labor Committee, a group that represents retired New York City employees, and the city Office of Labor Relations.

Under that pact, both sides agreed to reduce health care costs for retirees by $600 million a year relative to 2018 forecasts, starting in 2021. Switching to Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, was one of eight possibilities proposed at the time.

Under Medicare Advantage, the city projects it would save that sum by paying a fee to a private insurance company to manage a Medicare plan. Documents reviewed by New York Focus indicate a deal is being negotiated between the city and private insurance companies seeking to administer the coverage.

Please permit me to remind everyone that part of our opposition to the 2018 contract was unknown medical givebacks. Here is the portion of our October 2018 piece opposing that subpar deal that covers healthcare.

Healthcare givebacks are for all of us in this contract, not just new teachers. The Municipal Labor Committee agreed to huge healthcare savings in June. This is from the City Hall Website article on the new UFT contract: “The agreement will provide total health care savings of $1.1 billion through Fiscal Year 2021 and $1.9 billion of annual savings thereafter.” Putting new teachers on HIP managed care for their first year, which is a major contractual concession as our contract says the city has to offer us a choice of free health plans, will not save the city $1.1 billion or $1.9 billion annually after 2021 as the city will still be paying their health insurance. Where are the new $1.1 billion in healthcare savings ($600 million must recur annually) going to come from?

New city employees have already been placed into managed care for year one of their employment. City retirees could be next. Retirees are talking about what we can do about this. I won't personally be impacted for a few years but I stand ready to support any action opposing privatization as should those of you who are decades away from Medicare eligibility.

61 comments:

  1. Changes will take place in medical coverage . Mulgrew agrees to everything behind closed doors with zero input from the rank and file members that pay his salary.

    He will frame it by saying due to theses changes in medical coverage, the ERI was passed by diBlasio and City Counsel.

    Uft members will blame the ERI opt in group for these changes. We will be further split into sects as a union.

    We all have to remember that as members of the UFT we have very little say in the operation of our union .

    Term limits for UFT presidents should be 4 years. Administrators in building should turn over every two years like the NYPD does with Captains. At that point all the bullshit would change .

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    1. 832. term limits dont guarantee an ideological change. that is the real need. the union is moving away from the needs of the people in the rank and file, and more and more towards the needs of the business community and city politicians.

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  2. Do teachers lives matter? I’m going to notify Black Lives Matter that Mulgrew and deBlasio are screwing Black educators that spent their lives in the classroom. If Mulgrew and deBlasio get that kind of heat, they’ll change their tactics quickly.

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    1. 854. why conflate these two issues? do you want to be pandered to, since thats all our political leaders do when it comes to the current civil rights issues? id prefer much more than pandering on both issues.

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  3. If you’re retired, please call this number, 212-331-6314, it is the Uft retiree chapter. Let them know honestly how you feel about all this. Not that I’m sure it will help but it couldn’t hurt.

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    1. Email TMurphy@uft.org and state your opposition. Retiree, nearing retirement or younger educators should send an email if you oppose having your medical option decided by Mulgrew.

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  4. So how do people square this with paying dues? Instead of calling scab, realize how you are being ripped to shreds. You don't like spring break 2020 being brought up, so now we can bring this up. Or the million other uft failures.

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  5. Thats sad 8:54, you believe blm really cares about black lives.
    just like our union doesn't care about us
    the individuals that were called scabs have been right all along. our union needs to be defunded
    they take us for granted and will never, ever, ever ever , wait one more, ever change until we as union members use the only leverage we have left, withholding our dues
    our only other leverage was voting, but Unity has rigged that election years ago, 3rd world dictators (can we still say 3rd world) lol, envy and wish they were as efficient at rigging elections

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    1. We can also write to errol louis or ben Chapman from the daily news about grade/graduation fraud. You and your school colleagues can ban together and submit accurate grades (it will only work if you do it schoolwide). Stop helping the DOE and mayor by helping them coverup.

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    2. 1038. we can tell you don't care. maybe you should drop it from your talking points on this comment page instead of showing off your willful disdain

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  6. Retirees are waking up. This might actually lead to some of them abandoning Unity. Now would be a terrible time to leave the union and lower the number of voters who will vote Unity out.

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  7. 10:38, I don’t, but pandering fools of the UFT do and if there’s an opportunity for BLM to gain even marginal legitimacy they’ll help.

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    1. 1145. the movement for civil rights has legitimacy. what would make a person believe such a movement doesn't?

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  8. ill drop it when im ready but thanks for the suggestion @12:51
    just curious @12;51 what is it again I supposedly don't care about.


    thanks for the idea WFS, im going to call

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    1. @1:39 pm YW. I called and was told to email TMurphy@uft.org. i did so. I wrote that my vote for uft candidates will be based on whether I have the option to choose my medical coverage. PS Im retired but am years away from Medicare.

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  9. waiting for support.

    Yes, but why does it matter? DeBlasio is a big supporter of our movement.
    All of us should have quality health care.

    Mulgrew is horrible. Neeeds to go.

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  10. @2:13pm..it matters to me because it seems as if you are using black teachers as a tactic or tool to involve BLM. Have you contacted BLM about how the DOE is destroying generations of black brown families? That's the real issue IMO. Mulgrew and Diblasio are screwing over black educators, white educators, brown educators, asian educators--all educators--with the help of these same educators. I hope all educators are prepared to talk about what they did to stop Mulgrew and Diblasio. I'm confused about how some educators can't see the forest for the trees. I get the frustration and the desire to have support. Everybody wants to be treated and respected. Just saying.

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  11. @2:13 pm...DeBlasio is a big supporter of which movement? Yes we should all have quality Healthcare. Stay safe

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  12. Mulgrew has perverted the unionism in the United Federation of Teachers.

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  13. This report is nothing new.—but still very concerned —as there are ongoing negotiations with all the city labor unions.

    At the last monthly RTC meeting a few weeks ago—Mulgrew promised that any changes in retiree healthcare would be better than the current one—because the UFT is an excellent and wise consumer when it comes to choosing health plans. Really have no idea what he meant by that statement—unless he thinks is he thinks the UFT is shopping at the old bankrupted Sy Syms Menswear stores —which was only for educated consumers.

    Mulgrew also said that the UFT is working to get the right political leaders elected—but thought we already had the necessary politicians already in place—unless there is a plan to elect several Bernie Sanders clones in the upcoming city elections

    Mulgrew also told the retirees said that ending the yearly Medicare reimbursements are non-negotiable and not to worry—but he never really mentioned anything about current reports connecting healthcare changes and ERI.

    Bottom line—everything has a price-so just expect larger monthly premiums, co-pays etc. to continue as always —ERI or no ERI

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  14. So, How much money NY city did Chirlane McCray waste on Thrive NYC?

    There goes your retiree health benefits.

    You should be mad as hell at the cronyism of Bill De Blasio.

    https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/too-much-money-chirlane-mccrays-hands-thrivenyc

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  15. I think we need to file a criminal complaint against De Blasio and Chirlane McCrae about Thrive NYC right now.

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  16. How much money did Bloomberg waste on CityTime?

    https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/nyregion/bloomberg-administration-admits-mishandling-citytime-and-nycaps-programs.html

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  17. Thrive NYC, City Time, SAIC ..... blah , blah , blah.

    New York City is the greatest city in the world for Crony Capitalism and municipal waste.

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  18. So, How much NY city money did Chirlane McCray waste on Thrive NYC?

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  19. Nyc is not thriving.quite the opposite.i would give up the spring break money owed to keep healthcare.not retired.we must get the RETIREES to threaten to vote the fool out in order for him to speak up.if he throws us under the bus follow through and make him pay for being a huge traitor.

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  20. Are we the only union this would impact? I can't see cops, firemen, Sanitation standing for this.

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  21. It is not just the UFT. It is the entire Municipal Labor Committee that includes the uniform unions. We agreed to savings in healthcare back in the 2018 contract. The other unions had to agree to get their contracts settled too.

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  22. @James Eterno
    Does uniformed workers include the police and firefighters in having Medicare Advantage forced upon them?
    The sanitation workers are the only uniformed workers mentioned in The City article.
    Important to know. Thank you

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    1. I believe unions like the PBA and UFA are in the MLC.

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  23. Another week gone, another week of arbitration being closed, I guess.

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  24. Is the UFT really dumb enough to believe they’ll continue to get the retiree vote if they fuck with retiree healthcare? Serious question. How in the world do they think they will get the retiree vote if they do that? Spoke to a couple of retirees who said they’d turn against the UFT if this happened. I imagine most retirees feel this way.

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    1. I doubt if the UFT cares. They've crossed over to the side of the wealthy. Working class folks (dem and rep) will always "get" whatever the 1% "gives" to us.

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  25. Thanks James. Do we have any idea what their take is on this? Also, how can we stop it?

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  26. Most Medicare Advantage plans are regional and not accepted nationwide. I am curious how this will work for the many retirees that no longer live in NY.

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  27. @James Eterno. Can we verify that PBD and UFA are affected by this change? Important information to obtain. We’re trying to confirm without success.

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    1. Look at the PBA MOA. It has the same letter on health savings from the MLC as the rest of the unions.

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  28. Please sign and forward widely, if you haven’t already!

    https://www.change.org/p/mayor-de-blasio-preserve-medicare-part-b-for-nyc-retirees

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  29. NYC had 90 welfare funds. Bloomberg suggested that they be combine to save money. NYC Comptroller Stringer came out in October 2020 with a report about these funds. DC-37 with the largest number of union members has a smaller administrative cost than the UFT and other unions.

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  30. CHECK OUT PAGE 46-48 of scott stringer's report on union welfare funds administrative costs
    https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/analysis-of-the-financial-and-operating-practices-of-union-administered-benefit-funds-with-fiscal-years-ending-in-calendar-year-2018/

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  31. There is an article in the Chief-Leader on this topic-Amid Anxiety About Shift to Medicare Advantage Plan, City Clarifies Intent. Apparently, the new plan will Increase quality, benefits all while significantly reducing costs to the City. This has been in the works for years.

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  32. There is an article in the Chief-Leader on this topic-Amid Anxiety About Shift to Medicare Advantage Plan, City Clarifies Intent. Apparently, the new plan will Increase quality, benefits all while significantly reducing costs to the City. This has been in the works for years.

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    1. Bullsh^t. Our freedom to choose is being taken away. Their goal is to reduce costs period.

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  33. Please send us the link. We have no issue with printing it.

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  34. Deep rooted fraud at the DOE during the Bloomberg administration:

    https://classsizematters.org/nyc-council-testimony-on-nyc-does-wasteful-and-corrupt-technology-contracts/

    We are that point where the city wants to eliminate an important part of the retiree health care to pay for the fraud and corruption of Blomberg and De Blasio.

    This would not be necessary if they had not mismanaged billions of dollars of contracts.

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    1. Honestly this country that my immigrant parents and relatives built is going to sh$t. No one can talk honestly with each other without feeling fear. It’s sad. I feel bad for the new immigrants that will have to defend this country from the ingrates.

      The funny thing is, I’d worry about the doe and their racial progressivism but they’re the racists. My son and daughter are products of their racist system and yet they’ll still survive.

      I told the last black chancellor, whatever that idiots name was, that he was the overseer of racial Genocide. That was true then, and it’s true now. All these idiots in charge will show their truth.

      Please relieve me of my truth and send me to your dungeon. Or as it’s known colloquially, the Rubber Room! 😂😂😂

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  35. Yes, bullish::t, it’s for profit private insurance that’s subsidized by Original Medicare, ie taxpayer dollars. This Medicare Advantage program options were started by Obama, part of the gold ring that he handed to the insurance companies with the ACA.
    Do not be hoodwinked.

    The UFT has three resolutions on their website opposing privatization of Medicare. We see how that’s going.

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  36. I left the union by the way, so come at me. 😂😂😂

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  37. I could go on, but people would think I’m crazy.

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  38. If New York City wants to save a ton of money, while doing the right thing for every constituency, it should fix what Bloomberg broke. The large campus buildings should be made whole. No more schools on every half floor in the same building. No more hordes of APs and principals in one building. Bring back school spirit and pride in these historically unique and wants unified schools. That’s what the Uft should get behind not screwing retirees.

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  39. It's interesting to note that NYS has set aside $2.1B for undocumented immigrants pandemic support in the just signed budget. That is $15.6K for each eligible individual undocumented immigrant YET NYC is taking away from those who gave their working lives to support NYC.

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  40. Yes I brought this up earlier.but it stays on the blog and not in public.we need a public platform for our issues.

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  41. David, you have big balls!lol.just an attempt at humor...I love that u had the guts to speak out to the previous chancellor.
    I agree that some immigrants are so very grateful and some natives are ingrates. So true.yes USA turning to shit.very sad.just wondering if this is worldwide or just herr.when I talk about moving,my immigrant friends say they would not return to their countries cuz usa is great..now what???

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  42. @7:36 pm - as a daughter of immigrants, as someone who visited the homeland, the USA is great. Even at its worst it is greater than our native countries. The worst city in the USA is still an upgrade to the best city in quite a few countries. In large part due to the opportunity we have to move around the the thousands of metropolitan and urban centers in this country. In my homeland, you get locked in due to ethnic, religious, and language barriers.

    I think a lot of Americans don't have that perspective because they are far removed from their origins. So they see America at its worst not recognizing that this is still a haven compared to many places around the world.

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  43. 1045. Everyone is free to leave, yet more want to come to America then leave. People living in a liberal bubble (liberal media, liberal city/state) may not have the perspective you describe but those of us outside of the bubble know this is the best country to live in despite your race, religion or any other attributes. I live outside of nyc. A year ago 1/3 of my neighbors displayed the flag. As of today every single home in my neighborhood displays the flag. My neighbors include 2 families of first generation immigrants. They are the most pro America people I’ve ever met. One family from China. One family from Honduras. They worked their asses off and are now enjoying the fruits of their labor and wave the flag proudly. Other patriots in my hood are black, brown, (mostly)white, (mostly)Christians, Jews. We all get along just fine. Only their echo chamber buys the bullshit narrative the left is selling.

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  44. Curious to know if 7:36 and @10:35 posters are retired municipal workers. Also curious to know if either of those two posters have spent time in Western Europe. Americans should be reaching for the best, rather than the lowest common denominator.

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  45. 10:45 here. Nope not even close to retirement. I have perspective because my parents had a very harsh life from where they are from. I have been there and I've seen it.

    Thousands of kids begging on the street. Poverty so bad that the poor live in tents. And it isn't due to drugs, it is due to lack of affordable education (most schools are now private, very few public schools left due to privatization of education), and ethnic/religious discrimination.

    I wouldn't say my country is socialist or capitalist. In recent decades it has been trying to match the capitalism of US and China. However, it is just a country with corrupt politicians - way more than what Americans consider to be.

    Also parents are not from Europe so never been to western Europe.

    We should always reach for the best but to those saying the USA is turning to shit is a bit crazy to hear as someone whose parents are from a country that is literally shit. It's everywhere.

    USA has room to improve but is still much better than other places. Try to visit outside of the USA and maybe you'll see. Perspective makes a big difference.

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